NHRA Kurt Johnson Race Wrap Up: Kurt Johnson Powers to Denver Semifinals

Event:  26th Annual Mile-High NHRA Nationals 

Day/Date: Sunday, July 17, 2005

Location:  Bandimere Speedway, Denver, CO

 

After qualifying fourth for Sunday's final eliminations of the Mile-High
Nationals, Kurt Johnson looked to score consecutive wins for the fifth
time in his career.  From the very first round, the  Cobalt
Racing team showed their intentions by posting a very quick
7.162-second, 192.82 mph pass in eliminating Ben Watson in the first
round.  After another fast 7.168-second, 192.77 mph run to trailer Jeg
Coughlin, the last obstacle between KJ and a final-round match-up with
his father, Warren Johnson, was rival David Connolly.

 

However, just as the teams had completed their burnouts, a brief rain
shower forced them to push back from the line while officials dried the
track.   In addition, the combination of the lowered temperatures and
humidity created a completely different racing surface from what the
crews had prepared for.

 

Finally, after forty-five minutes, the two cars rolled to the line.
Launching with a solid .033 reaction time, Johnson soon found himself
fighting to keep his car under control, resulting in a 7.184-second,
192.14 mph run.  Unfortunately, this allowed his opponent, who had
gained the advantage at the line with a .010, to hold off a charging
Johnson with a 7.199-second time.  Despite another strong semi-final
showing, Johnson still expressed disappointment at having his day cut
short. 

 

"The rain and the track bit us.  When I put in third gear it started
spinning the tires, which shot me directly towards the wall, and then it
just shook extremely hard to where I thought it would flip around and
scrape some paint off the car.  It turned out the right lane just was
not as good as the left, but we had been in the right hand lane all day
and it looked good to the 300 foot mark before the semis, but down track
it was a mess.  Basically, I got out of the groove and couldn't get it
hooked back up, which cost us about five hundredths.  We should have run
a 7.16 or maybe even a 7.13.  

 

"The way our ACDelco Cobalt was running today, I expected to win and
gain ground on everyone.  I had run against Connolly three times in
qualifying and ran better each time.  I had a decent light against him,
but we just didn't go straight, and it cost us.  We'll leave here
disappointed to not have won or even made it to the final, but knowing
we have a fast race car that we will take to Seattle and see what we can
do there."