NHRA officials announced today that Jonathan Johnson has been named the Division Director of the South Central Division (Division 4), where he will oversee NHRA member tracks in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi.

Prior to being named NHRA Division Director, Johnson was the president at JKJ Auto Parts and was most recently the south region parts and service manager with National Trailer Source, bringing significant experience to the Division Director position. 

He also earned his bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University, and received his Masters of Business Administration degree from Baylor University in 2024.

“I am really looking forward to working with the member tracks and building a solid foundation for our racers in Division 4,” Johnson said. “I want to continue to build upon the foundation of the sport and ensure we have new and exciting opportunities for our racers for years to come. 

“Having been a competitor since the inception of the Jr. Dragster program in 1992, I have been fortunate enough to travel to and see the various tracks and ways to compete in the sport. I am excited to take my experiences in racing and business to help elevate Division 4 to new heights.”

Johnson joins a team of division directors who oversee the seven NHRA divisions throughout the United States and internationally.

The South Central Division sees several Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series events throughout the year, as well as the upcoming Cajun NHRA SPORTSnationals at No Problem Raceway in Belle Rose, La., and the Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex in Dallas as part of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

“It’s exciting to welcome Jonathan to the NHRA Division Director team and we believe he is a great fit for the South Central Division,” said Josh Peterson, NHRA Vice President of Racing Administration. “His business development, operations management knowledge and drag racing experience makes him an ideal addition to our great team of division directors, and we look forward to seeing him thrive alongside the racers and member tracks in Division 4.”