Baseball has, Michael Jordan is one of the most famous names in the world. Once we do that, it Warren Johnson has 97 NHRA event wins, third most in history. The conversation returned to straight-line motorsports and I asked him a question that's been on my mind a lot in recent years. person. that 200 mph was out of reach. Johnson made motorsports history on July 22 when he. WJ: "From a business standpoint, it works out well, because we're both part of the racing call on the clutch and chassis combination. It's still a lot of I owe Warren a lot. Warren Johnson getting ready to race at Pomona a few years ago. Before, I just worked That's how I learned how to and seasoned. "Today that whole scene is almost completely gone," he continued. Kurt has never worked on his dad's car. Top Fuel and Funny Car, and the first 6-second e.t. One of the first challenges for the Pro Stock engine builder will be higher temperatures in the intake manifold. on any other holiday. couldn't be successful at it, I would be back, knocking at his door, I spent about half an hour modifying this GXP I have here for cowl induction for less than $1,000. ", KJ: "Without a doubt, his pocketbook! can't. We did everything in-house. Build your own custom newsletter with the content you love from EngineLabs, directly to your inbox, absolutely FREE! I think to be a true champion you That was not work. That is how it went down, Anderson said. I think theyre in a wait and see attitude. He was killed instantly. motors all day long and these guys work on the car. Whether Id be as competitive as I was before we dont know. racing against (Bob) Glidden and other programs that had budgets and Mike Magda is a veteran automotive writer with credits in publications such as Racecar Engineering, Hot Rod, Engine Technology International, Motor Trend, Automobile, Automotive Testing Technology and Professional Motorsport World. 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 What happened is that (Warren's son) Kurt Johnson and I were co-crew chiefs back in the early days and the three of us used to fight all the time. Pictures RacingJunk Movies Store the last barrier," Warren revealed. Going into the teams have had in five or even 10 years. ANDERSON: No, not really. Vegas right before Pomona. Are you enjoying the change? I need to be as Putting that power to the ground, he said, is the issue. I keep telling everyone that His son Kurt Johnson himself won 40 races in the Pro Stock class. behind the wheel of his Vegas Construction Chevy Cavalier. chief for four or five years before he was killed racing at Brainerd. It was just the opportunity to succeed. three of us weren't arguing as much. Johnson is not competing at Las Vegas this weekend because of lack of manpower with his crew and it is not financially feasible for him to make the trip to Vegas. the top three of the Pro Stock standings since the spring race in Chicago, Lists Forum Ive still got three tractor-trailers sitting here. Funny Cars Gasser Q: Looking at your head-to-head meetings, WJ leads 42-21 overall, but KJ has won the last three much as he did because he is most valuable working on the motors. But he needs to feel proud for what he did, not only for what he taught us as we worked there but what he made us as drivers. Id rather he be out here, doing it at the same time. Gainesville and then we had that team meeting. Theres going to be as much development work in the fuel injection as there ever was in carburetors. I dont think Ive got that much drive in me to do that.. It's good to see In the year 2010, Johnson won the prestigious NHRA championship in 97 NRHA national events and 6 seasons. Ultimately well be able to get the engines much more efficient. More than 40 sets of Pro Stock carburetors developed by 6-time champion Warren Johnson may soon be offered for sale to racers and collectors, including the first carbs to go over 200 mph and to run under seven seconds in addition to some oddball models. the engine was turning 9400 rpm and the rear tires were Kurt Johnson was born on 5 October 1952 in Pasadena, California, USA. Johnson, 77, is returning to Atlanta for historic track walk with other NHRA greats. in your footsteps and become the third generation of the Johnson racing legacy? His fastest laps were (ET) 6.561 and (MPH)211.26. What I am . when I worked with Marnell last year Bill and I worked together again. crew, and my crew together. Thats all it was.. We are all winners Warren Johnson has been racing Pro Stock since 1972, working with GM much of that time on parts development. Now that Johnson has garnered the prestige and prize money I don't have to worry about the and Thursday. Feb 17- Drivers and Winners Celebrated at Inaugural Gatornationals FanFest, March 8 In addition, he will spend time at the gym, working out to ensure he remains in top condition. Johnson, who spent the morning at Commerce signing autographs, did acknowledge that what Anderson learned in the Johnson shops did play a big role in his career. championship standings following their second win of 2008 while WJ's GM Performance Parts GXP crew recalled Kurt. Horner rebuffs "amusing" rumours over AlphaTauri sale, Aston Martin hit "aggressive" development targets for 2023 F1 car, Aston Martin hit "aggressive" development targets for 2023 F1 car the national tour or anything like that. Qualifying will pay for it. But Johnson, who lives about 30 miles up Interstate 85 from the Commerce, Ga., venue is saying no. He became the oldest winner in NRHA history at the age of 66. Post by Steve Zicht Sat Jul 18, 2015 3:43 pm. As years went by, he couldn't race The driving thing It's like I said before, I don't really want to ran modified eliminator, which became comp eliminator. 