NHRA Warren Johnson Englishtown Pre Race: WJ Goes Back to the
Beginning in Englishtown
Sugar Hill, Ga., June 14, 2005 - When Warren Johnson arrives in
Englishtown, New Jersey for this weekend's NHRA SuperNationals, both he
and his GM Performance Parts Pontiac Racing team will be recognized as
one of the top teams in the POWERade Drag Racing Series' popular Pro
Stock division. With six championships, 94 wins and 135 No. 1
qualifying performances they have long been the standard by which others
in this highly competitive category are measured.
However, such was not the case 30 years ago, when Johnson first raced at
the legendary New Jersey quarter-mile. In 1975, he was a somewhat
unknown competitor from Minnesota making only his third national event
start in what was still a relatively new professional class in the NHRA.
There were no predictions of greatness, no stories in the press about
the success that was to follow.
Armed with an unconventional race car and a tireless work ethic (a trait
that continues today), Johnson quickly showed signs of what was to come.
Qualifying 14th, he defeated one of the top drivers of the time, "Dyno
Don" Nicholson on a hole shot in the first round before falling to
another Pro Stock stalwart, Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins in the quarter-finals.
Seven years later, Old Bridge Township Raceway Park would once again be
the site of another milestone in Johnson's stellar career, as he would
score his first NHRA Pro Stock national event win, defeating the
legendary Lee Shepherd in the final.
Since then, he has totaled four wins in five final round appearances in
the Garden State, as well as five No. 1 qualifying performances.
Returning for his 29th race on this venerable quarter-mile, "The
Professor" took time to look back at the beginning of his career there.
"I guess I've been fortunate that the timing of my professional career
has allowed me to witness the evolution, not only of the Raceway Park
facility, but also of the sport of drag racing," recalled Johnson.
"When I first raced in Englishtown, this event was held in July during
what seemed like the hottest part of the summer with temperatures often
exceeding 100 degrees. Although drag racing had already established
itself, it hadn't yet taken a direction.
"At the time, our races seemed like local events with non-local cars and
personalities. It didn't have the air of being a part of a championship
series - it was just a race. It was more a weekend sport, catering to
the local clientele.
""Everyone ran what they had built, with only the factory backed teams
such as Grumpy (Jenkins) and (Bob) Glidden having the funds to race
purpose-built cars. For example, I had this big, heavy Camaro with a
big-block while the popular combination of the time was a smaller car
such as the Monza with a small block in it. Somehow we made it all
work.
"It wasn't the huge event that we have today at every stop on the
POWERade circuit. Now, we race state-of-the art machines such as our GM
Performance Parts Pontiac at facilities such as Bristol and Las Vegas
where everyone from the fans and the media to the competitors feel
comfortable. The only thing that remains the same is the fans, who come
in droves and are just as passionate now as they were then."
Although the race cars, the facilities and even some of the competitors
may have changed throughout Johnson's competitive career in New Jersey,
his desire to win remains just as strong.
"We've had a long drought at Englishtown, having last won there in
1993," stated Johnson. "It's definitely something we'd like to take
care of this weekend. We know that between our GM Performance Parts
Pontiac and Kurt's ACDelco Cobalt, we've managed to elevate our
performance to where we have two of the quickest and fastest cars out
there, but that alone isn't enough. In order to put ourselves in a
position to win, we have to play error-free ball, avoiding the little
mistakes that are often the difference between winning and losing. It's
up to the drivers and crews to get it done."
Notes on Warren Johnson and the GM Performance Parts Pontiac Racing team
entering the
NHRA SuperNationals:
* WJ & E-town go Way Back: This will be Warren's 29th NHRA
appearance at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, where he has four wins
in five final round appearances, and was the No. 1 qualifier five times.
Overall WJ has an elimination round record of 34-23 in his previous 27
Englishtown starts.
* No. 1 in National event wins: WJ's 94 national event victories
are the most ever in the history of the Pro Stock division and place him
second on the all-time NHRA win list. His most recent win came at this
O'Reilly Thunder Valley NHRA Nationals in Bristol, TN.
* Career Best Elapsed Time: 6.679 seconds, Gainesville, FL,
3/20/05
* Career best top speed: 206.70 mph, Gainesville, FL, 3/20/05
Event Schedule:
Friday, June 17 - Two qualifying
sessions at 4:00 & 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 18 - Two qualifying
sessions at 11:00 a.m. & 2:30 p.m.
Sunday, June 19 - Pre-race ceremonies
begin at 10:00 a.m. followed by
the first
round of eliminations at 11:00 a.m.
Television Schedule:
Qualifying: Saturday, June 18 -
8:00 - 10:00 p.m.
(Repeat) Sunday, June 19 -
3:00 - 4:30 a.m.
Eliminations: Sunday, June 19 -
4:00 - 7:00 p.m.
(Repeat) Monday, June 20 -
3:00 - 4:30 a.m.
NHRA2Day: Sunday, June 19 -
11:30 a.m. - 12 noon
(Please consult your local listings for exact times, as the schedule is
subject to change.)
