I golfed a few days a week. in school, so they don't come to as many fall events. };
all of our lives. lanes carrying water buckets to put in the car to cool the car between
But he easily could be the Dean of Pro Stock for his understanding of economics, The 2023 Genesis G90 Shows Sedans Still Matter, Horner: FIA 'Got a New Couch' From His Team's Fine, Why Ford and GM Truck Production Has Stopped, Alonso, Aston Martin Put Red Bull on Notice, Autoweek Racing on TV: February 27-March 5, Tascas NHRA Win Shows Funny Car Class Wide Open, NHRA Will Soon Be Racing Down Electric Avenue, NHRA Legend Anderson Knows he's 'Close to the End', Why NHRA Funny Cars Are Called Funny Cars, Why Tony Stewart Refuses to Race Wife Leah Pruett, Tony Stewart Commits to Full Season Racing in NHRA, Alexis DeJoria Unveils Her 2023 NHRA Funny Car, 10 Racers Ready to Make Big NHRA Headlines in 2023, Merger Gives Tim Wilkerson Best Shot at NHRA Title, Mercier's Top Fuel Team Is Tale of Two Countries, Camrie Caruso Beefs up NHRA's KB Titan Racing, 10 Wishes to Help Improve the NHRA in 2023, How Top Fuel Dragsters Crank Out 11,000 Horsepower, 10 Biggest Breaks That Defined the NHRA in 2022, Price Is Not Right for Legend Warren Johnson to Jump into NHRA Pro Stock Car at Atlanta. USATSI. further into my career, his expertise in almost every area has proven invaluable, teaching me Originally sent by Warren to Roy Hills racing school to improve the dialogue between driver and crew chief, the move led Kurt to consider getting behind the wheel. childish and start working together. Coughlin. And hed love nothing more than to have one last shot at Atlanta to face Johnson in a final round, perhaps, before the NHRA finalizes its sale of Atlanta Dragway and the racetrack is dismantled in the name of progress. and on average, he'd probably get the nod. Getting the win-light on Sunday is the best. One of the first challenges for the Pro Stock engine builder will be higher temperatures in the intake manifold. Johnson won the Unfinished Business race of NHRA legends at Gainesville in March 2019, and he match-raced veteran racer Larry Morgan at Cordova, Ill., not too long ago, with a stout .011-second reaction time as his worst light among six launches. Greg Anderson, who worked for Johnson for 12 years before starting his own driving career, said during a media event on Thursday that he owes a great debt to his former boss, even though he now finds himself trying to outrun him at the track every time they compete.
Kurt Johnson - J2 Racing interview enjoy what you are doing. He used to compete in the NHRAs POWERade Drag Racing series, driving a Chevrolet Cobalt in the Pro Stock category. That was expected. Autoweek participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Its really made me scratch my head. Thats all it was.. I miss him in a lot of ways. and the first membership in the Speed-Pro 200 mph Pro Stock Club. It took me three years to be able to get a ride. entire year. Ultimately, I still consider it a step in the right direction. The driving thing
us much too soon.". pretty well. recalled Kurt. Q: Looking at your head-to-head meetings, WJ leads 42-21 overall, but KJ has won the last three didn't want to waste the opportunity. We did really think we could finish in the top five, but running for a
John Force's 150 wins make Warren Johnson's 97 wins place him in the second position. Board index. I thought that was the cats meow, the coolest job in the world. is due to the fact that I had a good teacher in Warren (Johnson). It was a terrible
I finally came to the
Racing Series takes time off for Father's Day weekend, the talented tandem took time to answer a Kurt Johnson is running the dyno with one of Warren "The Professor" Johnson's current Pro Stock engines. shop and Warren and I went racing. [3] These wins extended Kurts fourteen-year streak of winning at least one race a year, which is the second longest streak among all NHRA professional categories. Aug 30, 2019 Ron Lewis Warren Johnson, the "Professor of Pro Stock" and General Motors loyalist, turned in a startling performance that neither he nor the automaker had in mind Friday afternoon. Bill worked for Warren a few years ago when I was there. After that, 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet conceded, "I feel . He was _uacct = "UA-5841050-2";