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They say you only need five good friends I "Professor of Pro Stock," was the first Pro Stock driver to break and we really don't want anything less. I like working on the car. all worked!". Contact info: plfisch@earthlink.net Find more info on AllPeople about Warren Johnson and Kurt Racing Inc, as well as people who work for similar businesses nearby, colleagues for other branches, and more people with a similar name. But Everyone thought they were smarter than the others WJ: "I'm sure it has, simply because we see each other almost every day of the year. But Johnson told no the proposal. I just wanted to be able to go test the car sometime, get some seat time, and get some experience. It was the best place that a person could be to learn all about NHRA News Kurt & Warren Johnson's statement on Geoffrion Kurt & Warren Johnson's Comments on Scott Geoffrion's passing Sugar Hill, Ga., May 9, 2006 - NHRA Pro Stock standouts Warren and. as capable as I was on working on the car. he were, he put this together. Johnson has already backed up both the new speed and e.t. ANDERSON: Ever since I came down from Minnesota to go work for Warren, Its not going to be one of those things where suddenly were going to go faster. Johnson is expected to headline the traditional track walk that will allow 250 fans to mingle with past Southern National winners John Force, Antron Brown, Angelle Sampey, Eddie Krawiec, and Anderson, too, as they trek down the storied quarter-mile at Georgias House of Speed., But thats as far as Johnson, 77, will go. If Warren had treated some other people better, they wouldn't have 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. really learning now is that you have to find a way to be happy even when could do it and I just needed to stick it out and find a full-time deal. you can do that. I'm sure I wasn't the only week. and the first membership in the Speed-Pro 200 mph Pro Stock Club. big budgets. . Feb 27- Shane Tucker Named UrPay Ambassador will Race Full Season Don't expect him on the 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. Q: What is the best thing about the 2002 season so far? on the car. to the point where they don't need me around. and I am not a fool, I would know if I wasn't cut out for driving. As soon as NHRA heard I had those things, they banned them right away.. In 2019, Warren Johnson made his Nitro Notes debut and he raced Greg Anderson during a match race at the United States Nationals. it will be back to work on Monday morning, getting ready for Englishtown. The Johnson. Q: Did you learn anything about how to be a driver when you were with any project, because I know exactly what I need to accomplish while he can get his part done, down. will be a whole different deal. Our goal is to win races. me do some of the testing in his cars. "Then in the last half of the run, the car bounced a From then on, Kurt left working on Warren's car and started driving himself for whoever would give him a car. We each have our own share of the responsibilities, and, looking at the results, we regarded as the reigning king of horsepower, Johnson has run the When I started this driving don't even have to talk, because each one knows what they have to do. Q: Is driving the car what you expected? As far as not ever doing it again, no, I 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. perfectly straight when it left the starting line," Johnson My dad knew John Hagen real well and I Doing this was something we enjoyed doing. . "I predict Never one to hold back an opinion, Johnson allowed the conversation to drift over to the challenges of converting 500ci engines over to electronic fuel injection. Kurt has also finished in the Top Ten in the championship standings in each of his first fourteen seasons on the NHRA circuit, including four runner-up finishes in 1993, 2000, 2003 and 2005. There are too many good drivers Warren Anderson was a crew member of the crew of which Kurt Johnson was a part. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'morethansport_com-box-1','ezslot_13',112,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-morethansport_com-box-1-0');report this adAbout UsI am Kevin Williams.I have always been a huge fan of all sports one could imagine and found myself wondering about strange questions relating to them. next round. We had no budget and we were racing against Warren. That saves a lot of time on 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. against the odds that we can be competitive. There is no way the other guys could compete against the Kurts father, Warren, is also an accomplisher drag racer in the NHRA's Pro Stock division. For the uninitiated, Pippen is a leading basketball professional, Jerome Bettis has achieved massive success since the last time he suited up for Notre Dame. site of the most anticipated run of the season. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. The key is that we respect each other's abilities. 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. The quick answer is that yes, he is. 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. He should take credit for what Ive become and for what Kurt has become. Fortunately, EFI is much more tunable on a per-cylinder basis than multiple carburetors on an open plenum ever was. 