NHRA News: Anderson leads field into King Demon Crown event (5/15/2004)

Anderson leads field into King Demon Crown event

By Rob Geiger, NHRA.com
5/15/2004

Greg Anderson

Pro Stock conqueror Greg Anderson will lead the 2003-2004 class into the 20th annual King Demon Crown special event, which set its field at Atlanta Dragway Saturday.

Six racers came into this weekend's 24th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals presented by Pontiac fighting it out for the final four positions in the eight-car field. Jim Yates and Ron Krisher ended up as the odd men out, with Yates logging an untimely DNQ to miss the King Demon Crown cutoff by 65 points. Krisher was even closer, but his No. 12 qualifying effort in Atlanta, the 23rd and final race in the King Demon Crown series, left him 35 points shy of the final spot.

Instead, Bruce Allen, Dave Connolly, Mike Edwards, and Allen Johnson will fill out the bottom half of the eight-car ladder. Johnson was the luckiest of the group as he failed to qualify for the Atlanta race but still managed to hold onto the final spot in the King Demon Crown field.

The King Demon Crown event pits the top eight Pro Stock qualifiers from the previous year against one another for a $50,000 top prize. In all, $76,000 will be divvied up amongst the elite eight on race day. This year's event will be held Saturday, May 22, during the final day of professional qualifying for the seventh annual NHRA Route 66 Nationals.

Racers earn between 175 and 85 points per event depending on what qualifying position they earn. The eight drivers accumulating the most points since the running of last year's King Demon Crown race, which took place in Englishtown, N.J., make the cut for this year's race.

Reigning POWERade champion Anderson, two-time POWERade champion Jeg Coughlin, six-time POWERade champion Warren Johnson, and three-time and reigning King Demon Crown winner Kurt Johnson had actually secured their positions on the grid prior to this weekend's race.

Anderson qualifed No. 1 at 18 of the 23 races on the King Demon Crown series, earning a record 3,955 points.
Racers Edge Photography

The first round will have Anderson facing A. Johnson, Coughlin squaring off with Edwards, K. Johnson opposite Connolly, and W. Johnson versus Allen.

Driving his Jeg's Mail Order Chevrolet Cavalier, Coughlin will be making his fifth appearance in the King Demon Crown race. He won back-to-back titles in 1999 and 2000.

Like his son Kurt, Warren Johnson is a three-time winner of the race and the most tenured professional in the field, having earned a spot in the King Demon Crown field for his GM Performance Parts Pontiac Grand Am every year since the race's inception. Overall, W.J. has raced to seven final rounds in this event. Kurt Johnson and his ACDelco Chevrolet Cavalier teammates will try to defend their 2003 title where K.J. beat a wildly out-of-shape Anderson in a thrilling finale.

Allen and his Reher-Morrison/Speedco team will try for the King Demon Crown title for the 14th time. Allen previously won the event in 1985 and '86. Connolly is making his first start, Mike Edwards his third, and A. Johnson his second.

Barry Grant, the Pro Stock racer who owns and operates King Demon Crown carburetors, supplies $145,000 of prize money throughout the King Demon Crown series. Aside from the $50,000 top prize, the runner-up of the race will be awarded $10,000, each semifinalist will pocket $3,000 each, while the four first-round losers will earn $2,500 apiece. Grant also presents a check for $3,000 to the No. 1 qualifier at each national event.

NHRA KING DEMON CROWN FINAL STANDINGS

1. Greg Anderson, Charlotte, N.C.
Vegas General Construction Pontiac Grand Am (18) 3,955

2. Jeg Coughlin, Delaware, Ohio
Jeg's Mail Order Chevrolet Cavalier (1) 3,295

3. Kurt Johnson, Lawrenceville
Ga., ACDelco Chevrolet Cavalier (2) 3,065

4. Warren Johnson, Buford, Ga.
GM Performance Parts Pontiac Grand Am (1) 2,740

5. Bruce Allen, Arlington, Texas
Reher-Morrison/Speedco Pontiac Grand Am 2,270

6. Dave Connolly, Elyria, Ohio
Bullet Motorsports Chevrolet Cavalier 2,170

7. Mike Edwards, Broken Arrow, Okla.
Young Life Pontiac Grand Am 2,130

8. Allen Johnson, Greeneville, Tenn.
Team Mopar Dodge Stratus R/T 2,115

(Number of low qualifier honors earned)

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