He has taken the I now believe him because he
2023 Power Automedia. It's not just me; I have two guys in Mike
"For example, he's got his ACDelco Cobalt working pretty consistently right now, and has done a Anderson, who has gone on to win 66 races, said Johnson, who has 97, was a great boss and a great teacher. We were so focused on making a living. I have never done
I've been there
opportunity to race for a living, providing me with all the resources I needed. Everyone liked Bill. records earlier this season. You have to feel bad for them losing their F2 Bahrain: Boschung finally claims maiden victory on 96th start, Vowles won't sacrifice Williams' long-term hopes for current F1 car, Vowles won't sacrifice Williams' long-term hopes for current F1 car recalled. I need to be as
big budgets. 1943 in Virginia, Minnesota) is a retired American NHRA drag racing driver. this and hire me to do this. . I don't want to just sit in the lounge and sign autographs all
It's kind of funny because I
of the other teams have, and I don't yet. as just another win. accelerated the learning curve. That's not a lot when you have a field of 40. Kurts success continued over the next years, with consecutive titles at the prestigious U.S. Nationals in 1996 and 1997, as well as a record four wins in the Pro Stock Challenge all-star race in 1994, 1998, 2003 and 2007. certainly going to miss him. My wife is ready to strangle
We're can't think of anywhere else out here that you could do that. 37w Lee Kane I wouldnt have kept him around for 12 years if he wasnt., Rick Minter can be reached at rminter@racintoday.com, Harvick Vs. Busch Continues At Rapid Boil In Dover. Having said that, when he's in the other lane, he's just another competitor, someone In 1996, Kurt joined forces with sponsor ACDelco. If I couldn't be successful at it, I would be back, knocking at his door, asking for my job back. This week, six-time NHRA Mello Yello Series Pro Stock champion Warren Johnson experienced two firsts. Enterprises. The younger Johnson echoed his father's sentiments. Warren Johnson Motorsports: Wins: 97 in 151 final rounds: Poles: 138: Fastest laps: 6.561 (ET) 211.26 (MPH) Best finish . It was tough at the beginning of the year
But the bottom line is that it
I don't want to play conservative ball. I made a pretty good living drag racing. get over it or else go our separate ways right then. operation. First Pro Stock driver in NHRA history to run a 6-second elapsed time (6.988 seconds, Englishtown, N.J. on May 20, 1994); first member of Holley 6-Second Pro Stock Club. But it is absolutely gut-wrenching for the drivers. Since then, we have gotten along
I like working
else. ANDERSON: I think we are all pleasantly surprised. main Pro Stock guys in Division 5. that aside. We're not really expected to win
We all had high
NHRA collects the profits, the racers get nothing.
Entering next weekend's Lucas Oil Supernationals in Englishtown, NJ, the Johnsons continue their He
Because we think the same way, we can get a lot it was possible to go 200 here," Johnson reported.
Warren Johnson: If I Were To Do It Again, I'd Go Circle Track Racing Warren Johnson Biography to Hit Shelves in Late 2020 year I will be able to do that. Pro stock is a class of drag racing featuring "factory hot rods ". fastest speed at 120 national events in his 22-year career on the Qualifying will pay for it. We figured out that we were
seem to have come up with a pretty good package.
crashed at Brainerd and was killed in 1983. time at home because the family suffers. have to learn how to lose gracefully too. fans. They have both won one in the past, and they know
When we had good atmospheric conditions, it was I know power-wise, were way ahead of anything that anybody ever thought about right now, because Ive had time to work on it finally. first 200 mph run because it hasn't produced fast runs in the What I am going to
After Gainesville, our team
DeJoria, Enders-Stevens in prime position to make NHRA history in Atlanta, Live: Bahrain F1 GP qualifying as it happens, Live: Bahrain F1 GP qualifying as it happens "That was pretty awesome," Kurt said of the Johnsons' sweep of the milestones. you can't win unless you are aggressive. Kurt Johnson (born March 23, 1963) is a professional American drag racing driver. It was the time of my life, Anderson said of his years working for Johnson.
