NHRA Friday: Kurt Johnson is Seventh Midway through Pomona Qualifying

Contact: Jon G. Knapp
									TMG Sports Marketing 
									Phone: (704) 662-3121
jgknapp@tmgsports.net

Friday Qualifying Results		

Kurt Johnson is Seventh Midway through Pomona Qualifying


Event: 39th annual Auto Club of Southern California Finals 
Location:  Pomona Raceway
       Pomona, California
Day/Date: Friday November 7, 2003

Kurt Johnson continued his string of strong performances during the second day of qualifying at the Auto Club of Southern California Finals in Pomona, CA. Running in the less preferred right hand lane at Pomona Raceway, Johnson's ACDelco Cavalier posted the second quickest pass on that side of the track at 6.812 seconds with a top speed of 203.74 mph.  However, Johnson's 6.806 second, 204.17 mph pass from Thursday remained his run of record, and placed him seventh entering Saturday's final two qualifying sessions..

"Our performance today was affected by a combination of a couple things going wrong.  We didn't make a perfectly straight run, which cost us a couple hundredths.  We changed the gearing around a little bit, and it was going left, so I got it in second gear a little early, which just killed it.   In addition, we were in the right hand lane, which traditionally has been slower here in Pomona, and probably added a couple more hundredths.  

"If we had made a straight run, and hooked it up in the middle of the racetrack, we probably could have gone a 6.79.  Fortunately, tomorrow morning we will be running in the left lane, and if we keep it straight, I see no reason why our ACDelco Cavalier can't run a 6.77.  We're not worried."

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