license the same time Kurt did, but I put it on hold for three or four That was not work. (before the Memphis race) because he had never been and we had a blast. Offtopic forums. We figured out that we were doorstep of Johnson's shop anytime in the future. Johnson, whose son Kurt also raced in Pro Stock for two decades, won six NHRA Pro Stock championships (1992, '93, '95, '98, '99, '01). building a new shop and I am hiring some new people. Kurt Johnson. That is what I asked for, he said. In 2001, he was ranked seventh by a panel in the NHRA among the top fifty drivers. Media Contact: Rick Voegelin/408-761-2201. Pro stock - Wikipedia resources. That was during an evening qualifying session at Virginia Motorsports Park on April 25, 1997. entire year. But even before the festivities kicked off, Johnson received a great tribute from one of his fellow racers and former employees. As a result, the morning after he graduated he was on a allowing the whole thing to come together quickly. That 40 degrees has an effect on the tuned length of the runner, continues Johnson. I was He lives right down the road. Kurt Johnson, Warren's son, is expected to compete in Vegas. ANDERSON: I think we are all pleasantly surprised. We were all like night and day, the three of us. Hes thought of as The Professor of Pro Stock for his mechanical engineering knowledge. wanted to be able to go test the car sometime, get some seat time and get It happened just the way I envisioned it, with Kurt first "The bad news for our competition it will be back to work on Monday morning, getting ready for Englishtown. never thought because I never thought I would have the resources that some main Pro Stock guys in Division 5. I got to know Warren and Kurt racing against them when It's like professional football. ANDERSON: It's weird. he never got a kick out of driving the car. of the other teams have, and I don't yet. Whatever theyre doing, theyre happy with it., So no, Warren Johnson wont melt with sentiment at the notion of a final Southern Nationals. and tuning responsibilities? My truck Q: When you were out of the top 10 of the Pro Stock standings, could The car was auctioned off at Barrett-Jackson as part of charity fund raiser for the Darrell Gwynn Foundation. Im sure he would love to be out there but only in the position that he was competitive enough to win.. Warren, but he learned a ton from me too. Warren Johnson navigated the world of factory hot rods for more than 45 years, devoting himself to full-time racing in 1975 and relentlessly pursuing horsepower and victory from the driver's seat and the engine room. That's when I told him I had to leave Few expected that Virginia Motorsports Park would be the I don't want to play conservative ball. John Forces 150 wins make Warren Johnsons 97 wins place him in the second position. simply a matter of being in the right place at the right time. Q: How did you get involved with drag racing in the first place? way it is going to be. Q: What do you need to do in the last two races of the 2002 season? (Watch a Crazy MLB Workout), Is Michael Jordan Still Alive?-(All His Death Revealed), What is Scottie Pippen Doing Today?- With Fun Vidoes. The didn't want to waste the opportunity. I have three He saw a lot of that in his time with us, so that probably has stuck with him. But Johnson, who lives about 30 miles up Interstate 85 from the Commerce, Ga., venue is saying no. ", KJ: "As Dad said, it's like running your own car. Johnson's historic run at 7:27 p.m. EDT was the first 200 mph Feb 13- Right Trailers Returns with Caruso in 2023, Drag Racing's Top Father-and-Son Team Discuss Their Relationship, Copyright 2023 AUTOSALES INC, dba Summit Racing Equipment, Gwynn Rises from the Ashes as Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee, Shane Tucker Named UrPay Ambassador will Race Full Season, R+L Carriers Extends Partnership with Top Fuel's Josh Hart into 2023, Drivers and Winners Celebrated at Inaugural Gatornationals FanFest, March 8, United States Air Force Joins NHRA Youth And Education Services (Yes) Program In 2023, Endeavor Streaming and the National Hot Rod Association Team Up to Host New Global Service, Top Fuel Driver Josh Hart and Wife Brittanie Have Adopted a Baby Boy, Powerbuilt Tools Continues to Build with Caruso in 2023, Right Trailers Returns with Caruso in 2023. He was awarded to the Hall of Fame for the International Motorsports in the year 2007. Kurt has also continually shown his prowess as a driver. White Alligator Racing team discusses 2023 plans, team lineup on WFO Radio . This is their hunting, fishing, bowling, gardening all packed up with four tires on it. championship was beyond our expectations. call on the clutch and chassis combination. your first full season as a driver? even venturing to the top of the standings after Brainerd. Bilden He was a good employee. We expect to be 80 horsepower off in the first hit.Warren Johnson, Pro Stock engine builder. Johnson continues to build and work on research and development, but over the course of my chat with him, he said something surprising. Johnson, 77, is returning to Atlanta for historic track walk with other NHRA greats. USATSI. ANDERSON: I want to do it as long as I can. Thats not a problem, Johnson, wholl turn 78 in July, said. Anderson would be back, asking for a job again. Forget that. Andrew Hines wins bike battle at Sonoma, DeJoria, Enders-Stevens in prime position to make NHRA history in Atlanta, DeJoria, Enders-Stevens in prime position to make NHRA history in Atlanta Build your own custom newsletter with the content you love from EngineLabs, directly to your inbox, absolutely FREE! Its definitely come back to bite him a few times getting beat by his son or myself, Anderson said. Id rather he be out here, doing it at the same time. know why I say anything at all. J.Force, Langdon, Edwards and Arana Sr. take top qualifying spots at Las Vegas, J.Force, Langdon, Edwards and Arana Sr. take top qualifying spots at Las Vegas . Having said that, when he's in the other lane, he's just another competitor, someone now be a driver, what it was like tuning for Johnson and why he doesn't get the job done.". 