NHRA Kurt Johnson Pre Race: KJ Draws Inspiration from His Daughter to Try and Seal the Deal in Topeka

;Contact:

     Jon G. Knapp

     TMG Sports Marketing

     (704) 662-3121

     jgknapp@tmgsports.net

 

KJ Draws Inspiration from His Daughter to Try and Seal the Deal in
Topeka

Daughter's soccer championship has ACDelco Cobalt racer targeting first
Kansas win

 

Sugar Hill, Ga., May 30, 2007 - Throughout their careers, racers draw
inspiration from numerous sources.  In the beginning, it may be a
parent, mentor or racing favorite whose actions serve to light the
competitive fire.  As time progresses and they establish their own
racing resume, their motivation may involve their pursuit of a
championship, or, on a smaller scale, a rivalry against a particular
opponent.  

 

At this weekend's O"Reilly Summer Nationals in Topeka, KS, ACDelco
Cobalt pilot Kurt Johnson will draw his inspiration from an unlikely
source, however, as he hopes to follow the example set by his
eight-year-old daughter Erin.  During the extended break in the action
due to the postponement of the race in Bristol, TN, Johnson was able to
attend her youth soccer league championship tournament, watching from
the stands as her team took home the title.  Describing the games in
intimate details, he is clearly motivated by his daughter's performance,
and looks to achieve similar success in POWERade Drag Racing Pro Stock
competition.

 

"One of the benefits of being home for such an extended period is that I
was able to take in more of my kids' soccer games, which are typically
held on the weekend," said Johnson.  "Therefore, I got to watch
(daughter) Erin's and (son) Conner's championship tournaments.  Conner's
team played well and made it to the second round, while Erin's won it
all, with each game being won by one point or less, including the
championship game where they held off a team that had beaten them 10-2
earlier in the year.  

 

"It was exciting.  I was extremely proud of my kids, and happy I was
able to be there to see it.  But now it's time to get back to work, and
this weekend, our ACDelco Cobalt crew is going to use their performance
as our inspiration.  I guess you could say my daughter has shown me how
to win."

 

In order to emulate his daughter's winning performance, Johnson will
have to do something he has yet to do, namely take home the winner's
trophy from Heartland Park Topeka, site of this weekend's event.  He has
come close, making it to the final round in three of the last four
years, and enters this year's edition determined to take the final step
and add the Kansas quarter-mile to his lengthy list of successes. 

 

"Every year, I have a little added motivation heading to Heartland Park
Topeka, simply because it's a track where I have yet to win," said
Johnson.  "We've come close in the last few years, making it all the way
to the final, but have yet to take the trophy.  This year, we're in
great shape, coming off a decent showing in St. Louis, and pretty
pleased with how our ACDelco Cobalt is running.   We also have a good
notebook on the track, so we're ready to win.  

"The break has been nice, but it will be good to literally get back on
track, and after the first qualifying pass on Friday, it won't even seem
like we'd ever been away.  We have our work cut out for us.  After all,
my daughter has set the standard, and now it's up to us to live up to
it."

 

This year, ACDelco is teaming with Kurt Johnson to produce the "ACDelco
Drive to Win" Sweepstakes, where entrants can win awards, racing trips
and prizes, including the grand prize: a 2007 Cobalt SS complete with
Genuine Chevrolet Accessories.  For more information on Kurt Johnson,
ACDelco and the Drive to Win Sweepstakes, please visit
http://www.acdelco.com/promotions/drivetowin/
<http://www.emipowered.com/acdelco/drivetowin/register/?c=source_tmgpr> 

 

Kurt Johnson & the ACDelco Cobalt Racing team 

By the Numbers - O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals edition:

 

1 - No. 1 qualifying performances by Kurt in Kansas, which came in the
fall 1995 event.

 

3 - Career KJ final round appearances at Heartland Park Topeka, most
recently in 2006.

 

4 - Tracks on the 2007 POWERade Drag Racing Series Schedule where KJ has
yet to win (Topeka, KS, Englishtown, NJ, Norwalk, Ohio and Richmond, VA)

 

5.53 - Averaging starting position for KJ at HRP in his 17 prior starts.

 

6.613 - KJ's career best elapsed time (in seconds) recorded in October
2006 in Richmond, VA

 

14 - Top half qualifying starts for KJ in Topeka of 17 total.

 

13 - Consecutive years in which Kurt has won at least one national
event, the longest active streak in Pro Stock.

 

22 -  KJ elimination round wins at Heartland Park Topeka, versus 17
losses for a .564 win percentage

 

209.26 - KJ's career best top speed (in mph) recorded in October 2006 in
Richmond, VA

 

Event Schedule:

            Friday, June 1:               Two qualifying sessions at
4:30 & 7:30 p.m.

            Saturday, June 2:           Two qualifying sessions at 11:30
a.m. & 2:00 p.m.

            Sunday, June 3:              Pre-race ceremonies starting at
10:00 a.m.

                                                    First Round of
Eliminations at 11:00 a.m

Television Coverage:

            Qualifying:

                        Saturday, June 2:            5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

            Eliminations:

                        Sunday, June 3:              4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

            NHRA RaceDay:

                        Sunday, June 3:              11:00  - 11:30 a.m.

 

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