The Fast Lane

The latest news from the track!
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Melanie Johnson, Speedmaster Announce Primary Partnership

April 3, 2026

Melanie Johnson Unveils Speedmaster as Primary Partner for 2026 Racing Season.

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Melanie Johnson Named to Drag Illustrated's 30 Under 30 List

January 1, 2026

A new generation of Johnson racing excellence earns national recognition. Melanie Johnson has been recognized as one of drag racing rising stars.

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Melanie Johnson Makes History,
Shift Up Now’s First Drag Racing Grant Recipient

March 2026

The Shift Up Now Foundation is celebrating Women’s History Month by awarding over $300k in grants to female drivers across multiple racing disciplines. A standout milestone is Melanie Johnson, the foundation’s first drag racer to receive support. Competing in Top Alcohol Dragster with McPhillips Racing, Johnson represents the expansion of opportunities beyond traditional road racing, showing that precision, instinct, and high-speed execution exist across every corner of motorsport.

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Melanie Sits Down with
The CompetitionPlus
for Power Hour

"Melanie Johnson will be competing in her first full season of Top Alcohol Dragster in 2025. She has one of the best mentors helping her: Her Dad. He happens to be Alan Johnson, who has a few championships under his belt. We talk about growing up at the track watching her family race, her first job in motorsports, when the driving bug bit her and what she does off the track, that can help her find success behind the wheel."

WIMNA Social Chapter to Host Field Trip to NHRA Museum, Pomona Dragstrip

November 3, 2025

WIMNA SoCal and NHRA will host a Women in Motorsports Field Trip on Nov. 14 at the Pomona Dragstrip, featuring Melanie Johnson and other trailblazing women, uniting racers, industry leaders, and students for inspiration, connection, and NHRA Finals qualifying.

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From Softball to Professional Driving with Melanie Johnson

December 17, 2025

The Fearless Warrior podcast stepped outside of softball and headed into the drag racing world. They sat down with Melanie Johnson, a professional drag racer, who shares how tiny adjustments, sharp focus, and trust in instinct turn five seconds of chaos into calm execution.

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Melanie Johnson Advances in Semifinals in First Appearance at U.S. Nationals

September 3, 2025

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Melanie meets with
Women Take the Wheel

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Melanie is featured in
Living It Loud

"Melanie Johnson grew up at the drag strip, watching her dad, legendary crew chief Alan Johnson, tune his way to 13 NHRA Top Fuel Championships. Racing runs deep in her family, her late uncle Blaine Johnson was a standout in both Top Alcohol and Top Fuel, and now Melanie’s carving her own path in the sport. After a successful run in Super Comp, she’s stepping into the Top Alcohol Dragster ranks and just picked up her first win in Norwalk, Ohio. She’s got big shoes to fill, but she’s doing it her way - with grit, heart, and a love for the sport that started when she was just a kid hanging out in the race trailer."

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For Legacy NHRA Royalty Melanie Johnson, Speed is in the Blood.

May 12, 2025

The JP Emerson Show

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Melanie Sits Down with
The CompetitionPlus
for Power Hour

"Melanie Johnson picked up her first NHRA top alcohol dragster WIN. Joe Morrison will make Norwalk his first race of 2025 in NHRA funny car. They're both with us live!"

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