NHRA Warren Johnson Pre Race: WJ & Crew Work to Return to Form in Richmond

Contact:

     Jon G. Knapp

     TMG Sports Marketing

     (704) 662-3121

     jgknapp@tmgsports.net

 

WJ & Crew Work to Return to Form in Richmond

Issues Addressed, GM Performance Parts GTO Racing team Looks to Have a
Solid Showing   

 

Sugar Hill, Ga., October 3, 2007 - A modern NHRA Pro Stock race car is
an assembly of thousands of individual parts designed to cover the
quarter-mile in as little time as possible.  Although the rules and
regulations created by the sanctioning body limit the variation in this
mechanical mix, performances still vary based on how each individual
team assembles and tunes their mount.  At this weekend's Torco Racing
Fuels Nationals in Richmond, VA, legendary racer Warren Johnson will
look to have the right combination in his GM Performance Parts GTO to
maximize their performance and challenge for the win on Sunday.

 

"Our primary goal is to get our GM Performance Parts GTO back into a
performance window where we can be consistently competitive," said
Johnson.  "Whereas recently we have shown ourselves to occasionally be
fast, we head into Richmond looking to regain the consistent performance
we had shown earlier this year, which sounds like a simple task, but in
reality, is a lot of work.

 

"You have to keep in mind that the tuning dynamics in any race car are
in a constant state of flux.  Whether you develop additional horsepower,
work on a new chassis concept or simply change the shock rate or gear
ratios, you have to re-evaluate the performance equation to make sure it
works the way you want it to.

 

"In the time since the last race, we went over the race car and
uncovered a few issues that had been negatively affecting the tune-up
for quite some time.  We've addressed them, and had a one-day test to
make sure everything is now working properly.  Although we seem to have
regained the handle, we won't really know until after the first
qualifying session on Friday."

 

However, there is one aspect of their game plan for which the team
cannot prepare in advance, namely the track at Virginia Motorsports
Park.  Although The Professor has enjoyed tremendous success on the
Dinwiddie quarter-mile in the past with his four wins to leading all Pro
Stock competitors, work performed in advance of this year's event will
provide the racers with a completely new surface, adding yet another
variable.  Armed with an unparalleled library of tuning information from
virtually every type of track surface and atmospheric conditions,
Johnson and his Terry Adams-led crew have taken a pragmatic,
wait-and-see attitude about this weekend's race. 

 

"They've ground the track since last year, when it was relatively bumpy,
presenting us with an as-yet unknown amount of traction," said Johnson.
"Another variable which we cannot plan for are the atmospheric
conditions, which could be anywhere from to extremely good to very poor.
Therefore, we will just have to see what we have when we get there, and
adapt according to what we find.   We've certainly had our share of
success in Richmond in the past, and I couldn't think of any better
place or time to get our GM Performance Parts GTO back on the winning
track than at VMP this weekend."

 

Warren Johnson & the GM Performance Parts GTO Racing team 

By the Numbers - Torco Racing Fuels Nationals edition:

 

1.3 - Warren's average starting position in his six previous Richmond
starts.

 

4 - a) Warren Johnson wins in Richmond, which is the most among NHRA Pro
Stock drivers.

      b) No. 1 qualifying performances by WJ at VMP, most recently in
2000.

 

6 - Top two starts by WJ in Dinwiddie out of 6 total.

 

6.587 - WJ's career best elapsed time (in seconds) recorded earlier this
year in Gainesville, FL

 

7 - NHRA Pro Stock appearances by Warren Johnson in Richmond coming into
2007, dating back to the first NHRA National Event at Virginia
Motorsports Park in 1995.

 

16 - NHRA Pro Stock elimination round wins by WJ at VMP, versus 2 losses
for a .889 win percentage.

 

26 - Consecutive seasons in which Warren Johnson has made at least one
final round appearance, dating back to 1982.

 

200.13 - WJ's speed at the 1997 Richmond race, when he became the first
NHRA Pro Stock racer to record a speed in excess of 200 mph.  

 

209.69 - WJ's career best top speed, set earlier this year in
Gainesville, FL

 

Event Schedule:

            Friday, October 5:                   Two qualifying sessions
at 3:30 & 6:00 p.m.

            Saturday, October 6:              Two qualifying sessions at
12:00 noon & 2:30 p.m.

            Sunday, October 7:                 Pre-race ceremonies
starting at 10:00 a.m.

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

 

Television Coverage:

            Qualifying:

                        Saturday, October 6:              7:00 - 8:00
p.m.

            Eliminations:

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

            NHRA RaceDay:

                        Sunday, October 7:                11:00 - 11:30
a.m.

# # #