NHRA Warren Johnson Qualifying Update: WJ Battles to the 13th Starting Spot in Topeka

Contact:  Jon Knapp   

TMG Sports Marketing, Inc.

 Ph: (704) 662-3121

jgknapp@tmgsports.net

 

WJ Battles to the 13th Starting Spot in Topeka

 

Event:  19th Annual O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals

Day/Date: Saturday, June 2, 2007

Location:  Heartland Park Topeka, Topeka, KS

 

Qualifying for the O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals proved to be quite a
challenge for Warren Johnson and the GM Performance Parts GTO Racing
team.  After a mechanical issue prevented them from making their first
qualifying attempt on Friday afternoon, they found themselves in the
unenviable position of being among the very first Pro Stock entries to
make an attempt on the tricky Topeka racing surface, where the lack of
adequate rubber put the amount of available traction at a premium.

 

Aided by late-night repairs performed on the track on Friday night, the
Johnson-led crew was able to dial in a workable tune-up, and, on their
last attempt, tripped the finish line timers in 6.763 seconds with a top
speed of 204.76 mph to claim the 13th starting position for Sunday's
final eliminations.

 

"First and foremost, I really have to commend the people that laid the
concrete - I haven't seen bathtubs that are that smooth.  They did an
excellent job - unfortunately, it was the wrong type of surface for this
application.  As a result, we were unable to get the right amount of
heat in the tires, providing a perfect illustration of why these Pro
Stock Cars need a proper burnout.   The track really wasn't the issue -
we just couldn't get to it.  

 

"Although it will have to be fully addressed after this weekend is over,
the NHRA and the staff at Heartland Park Topeka did a yeoman's job of
grinding it last night so we could make a halfway decent burnout,
especially in the right hand lane, where there is a significant slant in
the burnout area.

 

"In our case, we also had a mechanical failure in Q1 that, combined with
the track issues, essentially put us behind the eight ball.  We found
ourselves running in the front of the order, before sufficient rubber
had been put down.  We could maneuver around at the line, but it hurt us
further down track.  

 

"We finally softened it up enough for the last run to get our GM
Performance Parts GTO down the track and in the show.  We felt that if
we could get through the first 100 feet, we could run a '.76, which is
precisely what we did.  Now we just have to muster the courage to attack
those first 100 feet, and see what we can do tomorrow."

 

# # #