---

NHRA: Warren Johnson Back on Track with Gatornationals Victory

21 March 2000

GAINESVILLE, Fla.; March 19, 2000 - Warren Johnson dominated the Pro
Stock division at the NHRA Mac Tools Gatornationals, scoring his third
straight and ninth overall victory at Gainesville Raceway. W.J. posted his
milestone 80th career victory at the fast Florida track, and is now just a
handful of wins away from tying Bob Glidden's record 85 national event
triumphs.

    After a runner-up finish in Pomona and a second-round loss in
Phoenix, Warren regained the form that propelled him to five NHRA
Winston championships. Johnson's GM Goodwrench Service Plus Pontiac nailed
down the No. 1 spot in qualifying with a track-record 6.849 second elapsed
time - W.J.'s eighth "pole" at the Gatornationals and the 118th of his
career. Johnson made three 200 mph passes and posted the top speed of the
event for the 174th time.

    Johnson dispatched George Marnell in the first round with a 
6.879-second elapsed time at 199.67 mph, the quickest and fastest run in
eliminations. He outdrove and outran archrival Jim Yates in the second
round, and defeated Ron Krisher with a holeshot in the semi-final round,
6.927 to Krisher's quicker 6.919. Warren emerged victorious from his 125th
final-round appearance when his opponent, Troy Coughlin, encountered
mechanical problems.

    "I feel very fortunate to have won this event," Warren reported. "We
came into this race knowing that we had done relatively well here in the
past, but also knowing that our engine program isn't quite where we would
like it to be because of some supplier problems.

    "Once we get our new engine parts, we should be back up to the power
level we had at the end of last year," W.J. added. "That should get our
operation back to full speed."

    Warren slashed Jeg Coughlin Jr.'s lead in the championshp race to just
26 points. The next round of the 23-race series will find NHRA teams in
unknown territory - the new super strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the
site of the inaugural SummitRacing.com Nationals on April 7-9.

WARREN JOHNSON RACE RESULTS:
Qualifying: Warren Johnson qualified No. 1 at 6.849/200.83 mph
Eliminations:
First Round: Warren Johnson (6.879/199.67) defeated George
Marnell (6.939/197.39)
Second Round: Warren Johnson (6.935/197.80) defeated Jim Yates
(6.942/197.94)
Semi-Final: Warren Johnson (6.926/199.53) defeated Ron Krisher
(6.919/198.52)
Final Round: Warren Johnson (6.900/199.34) defeated Troy
Coughlin (8.865/106.59)

Low ET: Warren Johnson, 6.849 seconds (track record)
Top Speed: Warren Johnson, 200.83 mph

POINTS RACE:
(After 3 of 23 events)
Driver               Wins    Points
1. Jeg Coughlin Jr.    2      290
2. Warren Johnson      1      264
3. Ron Krisher         0      180
4. Troy Coughlin       0      163
5. Mark Pawuk          0      162

NEXT RACE:
SummitRacing.com Nationals, April 7-9, Las Vegas
TV: TNN, April 9, 10:30-midnight (ET)