NHRA Kurt Johnson Qualifying Wrap Up: KJ's Brainerd Title Defense Will Start from Seventh

Event:  25th Annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals

Day/Date: Saturday, August 12, 2006

Location:  Brainerd International Raceway, Brainerd, MN

 

Kurt Johnson completed a very consistent qualifying effort on Saturday
at the Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd, MN, capturing the seventh
starting position for Sunday's final eliminations.   Racing his new
ACDelco Cobalt for the first time, three of Johnson's four attempts at
Brainerd International Raceway were within four thousandths of a second
of each other, with his quickest attempt of 6.767 seconds at 203.31 mph
coming in the third session on Saturday morning.  Heading into race day,
the Minnesota native will hope to repeat this high level of performance
as they look to defend their win at this event from one year ago.

 

 "Coming here with a completely new and untested race car, our first
goal was simply to qualify.   Having accomplished that, we will now
concentrate on making our ACDelco Cobalt go faster.  We know what areas
we have to work on, which makes it somewhat easier.  It's really quick
in the first sixty feet, which we are extremely pleased with, but now we
have to work on getting it better in second and third gear. 

 

"Fortunately, it appears to be pretty happy.  It made two straight runs
today and I had four good lights (reaction times), so if I can keep that
up, we can go some rounds tomorrow.  We'll go up there and throw
everything we have at it, with everyone from the team, the car and the
driver doing what they can to be perfect, leaving no stone unturned,
looking to be on the good end of that four-inch run at the finish line
late tomorrow afternoon.  We were able to get the job done one year ago
and had a great time celebrating in the winner's circle with our family
and friends here in our home state, and we'd like nothing more than to
do it again tomorrow."