Roy Johnson Recovering
from Heart Attack

Roy Johnson, father and co-crew chief of veteran Pro Stock driver Allen Johnson, suffered an apparent heart attack Saturday at Firebird Int'l Raceway, following the conclusion of Pro qualifying for the 23rd annual Checker Schuck's Kragen NHRA Nationals.

He was transported to Chandler Regional Hospital for evaluation, where, after suffering an apparent second attack, he successfully underwent surgery, according to team representatives. He is now reported to be resting comfortably in recovery.

As a driver, the senior Johnson scored two national event wins in six final-round appearances in Comp eliminator in the 1980s. His most successful season was 1983, where he scored back-to-back wins at the Cajun Nationals in Baton Rouge, La., and the NHRA SPORTSnationals in Indianapolis. Roy Johnson is the crew chief for the Dodge Stratus R/T Pro Stockers of his son and Richie Stevens Jr. Allen Johnson failed to qualify at the event, but Stevens qualified No. 2, with a 6.64, and advanced to the quarterfinals.

"We left the hospital last night," said Stevens, "and [Roy] said, 'Go four rounds and do the best you can.' We did the best we could, and we just got a gremlin in there somewhere that didn't want us to go to the next round."

"It looks like he's going to be OK. My family and I appreciate everybody coming by and really appreciate Don Schumacher arranging to fly my family here from Tennessee. We also appreciate everybody's prayers. He was very lucky. The doctor said if he hadn't been exactly where he was, it might have been a different outcome. The Chandler Regional Hospital has awesome (cardiac specialists), so we're very lucky that he was taken there."

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