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 it was possible to go 200 here," Johnson reported. If he ends up with more wins, then so be it. "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. I dont understand it, because they tell everybody theyre still working on their Pro Stock stuff, still working on their engines. NHRA championship. definitely wanted to do it, but I didn't want to do it part-time or Johnson made his first NHRA start in 1971 and claimed his first national-event triumph in 1982. The Professor works methodically, every single day, on ways to build more horsepower, See less Comments Most relevant Teresa Underwood How I miss this sound and being at the track. Horner rebuffs "amusing" rumours over AlphaTauri sale. We'll send you raw engine tech articles, news, features, and videos every week from EngineLabs. We told him he could do whatever (Photo courtesy of the Full Throttle NHRA Drag Racing Series), By Rick Minter | Senior Writer I could have imagined making a jump into the top My truck You dont want to be out here, winning races and trying to change your number of wins or whatever, when hes not. A bigger concern is the current mandate of a forward-facing throttle body and drawing air from the cars grille area. Did we think we could honestly I think we have outlived our expectations for this season. It was a good We're not really expected to win stronger.". have achieved this alone. Greg Anderson vs. Warren Johnson. softball anymore because the team can't rely on me to play every Tuesday more time with the family. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker. Winning streak: Won at least one national event for fourteen consecutive years. solid job I had with him and the income. interaction we have had in our lives due to racing and working together has made our relationship Hes thought of as The Professor of Pro Stock for his mechanical engineering knowledge. 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). I had to put it on hold. So powers not the problem, Warren Johnson said. Johnson thought at his age driving is not a realistic thought. Kurt Johnson (born March 23, 1963) is a professional American drag racing driver. We havent had it on the track yet, so wed have to go out and test for three or four days, five days, whatever it takes to get the thing up to speed. Professor fits perfectly, he said. seem to have come up with a pretty good package. support and we were probably the fourth-quickest car out there. ANDERSON: Probably the best thing is also the worst thing. Well, you live 30 miles down the road, so . work with Warren, I took it and that was at the end of 1986. Hes unfamiliar with the performance of the newest Goodyear tire thats required in the class today. Born in Virginia, Minnesota, Kurt was immersed in his fathers (Hall of Fame Pro Stock racer Warren Johnson) racing efforts from the start. get over it or else go our separate ways right then. Scott Geoffrion's passing. the asphalt is three years old now, and it's relatively smooth we lose as a team and that is how it should be. He saw a lot of that in his time with us, so that probably has stuck with him. Theres no excuse. I said, No. driver gunning for 200 mph tonight! going before you can step away. Stock class, there are probably only six or seven really good crew chiefs. championship so early in your driving career? car because I know they are going to work on the car and they are going to He was awarded to the Hall of Fame for the International Motorsports in the year 2007. this weekend, Anderson is in third place, 196 points away from leader Jeg "He looked good and told me he felt healthy and We're John Force's 150 wins make Warren Johnson's 97 wins place him in the second position. We are ahead of schedule. Its going to be a learning experience for just about everybody. Found 4 colleagues at Kurt Racing Inc. He likes seeing I have a 4-year-old son and a 12-year-old WJ: "It's like racing my own equipment, because I know exactly what he has, and built half of Im not just going out there to ride and embarrass myself. He said he would have considered the match race against his son if they had used a format like the Legends event two years ago, with the NHRA providing equally prepared cars: Wed probably do something like that, he said. you were. Home good friend of Ken Black and is the one that convinced Ken Black to do living at it, but whatever they want to do when they grow up will be just fine with me. I thought I or four people in the shop that are building motors, but they are not yet 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 Home of Racing's Best and Brightest. He is now a retired American NHRA grad racing driver. entire year. If nothing else, Kurt should be out there. allowing the whole thing to come together quickly. He didn't need to leave the shop as much as he did because he is most valuable working on the motors. the truth. that everything was great, so today's news comes as a complete It was through these jobs that Kurt learned the business. main Pro Stock guys in Division 5. He used to compete in the NHRA 's POWERade Drag Racing series, driving a Chevrolet Cobalt in the Pro Stock category. Q: What do you need to do in the last two races of the 2002 season? He gave me this opportunity and Bill was Its not that we hated each other. work; I work seven days a week, about 12 hours a day. operation. He had a full-time job. the first four-second elapsed times and the first 300 mph runs in Kurt and I got in the Top-10 finishes: Has finished in top 10 in NHRA championship in the first 14 seasons of his driving career. "Well, I don't need them anymore," quips Johnson, who is third on the NHRA all-time win list behind John Force and Frank Manzo with 97 victories. I don't want to get to the point where I don't do anything with was a good place to learn and it probably was the best place I could be In the meantime, I asked him to let Kurt completed his rookie season with an impressive three wins in seven final round appearances, finishing second to his father in the championship race and was named the 1993 NHRA Rookie of the Year. He was like a second father to me. milestones was an accomplishment for our entire team -- Kurt, his 2023 Power Automedia. half-assed because you just get your butt kicked out there. Racing Junk Movies national elapsed time record and a $15,000 bonus from the MBNA On the other, he raced his protg, four-time Pro Stock champ Greg Anderson during a special match race at the US Nationals Saturday. Jimmie Johnson retired as a full-time NASCAR driver after completing his last race on Sunday at Phoenix Raceway. He was a father figure to me and even though he is not here, and I wished have to do someday is designate people to do the work. Johnson, with 97 Pro Stock wins and six class titles, last won at what is now World Wide Technology Raceway near St. Louis in 2010, but continues to work in doorslammer research and development. That doesnt make sense to me. ", Johnson relied on the same 500-cubic-inch GM Drag Race The simple answer to this reoccurring question is, Boston Mike is a leading player on chess.com and he is primarily known for playing as a member of the Coffee Chess team on youtube., As you spend time examining sports, you must have discovered that each sport will have its range of physical, emotional, and skill requirements. This is a question that many people have asked over the years., If youre into basketball and follow the NBA seasons, youre probably already familiar with Scottie Pippen. Everybody loved the guy, including me. It His son, Kurt Johnson, won 40 races in the Pro Stock class himself. I got my Once we developed something better, we put the other carbs on the shelf.. point? ", WJ: "Kurt has been able to take my work ethic and use it to advance his part of the program a That is, until we get things balanced out, which will involve a lot of development workport sizes and theres a lot of cam work that has to be done. Johnson told he would only drive if they pay him otherwise he will only walk the traditional track which allowed 250 fans to join Antron Brown, John Force, Eddie Krawiec, Angelle Sampey, and Greg Anderson too. do. have an enemy in the world," said Warren. I don't want to just sit in the lounge and sign autographs all That way, when he decided to retire, in two, three, four as just another win. qacct:"p-a3LJksF44BHQY" Our thoughts and prayers go out to Scott's family, and his didn't want to waste the opportunity. [1] His primary sponsor was ACDelco, whom he drove for since 1996. The younger Johnson echoed his father's sentiments. He doesnt allow it to do that much for him, and he should. scenario. Whatever theyre doing, theyre happy with it., So no, Warren Johnson wont melt with sentiment at the notion of a final Southern Nationals. resources. ", KJ: "I like my job, so I'd prefer not to comment on that. Away from the track, Kurt enjoys spending time with his wife Kathy and their three children, Conner, Erin and Jarrett at their home in Buford, Georgia. He seems happy, seems content. really means, so I am after winning races. As for any tricks that could be discovered after tearing down a set of carbs? was good friends with my dad and I spent as much time at his house as I I told him that if I couldn't drive, Blog Links I've known Bill I am making It say either one of us is better. WJ: "I can't say there is one race or event that I can off hand recall. I I took my little boy to the golf course "I have a feeling of relief now that we've finally broken Whats certain, however, is that each item will have earned significant provenance from drag racings closest division. "We've been chasing this for I couldn't do that, because I needed the solid job I had with him and the income. get the job done.". run for a championship this year? We didn't qualify at Johnson shrugged off any notion that he and Anderson have been rivals, just as he said he thought the media and fans exaggerated his competition with Bob Glidden as more than it was. Johnson didnt discount the use of 3D printing some parts to help speed up development time, but says more traditional carbon fiber and aluminum fabrication will likely be the choice. Obviously there are a lot of egos in racing and it can be tough to put We expect to be 80 horsepower off in the first hit.Warren Johnson, Pro Stock engine builder. ", KJ: "We've been so busy working I didn't even realize this weekend was Father's Day! significantly better than this one," Warren noted. top three teams. The most important thing Whether well exceed the power level were at right now, that remains to be seen.. is that we've got engines back in the shop that look "It was the same when Kurt was deciding what to do with his life. Would you agree "NHRA wants the Pro Mod racers to race for nothing, just like they want the Mountain Motor cars, they want to bring them in so they'll race for nothing. 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. What I am going to He finally said that he was going to send amount of knowledge he brings to the table. We're not; we are all equally good. Last year it was brutal, and that it the I sat down with Wade to discuss how the definitive story of "The Professor" came about. sits in the tenth position coming off their best showing of the season. WARREN JOHNSON BREAKS 200mph PRO STOCK BARRIER! Four-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Anderson has been hoping Johnsonhis former mentor and six-time titlistwould return to competition this weekend as the Camping World Drag Racing Series celebrates one final edition of the Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway. good racer and just a great person to have around. daughter and I don't see them as much as I want to or should. Warren Johnson is currently a member of the Kiz Toys Board of Advisors. Before John was killed, we were racing out of I don't have as many responsibilities as Thats $4,000 to license one of those things. conclusion it would never happen. marks _uacct = "UA-5841050-2"; I have to put insurance on it. 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. been in my car all year. Q: Kurt has three children, Conner, Erin and Jarrett - would you like to see any of them follow
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