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NHRA: Kurt Johnson Fast Again in Florida

26 January 2001

KURT JOHNSON CONTINUES TORRID TESTING PACE WITH NEW ACDELCO CAVALIER

Bradenton, Fla.; January 24, 2001 - Pro Stock driver Kurt Johnson continued
to rack up frequent flyer miles in Florida during a marathon test session
with his new 2001 ACDelco Cavalier Z24. In his third day of preseason
testing at DeSoto Memorial Dragway, the second-generation racer topped 202
mph three times and ran a series of low 6.8-second elapsed times.

    "This new Cavalier definitely likes to run at the top end of the
track," Johnson said. "I ran 202.38, 202.28, and 202.70 mph today. The
acceleration really pins me back in the driver's seat in the last 300 feet
of race track."

    Combined with an earlier 203.20 mph clocking, Johnson has
unofficially broken his father Warren's 202.36 mph national speed record
three times this week. With a stack of 6.81, 6.83, and 6.84-second time
slips, he is also within striking distance of the national elapsed time
record that currently stands at 6.809 seconds.

    Five-time Pro Stock champion Warren Johnson is also sorting out a pair
of black-and-silver GM Goodwrench Service Plus Pontiac Grand Ams in Florida
this week. W.J. has stopped the timers at 6.81 seconds and over 201 mph.

    "We're giving Dad a good baseline," Kurt laughed. "We've barely
scratched the surface with our new car. It's a completely different animal
than the ACDelco Camaro we raced last year - a different chassis, a longer
wheelbase, a different motor location, and different aerodynamics. It's
just a matter of figuring out the right setup.

    "Today we totally revamped our clutch to suit the new car. We tried
a dozen combinations that the car didn't like, but now it goes down the
track and keeps its wheels on the ground."

    Johnson finished last season with back-to-back wins in Dallas and
Pomona, Calif. He is aiming to extend that winning streak when the NHRA
Winston Drag Racing Series returns to Pomona Raceway for the season-opening
AutoZone Winternationals on February 1-4.

    "I told my ACDelco crew that I've got two pairs of clean underwear
left, a whole stack of fresh motors in the trailer, and we're not leaving
Florida until that car makes consistently quick runs," Kurt added. "We can
always find a laundromat."