NHRA Friday: Warren Johnson Shatters Phoenix Track Record, Leads Pro Stock Field at Qualifying Midpoint

Sugar Hill, Ga., February 21, 2003 -  GM Performance Parts pilot Warren Johnson continued his string of strong performances during the first day of qualifying for the Checker Schuck's Kragen Nationals. After opening with a solid 6.891-second, 201.97 mph effort on his first attempt, Johnson took full advantage of running in the preferred left lane in the second session to reclaim the Firebird Raceway elapsed time record from his son Kurt.  Johnson's GM Performance Parts Grand Am blasted down the Firebird Raceway quarter-mile in 6.835 seconds with a top speed of 201.67 mph, and tops the Pro Stock field entering Saturday's final two sessions.

"It was a good run, but not a perfect one.  Our primary goal in the second session was to get down the track smoothly and improve our qualifying position from outside the field to somewhere respectable.  As a result, we had a conservative set-up, which gave up a little bit of time. I've found that if you err too much to the positive side, you can shoot yourself in the foot, and then have no data to go from for tomorrow's sessions.  Now we know how much more we can put in it for tomorrow.

"We'll read the track in the morning, assess what's out there, tune up our GM Performance Parts Grand Am, and if the weather conditions are right, I think there's probably a 6.70 in it."