NHRA Warren Johnson Qualifying Wrap Up: WJ Keeps Learning, Starts 14th in Reading

Contact:  Jon Knapp   

TMG Sports Marketing, Inc.

 Ph: (704) 662-3121

jgknapp@tmgsports.net 

 

WJ Keeps Learning, Starts 14th in Reading

 

Event:  22nd Annual Toyo Tires Nationals

Day/Date: Saturday, September 30, 2006

Location:  Maple Grove Raceway, Reading, PA

 

On the strength of a 6.659-second, 206.83 mph run made on Friday
afternoon, Warren Johnson qualified his GM Performance Parts GTO in the
fourteenth position for Sunday's final eliminations of the Toyo Tires
Nationals in Reading, PA.    Although the cooler fall temperatures were
ideal for producing horsepower, the cool racetrack and intermittent
showers, which eventually curtailed the qualifying procedure to only
three attempts, forced drivers to adapt at their best just to qualify.
Although still discovering the performance envelope of his still-new
car, Johnson was buoyed by his results in qualifying, believing there is
tremendous potential in this new chassis.

 

"We've been trying to find the sweet spot on this GM Performance Parts
GTO, and it's getting closer every race.  We made some bad decisions a
week ago in Dallas that cost us, but overall, it's coming around to
where we can now start to work back on the power level, because we're
not running the speed we should be.  If we get that fixed, we should be
in excellent shape.  

 

"For the most part, our runs were pretty good, although after waiting
out (son) Kurt's and David Northrop's incidents last night, the track
had cooled off to where we simply blew the tires off at the hit, and
made an 18-inch run.  We came back with a fair run this morning, getting
down with a 6.66, which was ninth quickest for the session.  We'll just
keep working on it, trying to make it better.  

 

'We feel pretty optimistic about tomorrow.  We should be able to run
with the pack and, with a few favorable breaks, we should be able to do
some damage."

 

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