Baseball has been the main buzzword around Bristol Motor Speedway this year, but today a professional football player took home the top prize in the annual NHRA Thunder Valley Celebrity Drag Challenge.
Alexander Johnson, known best as A.J. when he roamed the field as an All-SEC linebacker in his No. 45 jersey for the Tennessee Volunteers from 2011-2014 and the Denver Broncos from 2018-2021, scored the victory today in the NHRA Thunder Valley Celebrity Drag Challenge, outrunning defending event winner Sean Embree of event sponsor Super Grip in a thrilling side-by-side final round race.
The annual celebrity drag race is one of the main previews for the upcoming Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, June 6-8 at historic Bristol Dragway. The stars of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series will invade the iconic dragstrip for round No. 8 of their championship tour that crisscrosses the United States.
Four-time NHRA Funny Car champ Matt Hagan was in attendance at the celebrity race today serving as a coach for the celebrity participants and also offering the media members in attendance with a preview of the upcoming NHRA national event. Hagan is currently fourth in points and looking to give his season a reboot when the circuit arrives at Bristol. Hagan won his home race in 2015, defeating Ron Capps, and was runner-up here in 2016 to Tommy Johnson Jr.
“This is such a beautiful place and arguably the most beautiful track on the NHRA schedule,” Hagan said. “I mean, just take a look around here with all the trees and the mountains, it’s so beautiful. We love racing here and the fans here are awesome. I can’t wait to get back here in a few weeks and go for another Thunder Valley Nationals win.”
Hagan gave the 24 entered celebrities some tips and pointers and showed them how to properly stage their car and how to try and leave on yellow to get a great reaction time. Hagan also encouraged the group to make sure and do one major thing: “The main thing today,” he said with a big smile to the group, “is to have some fun out there.”
Johnson, who played six years in the NFL, most notably for the Broncos, also spent time with the Seattle Seahawks and most recently, the Miami Dolphins. He took Hagan’s words to heart as he powered through the bracket which was set by a blind number draw.
After an opening round bye, Johnson defeated Hollywood actor Jeremy Ray Taylor in the second round. Johnson then used a great reaction time to beat NASCAR Cup Series photographer Earl Neikirk in the quarterfinals and then raced past executive sports producer Heather Williams of WCYB TV in the semifinals.
Johnson, who is currently looking to extend his NFL career and has also been competing in some Mixed Martial Arts events around the country, took on defending Celebrity Drag Challenge winner Embree in the final round.
Embree made it to the final round with victories over fellow Super Grip co-worker Ian Whitney in round one, Bristol track employee Stan Huff in the second round, before outrunning local media legend PJ Johnson in the quarterfinals. Embree defeated veteran journalist Rod Mullins of the Augusta Free Press in the semifinals to advance to his second consecutive final round in the event.
In the final, both drivers staged quickly and Johnson got the reaction time start in his machine and powered away from Embree at the finish line to take the victory.
“What a really fun day this was,” said Johnson, who is the son-in-law of Kingsport Chamber president and CEO Miles Burdine, who also competed in the event. Johnson’s young daughter Ada also attended the event and cheered them both on. “It was so much fun out there. Thanks for inviting me.”
There were several special awards presented during the event and those winners were:
* Fastest Speed – Heather Williams, WCYB TV, 88.97 mph
* Quickest Time – Sean Embree, Team Super Grip, 16.038 seconds
* Best Reaction Time – Sean Embree, Team Super Grip, .153 of a second
* Slowest Speed – PJ Johnson, media legend, 71.38 mph
In addition to Hagan, fans who attend the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals will get to see plenty of the biggest NHRA stars during the weekend, like recent Bristol winners Austin Prock, Ron Capps, Justin Ashley, Doug Kalitta, a three-time Bristol winner, motorsports icon Tony Stewart, who is making his second Bristol Dragway start, four-time Top Fuel champ Steve Torrence, three-time champ Antron Brown, Pro Stock’s Erica Enders and Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Pro Stock Motorcycle phenom Gaige Hererra and veteran rider Steve Johnson.
As always, fans will have the opportunity to interact with their favorite drivers as they're granted an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. This unique opportunity in motorsports gives fans direct access to the teams, allowing them to see firsthand the highly-skilled mechanics service their hot rods between rounds, and get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers.
