NHRA Warren Johnson Columbus Pre Race: WJ Aims for an
Efficient, Error-Free Weekend in Columbus
Contact:
Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing
(704) 662-3121
jgknapp@tmgsports.net
WJ Aims for an Efficient, Error-Free Weekend in Columbus
GM Performance Parts GTO Crew Ready to Get Back on Winning Track
Sugar Hill, Ga., May 16, 2006 - In the first seven races of the 2006
POWERade Drag Racing season, the NHRA's Pro Stock category has lived up
to its reputation as the most competitive division in all of
motorsports, with a different winner in each event. With every one of
the sixteen racers who qualify for Sunday's final eliminations having a
legitimate shot at the title, it takes the combination of a near-perfect
effort and a little racing luck to end the day in the winner's circle.
At every stop so far, Warren Johnson and the GM Performance Parts GTO
Racing team have shown themselves to be contenders once again this
season, with strong runs both in qualifying and eliminations. However,
with only one national event win in Phoenix followed by a string of
early exits, they enter this weekend's Pontiac Performance Nationals in
Columbus, OH determined to eliminate the miscellaneous issues that have
dogged them recently and return to the winning form for which they are
known.
"We have all the parts and pieces, but we just haven't been able to put
them in the right order on a consistent basis," stated Johnson. "Our
performance in the so-called 'bad' sessions in Bristol and Atlanta has
shown that our GM Performance Parts GTO is capable of running near the
front, if not out front, so it's just a matter of taking that
combination and getting it to work under all conditions.
"We may have been a little too conservative when we should have been
aggressive, trying not to shoot ourselves in the foot, which might have
allowed some of our competitors to get around us. It's really no one's
fault but our own, which fortunately we can fix.
"For example, both (son) Kurt and I tested on Monday after Atlanta. The
conditions were almost identical to the day before, and by feeding our
cars more of what they needed, we both ran in the 6.6-second range with
speeds over 207 mph, confirming what we thought. All this has done is
given us a new game plan and made us even more determined to excel at
the upcoming races."
Should Johnson indeed decide to modify his approach for this weekend's
event, it will come on a track with which he is quite familiar. This
will be "The Professor's" 31st appearance at National Trail Raceway,
which is only three shy of all national events held there. It is the
site of his first elimination round win as, in only his second Pro
Stock start ever, he stormed from the 13th starting position and upset
veterans Scott Shafiroff and Wayne Gapp before falling to eventual
winner Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins in the semifinals, giving the straight-line
set a preview of the greatness that was to follow. Ironically, 31
years, 96 national event wins, 469 starts and 1,192 round wins later,
one of the things the drag iracing con remembers most as he returns to
Columbus was how he supplemented his income in the early days in Ohio.
"Racing in Columbus has always presented its own unique challenges,"
recalled Johnson. "For example, in the 70's when the Raders owned it,
the pit area at National Trail was a grass field. Since you really
couldn't make any money racing, I used to bring my lawn mower with me
and rent it out to other racers for $10 a shot so they could mow their
spots and work on their race cars. I did that for about four or five
years and made some extra cash.
"Thirty years later, we're still adapting to conditions at National
Trail Raceway. It's always been a tricky track, as witnessed a couple
years ago when we had two Pro Stock cars crash in the first round of
eliminations. We also never seem to run as well as the atmospheric
conditions would indicate, even after the track was resurfaced, so
traction continues to be at a premium. It's the same for everyone, so
you just have be cogniscent of it and adjust your tune-up accordingly.
"It's been a strange year for Pro Stock, with seven winners in the first
seven races. Although that certainly wears on the competitors, it's
great for the fans and for the category. Even so, we will go into
Columbus with the same attitude we enter every race, namely to win.
Other than the possibility of rain, I don't think the track is going to
throw us any curves, so this GM Performance Parts crew will make sure we
are as prepared as we can be, adjusting to whatever we encounter, with
everything including our Pontiac GTO, the driver and the crew making
sure to do their jobs as best as possible."
Quick Notes on Warren Johnson & the GM Performance Parts GTO team
entering
The Pontiac Performance Nationals:
WJ has been a Top Performer in Columbus: This will be Warren's 31st
career NHRA national event at National Trail Raceway. In his previous
30 starts in Kirkersville, he has four wins (in 1985, 1993, 1999 and
2001) in nine final rounds, which is tied for the most by any active Pro
Stock competitor.
Warren's Qualifying Stats at National Trail Raceway: In 30 National
Trail Raceway starts, WJ has nine No. 1 qualifying performances
(including one year ago), 24 starts in the top four positions and a very
impressive 2.83 average starting position.
National Trail Raceway Track Record Holder: WJ holds both ends of the
National Trail Raceway Pro Stock track records with his elapsed time of
6.723 seconds and top speed of 205.13 mph posted in qualifying one year
ago.
One Year Ago: Warren captured the 134th No. 1 qualifying position of
his career (adding to his NHRA record total) with a 6.723-second elapsed
time with a top speed of 205.13 mph, and advanced to the quarterfinals.
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:
Friday, May 19: Two qualifying sessions at 4:30 & 7:00
p.m.
Saturday, May 20: Two qualifying sessions at 12
noon & 2:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 21: Pre-race ceremonies starting
at 10:00 a.m.
First Round of
Eliminations at 11:00 a.m.
Television Coverage:
Qualifying:
Saturday, May 20: 10:00 - 12:00 midnight
Eliminations:
Sunday, May 21: 8:00 - 11:00 p.m.
NHRA2Day:
Sunday, May 21: 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon
(All times Eastern. Please check your local listings for exact
broadcast times in your area.)
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