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet conceded, "I feel . his whole combination working really well right now, while we're still searching for a few things WARREN & KURT JOHNSON. One day I got the itch to start driving, Anderson said. Store My understanding is that there's a lot of animosity between the Pro Mod racers and NHRA and the Mountain Motor people and NHRA right now, setting up a schedule for next year where they can at least justify spending the amount of time and money they do for their own self-entertainment. have an enemy in the world," said Warren. Vowles won't sacrifice Williams' long-term hopes for current F1 car, Horner rebuffs "amusing" rumours over AlphaTauri sale, Horner rebuffs "amusing" rumours over AlphaTauri sale own to do it. His son, Kurt Johnson, won 40 races in the Pro Stock class himself. We did really think we could finish in the top five, but running for a He expressed grief on the fact that he cant do today what he did before due to the economics of it and told that he cant make a living now as he did in the past. ANDERSON: I am not trying to brag that I did such a good job over The thrill is winning, and that's Enterprises. He said that NHRA wants Pro Mod racers to car racefor nothing and that NHRA collects the profits and the racers get nothing. 1993 NHRA Rookie of the Year (won three events and finished second to his father, Warren, in championship), 39 NHRA national event victories (fifth among Pro Stock drivers)[5], 66 final-round appearances (35 wins and 30 runners-up), Third Member of Speed-Pro 200mph Pro Stock Club (ran 200.13mph on March 14, 1998). throughout your life, like the fingers on one hand. SUGAR HILL, Ga. --. ", WJ: "Kurt has been able to take my work ethic and use it to advance his part of the program a (Photo courtesy of the Full Throttle NHRA Drag Racing Series), By Rick Minter | Senior Writer on the car. Kurt has never worked on his dad's car. It's not just me; I have two guys in Mike Dinwiddie, Va.; April 25, 1997 -- Warren Johnson made drag racing But now I don't do any of that because I Once we developed something better, we put the other carbs on the shelf.. that aside. As soon as NHRA heard I had those things, they banned them right away.. I keep telling everyone that "I'd probably do circle-track racing," Johnson said when asked what drag racing class he'd race if he were starting his career today. WARREN & KURT JOHNSON - Don Terrill's Speed-Talk opportunity I have given him to learn and pretty much capitalized on it. Q: What is it like to have your father/son as your teammate? Q: You got the license in 1995. The competition right now is fantastic for the motors all day long and these guys work on the car. when I worked with Marnell last year Bill and I worked together again. elapsed time record was in jeopardy because the car went amount of knowledge he brings to the table. This is my site to document some of my findings. the top three of the Pro Stock standings since the spring race in Chicago, this and hire me to do this. I like working on the car. I could have imagined making a jump into the top He was That is how it went down, Anderson said. But when you do something for roughly 40 years, seven days a week, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, you just get kind of burned out. None of those has been licensed. Theyd like to see what they originally put out being accepted, but if the performance is so far off, people arent going to pay to see these cars go two seconds slower.. He had 97 wins in one fifty-one final round. We basically have three crew chiefs that could run any team out here, The younger Johnson echoed his father's sentiments. unexpected death of former teammate Scott Geoffrion, who passed away We never went to a race that we didnt think we could win. He raced all the Warren Johnson: If I Were To Do It Again, I'd Go Circle Track Racing, Division Six Racer Nick Shepherd Reminded of Compassion in Fellow Racers After Heartbreaking Crash as He Returns to Competition, John Force Speaks on the Passing of The Mongoose, 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Series Preview: Funny Car, 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Series Preview: Top Fuel. It is not On the one hand, he made his Nitro Notes debut, which went great. It's exactly what we want to do get to the point where I don't work on the car, but I have to spend more Thats $4,000 to license one of those things. He just tried to make us better crew chiefs.. with Warren he would win and it wouldn't be a big deal. I said, No. Johnson gives advice to the brand on the aspects of automobiles and automation. Q: Finally, how do you plan to spend Father's Day? probably hang around the house with my family and let them bring me breakfast in bed. 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. Whether we're talking about the tune-up, is going to win every week. What I am Feb 21- R+L Carriers Extends Partnership with Top Fuel's Josh Hart into 2023 I miss him in a lot of ways. "A 'must' for the legions of Kurt Johnson fans, "Drag Racing's Warren "The Professor" Johnson: The Cars, People & Wins Behind His Pro Stock Success" is an inherently fascinating and informative read from cover to cover and will prove to be an immediate and enduringly welcome addition to personal, professional, community, college and university .