Warren Report: Dallas Edition

For Release: Oct. 4, 2002
Contact: Rick Voegelin
TMG Sports Marketing
rickvoegelin@compuserve.com
831-761-2201


THE WARREN REPORT: Warren Johnson GM Performance Parts News & Notes for
the O'Reilly Fall Nationals, Dallas, Oct. 11-13


JOHNSON AIMS TO TAME TEXAS TRACK

    Among NASCAR stock car racers, Darlington is known far and wide as
the track that's too tough to tame. For devotees of drag racing, it's the
Texas Motorplex that has a reputation as the meanest track on the NHRA
POWERade circuit. Pro Stock stalwart Warren Johnson relishes a rematch with
the concrete supertrack near Dallas during the O'Reilly Fall Nationals on
Oct. 11-13.

    "The rap sheet on the Motorplex reads that it's got an extremely
narrow groove," said Johnson, "and you'd better stay in it."

    The Motorplex's glass-smooth concrete surface has been known to bite
the unwary. Even Johnson, a master of the art of driving skittish race
cars, has earned a "Motorplex Stripe" on his rear fender after a close
encounter with the unforgiving concrete wall.

    The O'Reilly Fall Nationals presents just the kind of challenge
that intrigues the Professor of Pro Stock. Johnson has notched six
victories in 11 final-round appearances since the first NHRA national event
was held at the Motorplex in 1986. He won in 1989 over Larry Morgan, and he
defeated "Dodge Boy" Scott Geoffrion in 1997. He's beaten Jim Yates twice
in final rounds in fall events in Dallas (1998-99), and he defeated Mike
Edwards at the Motorplex in the spring of 1999.

    "We've had some success there," said Johnson with his
characteristic understatement. "If conditions are good, you can run
extremely fast there. It's a track that rewards power, and I think we'll
have a few more ponies under the hood when we arrive."

    The Motorplex suits Johnson's racing style. He has qualified in the
top spot 11 times, and he holds the track e.t. and speed records at 6.822
seconds and 202.33 mph respectively. W.J. set those marks in October 1999,
and they are the oldest Pro Stock records still in the book.

    It's likely that those three-year-old records won't be standing at
the conclusion of the O'Reilly Fall Nationals if the weather cooperates.
Johnson will be packing record-setting horsepower under the hood of his GM
Performance Parts Pontiac.

    "We're in the process of making more power," Warren reported. "We have
the cars working relatively well and we're comfortable with the chassis.
Now it's a matter of injecting more power into the setup, and that's what
we intend to do before we get to Dallas."

    With a 276-point deficit to leader Jeg Coughlin Jr. in the NHRA
POWERade championship standings, a seventh Pro Stock title now appears to
be out of Johnson's reach. He is undeterred, however, in his relentless
quest for victory - and W.J. is already laying the foundation for next
season's title assault.

    "We approach every race with the same energy and optimism," he
declared. "We're planning our development program so we will have proven,
race-ready parts for the new year. We've actually been working on the 2003
season since 2001! It's a never-ending process."


WARREN JOHNSON'S TEXAS MOTORPLEX RECORD
Year       Qual.  Result
1986         2    Runner-up (to Glidden)
1987         2    Second Round
1988         Not NHRA event
1989         1    Winner (over Morgan)
1990         2    First Round
1991         1    Runner-up (to Morgan)
1992         1    Semifinal
1993         1    Runner-up (to K. Johnson)
1994         1    Runner-up (to Geoffrion)
1995         1    Semifinal
1996         2    First Round
1997 Spring  1    Winner (over Geoffrion)
1997 Fall    8    Runner-up (to Yates)
1998 Spring  1    First Round
1998 Fall    1    Winner (over Yates)
1999 Spring  1    Winner (over Edwards)
1999 Fall    1    Winner (over Yates)
2000 Spring  2    Runner-up (to Gaines)
2000 Fall    3    Second Round
2001         8    Second Round

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  E-mail from: Rick Voegelin, 04-Oct-2002