NHRA Warren Johnson Pomona Pre Race: WJ Looks to Celebrate
His 50th Pomona Race with A Winternationals Win
GM Performance Parts GTO team looks for strong start to 2006 NHRA season
Sugar Hill, Ga., February 6, 2006 - In his 32 years in the NHRA's Pro
Stock category, GM Performance Parts GTO racer Warren Johnson has
accomplished it all. He has won more races than anyone in the history
of this most competitive division (95), scored six championships, and
rewritten the record books.
However, past history means little to "The Professor". Entering his
33rd season with the "factory hot rods", his intense drive and
commitment remain unfettered, and he heads to Pomona, California for
this weekend's Carquest Auto Parts Winternationals with the same goal as
he has had for the last thirty-two years - winning. Although off season
testing seems to indicate that he is indeed primed for another
championship run, the pragmatic Johnson shuns any predictions,
preferring instead to focus on his work and let his actions speak for
themselves.
"I think we are in much better shape than we were going into last
season," stated Johnson. "We had a relatively decent off season, making
steady progress, including two tests that told us we were heading in the
right direction. What we have to do now is take what we've learned and
use it to our benefit on race day.
"Basically, we have to keep our noses to the grindstone, and do what we
can to find even more horsepower. We're optimistic about our chances
for the championship, but we can't back off for a minute. To take home
the title, we have to be consistently fast in every department, from the
race car to the driving, so we have to stay focused on our GM
Performance Parts GTO's performance, keeping it where it needs to be."
A key component in Johnson's overall success has been his long-term
winning relationship with the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, site of this
weekend's event. This will mark his 50th appearance at the venerable
racetrack, where he has 9 wins in 18 final round appearances, which is
tied with Gainesville Raceway for his most at any individual stop on the
NHRA circuit. In the Winternationals alone, he has five wins in eleven
final round appearances. WJ has been particularly effective over the
last three years, with one win in three final round appearances, and an
unmatched 10-2 elimination round record at the NHRA season-opener.
"Our success in Pomona is more a testament to our overall program than
an actual affinity for a particular track," said Johnson. "For the most
part, we have been pretty steady over the years, and we approach the
first race of the year as just a continuation of the last of the year
before. It is a competitive philosophy that has served us well.
"Of course, we will look to go in with a little added performance, as we
know other teams will have had the same mindset during the off season.
Hopefully, when all the cards are on the table, we will show that we
were able to pick our GM Performance Parts GTO's performance up just a
little more than our competition's. We'll have to see what happens, but
I believe we will be just fine."
Quick Notes on Warren Johnson & the GM Performance Parts GTO team
entering
The Carquest Auto Parts Winternationals:
WJ is the Gold Standard in Pomona: This will be Warren's 50th career
race at the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, and 27th Winternationals. In
the season-opening event alone, he has scored five wins in 11 final
round appearances, as well as a 58-20 Winternationals elimination round
record for a .744 round win percentage. WJ's most recent win in Pomona
came in the 2003 Winternationals, where he defeated Allen Johnson in the
final.
The Professor Has Started at the Head of the Winternationals Class for
over 25 years: In his previous 25 Winternationals starts, WJ has five
No. 1 qualifying performances, and an average starting position of 4.17.
During that time, he has only one start outside the top half of the
field.
Streaking in Pomona: Warren has appeared in the final round in the last
three Winternationals, winning in 2003, while scoring runner-up finishes
in 2004 & 2005.
Career Best Elapsed Time: 6.679 seconds, Gainesville, FL, 3/20/05
Career best top speed: 207.50 mph, Englishtown, NJ, 6/19/05
Event Schedule:
Thursday & Friday, February 9-10: Single qualifying session
at 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 11: Two qualifying sessions at 11: 30
a.m. & 2:30 p.m.
Sunday, February 12: Pre-race ceremonies starting at
10:00 a.m.
First Round of
Eliminations at 11:00 a.m.
Television Coverage:
Qualifying:
Saturday, February 11: 10:00 p.m. -12:00
midnight
Eliminations:
Sunday, February 12: 7:30 - 10:30 p.m.
NHRA2Day:
Sunday, February 12: 11:30 a.m. - 12:00
noon
