NHRA Kurt Johnson Pre Race: Short Week Has KJ Scrambling to be Ready for Richmond

Contact:

     Jon G. Knapp

     TMG Sports Marketing

     (704) 662-3121

     jgknapp@tmgsports.net

 

Short Week Has KJ Scrambling to be Ready for Richmond

ACDelco Cobalt crew works overtime to restore car to race readiness

 

Sugar Hill, Ga., October 5, 2006 - The upcoming Torco Racing Fuels
Nationals in Richmond, VA will complete a grueling period that, due to
the rainout in Reading, has seen competitors in the POWERade Drag Racing
season racing on four consecutive weekends.  This compressed schedule
has severely tested the teams, who have time to do little more than
normal between-race maintenance.

 

Following their off-track excursion during qualifying in Reading a week
ago, Kurt Johnson and the ACDelco Cobalt Racing team were faced with the
additional task of fixing their damaged race car.  Even though they had
performed preliminary repairs throughout the course of the Pennsylvania
weekend that allowed them to complete the race with a solid quarterfinal
finish, Johnson acknowledged further work would be required in order to
challenge for the win in Virginia.   However, without enough time to
complete the job, an interim game plan was enacted.

 

"With only three days between events, there's no time to mount a new
front end or install a new rocker panel, which is only part of getting
it back to 100%," detailed Johnson.  "Fortunately, our ACDelco Cobalt
was able to run over 207 mph with only basic repairs, so we know it's
functional.  Kevin (crew chief Horst) stayed behind in Pennsylvania to
work with guys who put the nose back together on Friday to work on the
body.  They'll massage the different bits and pieces, fluffing and
buffing so we'll be ready for the race in Richmond.  We'll have the new
pieces installed after this race, since there will be time to do it
right.

 

"At the same time, we'll be at the shop working on our engines.  We have
to take apart the motor that was in the car when we had the accident to
make sure it didn't swallow any gravel, and dyno our backup to get as
much out of it as we can.

 

"The only way to consistently win races is to have everything in perfect
condition, so we'll do the best with what we have to work with for this
weekend and then focus on completing the repairs in time for Las Vegas.
I guess we'll put a little Neosporin on it to try and get it to heal
quicker."

 

This weekend, the straight-line set returns to a track they have not
visited in six years.  Located in the Richmond suburb of Dinwiddie,
Virginia Motorsports Park has had its racing surface refurbished since
the NHRA last visited in 2000.  In that time, there have also been
tremendous advances in the technology of the Pro Stock car, resulting in
the racers having to deal with an entirely new combination.  Therefore,
the team who best adapts to the conditions will have the best chance of
success on Sunday.

 

"I've talked to some of the teams that tested in Richmond, and they've
said the track is extremely coarse on the starting line," said Johnson.
"However, we know the track preparation will be different for a national
event, which will play a significant role.  In any case, it's going to
be the same for everyone, so we'll just have to adapt to what we find
when we get there.

 

"We're certainly not concerned about the weekend.  We know our ACDelco
Cobalt is still good.  We have a few issues that we'll try to address,
and we should be in good shape.  It will be good to go back to Richmond.
They always pack the stands, and the fans up there really get into Pro
Stock.  We'll do our best to put on a great show, and show them what
they've been missing." 

 

Quick Notes on Kurt Johnson & the ACDelco Cobalt Racing team entering

The Inaugural Torco Racing Fuels Nationals:

 

Richmond is on KJ's To Do List:  This will be KJ's seventh career
appearance at Virginia Motorsports Park, where he has one final round
appearance wins in 1997 and a 10-6 elimination round record for a .625
win percentage.  VMP is one of only four tracks on the POWERade Drag
Racing circuit where KJ has yet to win.

 

KJ's Richmond Qualifying Stats:  In his six previous career starts at
Virginia Motorsports Park, Kurt has one No. 1 qualifying performance in
1999, five starts in the top half of the field, and an average starting
position of 4.67.

 

Track Record Holder:  Kurt holds the Virginia Motorsports Park Pro Stock
elapsed time record with his 6.840-second clocking from April 1999.

 

Career Best Elapsed Time: 6.646 sec., Joliet, IL, 6/11/06

 

Career best top speed:  207.72 mph, Pomona, CA, 2/12/06

 

Event Schedule:

Friday, October 6:                     Two qualifying sessions at 3:00 &
6:00 p.m.

Saturday, October 7:                Two qualifying sessions at 12:00
noon & 3:00 p.m.

            Sunday, October 8:                   Pre-race ceremonies
starting at 10:00 a.m.

                                                              First
Round of Eliminations at 11:00 a.m.

Television Coverage:

            Qualifying:

                        Saturday, October 7:              10:00 p.m. -
12:00 midnight

            Eliminations:

                        Sunday, October 8:                 7:00  - 10:00
p.m.

            NHRA2Day:

                        Sunday, October 8:                 12:30  - 1:00
p.m.

 

 (All times Eastern.  Please check your local listings for exact
broadcast times in your area.)  

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