The race will also feature the Congruity Pro Mod Drag Racing Series along with the NHRA Lucas Oil Series, Mountain Motor Pro Stocks and the Factory Stock Showdown.
Fans also will want to visit NHRA's popular Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create a carnival atmosphere, with interactive displays, simulated competitions, merchandise, food and fun for the entire family.
There are three major events that fans definitely won’t want to miss, including Friday’s Nitro at Night qualifying session where the Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars “light their candles” and power down the drag strip at more than 330-mph as flames erupt out of their header pipes. That session is scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m. A brilliant fireworks show will complete the racing on Friday.
On Saturday, race officials will host the popular Fan Fest in the Pits, where many of the top drivers are available to meet with fans and sign autographs. This event begins 30 minutes after the final pro qualifying session and is held in the large Guest Welcome Center tent in the pro pit area.
The other is the Sealmaster TrackWalk on Sunday morning prior to pre-race ceremonies. Join NHRA drivers and NHRA officials as they walk up and down the famed Bristol Dragway quarter-mile strip before racing begins.
Qualifying for the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals begins Friday, June 6 with a pair of pro sessions, the first at 5 p.m. and the second under the lights at 7:30 p.m. The final two rounds of qualifying are set for Saturday, June 7, at 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. and will include the new bonus program Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge. Final eliminations are scheduled for noon on Sunday, June 8.
Friday’s two-hour qualifying show will air on FS1 at 7:30 p.m. (ET), and be followed by another 90-minute qualifying show on Saturday at 8 p.m. (ET), also on FS1. Sunday’s three-hour final eliminations show will air at 3 p.m. (ET) on FS1.
Single-day Friday tickets start as low as $35 for adults. Saturday adult tickets start at $52 and Sunday’s tickets start at $42. All grandstand tickets for kids 12 and under are free on Friday and $10 each day on the weekend with a paid adult. Discounted weekend packages and limited premium seating are also available.
To purchase your reserved seats, call Bristol Dragway at (866) 415-4158. Tickets also are available online by visiting the BMS website.
Results below from the Thunder Valley Celebrity Drag Challenge, May 21, at Bristol Dragway.
Round One
Matt Smith, Half Torqued def. Miles Burdine, Kingsport Chamber president and CEO
Rod Mullins, Augusta Free-Press def. Cole Johnson, WCYB TV Sports Reporter
Joe Avento, Ballad Health PR and Lauren Cole Band guitarist def. Frank Lett, Visit Kingsport
Steve Wilmoth, TriCities Sports.com and ESPN Tri-Cities def. Sarah Fleming, Northeast Tennessee Tourism
Cameo Waters, Jonesborough tourism director def. Isabel Hawley, Jonesborough marketing manager
PJ Johnson, media legend def. Matt Wilson, Team Super Grip
Sean Embree, Team Super Grip def. Ian Whitney, Team Super Grip
Stan Huff, BMS Employee def. Andrew Vance, Team Super Grip
Jeremy Ray Taylor, Hollywood actor and Half-Torqued def. bye
Alexander (AJ) Johnson, pro football and MMA fighter def. bye
Jon Lundberg, president of Corporate Image def. bye
Earl Neikirk, NASCAR Cup photographer def. bye
Kenny Hawkins, WJHL TV sports director def. bye
Heather Williams, WCYB TV executive sports producer def. bye
John Jenco, WJHL TV morning show anchor def. bye
Nick Dugan, WJHL TV sports reporter def. bye
Round Two
AJ Johnson def. Jeremy Taylor
Earl Neikirk def. Jon Lundberg
Heather Williams def. Kenny Hawkins
Nick Dugan def. John Jenco
Rod Mullins def. Matt Smith
Joe Avento def. Steve Wilmoth
PJ Johnson def. Cameo Waters
Sean Embree def. Stan Huff
Quarterfinals
Heather Williams def. Nick Dugan
AJ Johnson def. Earl Neikirk
Rod Mullins def. Joe Aveno
Sean Embree def. Paul Johnson
Semifinals
Sean Embree def. Rod Mullins
AJ Johnson def. Heather Williams
Final
AJ Johnson def. Sean Embree
