NHRA Warren Johnson Qualifying Wrap Up: "Iron Ranger" WJ Will Roll Off Eleventh in Brainerd

Event:  25th Annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals

Day/Date: Saturday, August 12, 2006

Location:  Brainerd International Raceway, Brainerd, MN

 

On the strength of a 6.771-second, 203.61 mph pass made on Friday
afternoon, Virginia, MN native (an area of the state known as the Iron
Range) Warren Johnson qualified his GM Performance Parts GTO in the
eleventh position for Sunday's final eliminations of the Lucas Oil NHRA
Nationals, in Brainerd, MN.   As he heads into his 24th NHRA national
event start in his home state, Johnson's outlook is buoyed by the
consistency show by his race car in the last three qualifying sessions,
where his elapsed times were all within seven thousandths of a second.
In addition, his 203.49 mph top speed in the final session on Saturday
was the fastest among the 24 Pro Stock cars making an attempt.

 

"Although we would certainly prefer to be higher on the ladder, we're
fairly pleased with our GM Performance Parts GTO's performance.  We made
it down the track on all four attempts, including the first, where we
had a mechanical issue that caused us to roll the (starting line) beams.
We took what it would give us and made adjustments throughout qualifying
trying to make it better, including making an engine change for the last
session and I believe it's coming around.  

 

"We made a decent run this morning, showing that we could run with the
competition, and then came back this afternoon with one of the quickest
runs in that lane, as well as posting the top speed for the session.  

 

"We're getting to the point of being able to adapt the power to the
ground just a little bit better, and what we've learned we'll be able to
use comfortably in the new car, which we will.  For tomorrow, it's given
us something to work with, and it's up to us to make the best of it."