NHRA: The Warren Report: Brainerd Edition
16 August 2000
THE WARREN REPORT: Warren Johnson GM Goodwrench Service Plus News & Notes
for the Colonel's Truck Accessories NHRA Nationals
NEXT RACE:
Colonel's Truck Accessories NHRA Nationals
Brainerd International Raceway, Brainerd, Minn., August 18-20
TV: TNN, Aug. 20, 4:30-6 p.m. (ET)Brainerd Pre-Race
BACK HOME AGAIN IN MINNESOTA
According to novelist Thomas Wolfe, you can never go home again. According
to drag racer Warren Johnson, you've got no choice when an NHRA national
event is scheduled in your old home state.
Johnson will return to his native Minnesota for the Colonel's
Truck Accessories NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway on
August 18-20. He has a perfect attendance record at BIR, having competed in
all 18 previous editions of the event. Johnson scored four of his 80 career
NHRA victories in Brainerd. He posted his first runner-up finish at BIR in
last year's race, falling to Jeg Coughlin Jr. in the final round after
qualifying in the top spot for the third time in his career.
Minnesota's Iron Range still exerts a magnetic force on W.J., drawing
him back to his former home. "I started racing at Brainerd in 1969,"
Johnson recalled. "I'll see people there I haven't seen for over 30 years.
I expect them to look exactly the same, but my eyes are 30 years older,
too!
"The track improved dramatically after it was resurfaced several
years ago," Warren reported, "but it still doesn't yield the performance
that you would expect based on its altitude and the atmospheric conditions.
"Brainerd and Columbus are the two tracks on the circuit that are
real anomalies," W.J. continued. "You can look at the track surface, read
the atmospheric conditions, and go through all of your records, but the
time slip never matches your predictions. The first time that happens, you
stand there scratching your head. The next year you scratch some more.
Finally you just accept that Brainerd is a bit of a mystery and get on with
setting up the car for whatever the track will give you."
One indication of BIR's unique nature is the fact that the track has
yet to see its first 200 mph run in Pro Stock. Warren holds the track speed
record at 197.59 mph, nearly 5 mph slower than his 202.36 mph national
speed record.
WESTERN ROUND-UP
Warren was certainly consistent on the recently completed three-race
Western Swing through Denver, Seattle, and Sonoma, Calif. He qualified
second, fourth, and first respectively at the three stops, and lost in the
second round of eliminations at all three races. He started the westward
trek in third place in the championship, and finished it in the same
position.
Now Johnson relishes the Winston Drag Racing Series' imminent return
to the Midwest. After dealing with high altitude in Denver, bumps in
Seattle, and a problematic starting line in Sonoma, the upcoming races
promise a return to normalcy.
"You can't make enough horsepower in Brainerd to get the car in
trouble," Warren explained. "Indy is Indy - it's likely to be hot and
humid, but its altitude is high enough that you can't hurt yourself.
Reading and Englishtown will be fine, and Topeka is never a problem - if
anything, Topeka has too much traction."
With Jeg Coughlin Jr. enjoying a 299-point lead over Johnson in
the championship race, W.J.'s thoughts are naturally turning to next
season. "I have a lot of projects on the table," Johnson revealed. "We have
new cars and new engine components on the way. We'll be ready for 2001. The
question is, will the competition be ready for us?"
WARREN JOHNSON BRAINERD INTL. RACEWAY RESULTS
Year Qual. Result
1982 3 Second Round
1983 4 Semi-final
1984 3 Winner (over Shepherd)
1985 3 Semi-final
1986 3 First Round
1987 7 Semi-final
1988 2 Semi-final
1989 16 First Round
1990 3 Semi-final
1991 1 Second Round
1992 2 Semi-final
1993 2 Winner (over Morgan)
1994 2 Second Round
1995 2 Winner (over Yates)
1996 2 Winner (over Schmidt)
1997 1 Semi-final
1998 2 Semi-final
1999 1 Runner-up (to J. Coughlin)
Total 18
Wins 4
Runners-up 1
Semi-Finals 8
Second Round 3
First Round 2
No. 1 Qualifier 3
POINTS RACE:
(After 14 of 23 events)
Driver Wins Points
1. Jeg Coughlin Jr. 6 1,195
2. Ron Krisher 2 953
3. Warren Johnson 1 896
4. Kurt Johnson 2 893
5. Troy Coughlin 0 772