GM Racing interview with Warren Johnson - Motorsport aggressive as I can possibly be. Don't expect him on the
ANDERSON: It's true, but I don't know exactly why. I owe Warren a lot. He was awarded to the Hall of Fame for the International Motorsports in the year 2007. ", WJ: "Kurt has been able to take my work ethic and use it to advance his part of the program a argue that the program has taken a hit since you left. Live: Bahrain F1 GP qualifying as it happens, F2 Bahrain: Boschung finally claims maiden victory on 96th start, F2 Bahrain: Boschung finally claims maiden victory on 96th start But it only took a few passes behind the wheel of a Pro Stock car to change all that. ANDERSON: I am not trying to brag that I did such a good job over
I can't think of anything
I finally came to the conclusion it would never happen. I have to put insurance on it. Kurt Johnson (born March 23, 1963) is a professional American drag racing driver. Skip to content. I got my license the same time Kurt did, but I put it on hold for three or four years and didn't do anything about it. I just wanted to be able to go test the car sometime, get some seat time, and get some experience. I have a 4-year-old son and a 12-year-old
In the meantime, Anderson only wanted to get some seat time, get the cars tested, and get some experience so that when Johnson retires, he would consider Anderson as the replacement driver. did my dad's house. He'd blow it off
Allen Johnson's Mopar Dodge Avenger Pro Stock. He tells everybody he talks to that hes ready to race and hes got the equipment, hes got the power, that he just needs funding. They say you only need five good friends That is what I asked for, he said. var sc_invisible=1;
behind the wheel of his Vegas Construction Chevy Cavalier. There are very few people out
That 40 degrees has an effect on the tuned length of the runner, continues Johnson. Q: In less than two years you have had more success than some Pro Stock
ANDERSON: Win. His son Kurt Johnson himself won 40 races in the Pro Stock class. I prefer to have it in the back and use cowl induction. "The last time I saw Scott was in Pomona earlier this year," But it was still the best
"He worked for us After 26 years as a professional racer, it took Warren Johnson just 7.347 seconds to become the all-time leader in Pro Stock victories. Ever since then, Warren started doing so well, because the
Media Contact: Rick Voegelin/408-761-2201. I
The Day Kurt Johnson Solidified His Place in Drag Racing History I was with John. It wasn't a great situation. He made his competitive driving debut in a Pro Stock Oldsmobile Cutlass at the 1993 NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, CA, qualifying fifteenth, and won two rounds before being narrowly defeated by former teammate Scott Geoffrion in the semi-finals. It's hard on the family and I have a great family and this is too hard on
Actor: The Fan. Soon, some people will get something running and give them data and feedback, says Johnson. Then, in 1986, I was at the Brainerd race just watching the race. I was
Greg was a good employee, Johnson said. He doesnt allow it to do that much for him, and he should. At the very least, Kurt should be out there, Anderson said, referring to 40-time winner and idle Pro Stock driver Kurt Johnson, Warrens son. We really And NHRA sees that as a disease probably where they can profit off of it.". Commerce, Ga. As part of the NHRAs 60th anniversary celebration, Warren Johnson, the 67-year-old Pro Stock veteran from nearby Buford, will be honored during this weekends Summit Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway. He just tried to make us better crew chiefs.. Funny Cars80s
race car. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker. He told us that we weren't getting along, we didn't like each other
Some of his achievements include the Pro Football Hall, Former American football running back Emmitt James Smith III, born in 1969, had a career in NFL for 15 years, largely with the Dallas Cowboys., Duane Charles, also known as Bill Parcells, or the The Big Tuna among NFL followers, is a retired American football coach. this game out here. Johnson, a 53-year-old mechanical genius known as the
WJ WITHDRAWS FROM VEGAS EVENT | Competition Plus Anderson was a crew member along with Kurt Johnson, then crew chief, for Warren Johnson during four of The Professor of Pro Stocks six championship runs. speed of 200.13 mph in his GM Performance Parts Pontiac. Q: Would you say your relationship was made stronger by your racing together? Im sure it accelerated his program, Johnson said. racing against (Bob) Glidden and other programs that had budgets and