NHRA Warren Johnson Friday update: WJ Powers to No. 1 Spot Midway Through Sonoma Qualifying

Event:  18th Annual California Nationals 

Day/Date: Friday, July 29, 2005

Location:  Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, CA

 

Warren Johnson and the GM Performance Parts Pontiac Racing team opened
their qualifying effort for this weekend's NHRA national event in
Sonoma, CA in fine fashion on Friday, making two of the quickest and
fastest runs in the Pro Stock category.  After an initial 6.726-second,
205.88 mph pass in the afternoon, "The Professor" vaulted to the top of
the Pro Stock charts in the evening session with his track record
6.689-second elapsed time, which came with a top speed of 205.13 mph.

 

"We got just about everything we could from our GM Performance Parts
Pontiac on that run.  It had spun the tires pretty hard in the afternoon
session, so we made some substantial changes, going back to a set-up we
had used in Denver when the track was slippery as well.  Fortunately the
car responded, and made a great move from the 60 to the 330 (foot
marks).  

 

"Of course, we were fighting a tremendous headwind on that run, which is
particularly significant with the body style we are running, which is
the oldest in the NHRA.  Even so, we were the third fastest behind two
Cobalts, which, of course are the newer generation design.  Overall, I'd
have to say we're pretty pleased.

 

"Fortunately, we know our time will not get bumped out, so we'll use
tomorrow to try a few things.  We'll probably leave this set up in for
the morning session, when it may still be cool enough to run well.
After that, we'll try something different in the afternoon, trying to
get as much information as we can for Sunday."