Final answer:
The question requires the calculation of times-interest-earned ratios for two companies, but since the necessary financial data is not provided, it's not possible to complete the calculations or determine which company can better cover its interest expense.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks us to compute the times-interest-earned ratio for Johnson Automotive and Clark Automotive and determine which company was better able to cover its interest expense. However, the data needed to calculate the times-interest-earned ratio, such as earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) and interest expense, is not provided for either company. Therefore, without the necessary financial information like income before interest and taxes for Johnson Automotive and Clark Automotive, it is impossible to calculate their times-interest-earned ratios and assess which company is in a better position to cover its interest payments.