NHRA Warren Johnson Qualifying Wrap Up: WJ Adapts and Overcomes to Start Fourth in Pomona

Contact:  Jon Knapp   

TMG Sports Marketing, Inc.

 Ph: (704) 662-3121

jgknapp@tmgsports.net

 

WJ Adapts and Overcomes to Start Fourth in Pomona

 

Event:  48th Annual Carquest Auto Parts NHRA Nationals

Day/Date: Saturday, February 9, 2008

Location:  Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, Pomona, CA

 

Six-time champion Warren Johnson capped a strong qualifying effort in
fine fashion on Saturday, with his GM Performance Parts Pontiac's
6.652-second, 208.59 mph run in the final session capturing the fourth
starting position for Sunday's final eliminations of the Carquest Auto
Parts Winternationals in Pomona, CA.   This marks the 26th time in 28
Winternationals starts that The Professor will start in the top half of
the field, dating back to his first appearance at the NHRA season-opener
in 1976.  

 

In each of their four attempts, the Johnson-led crew's runs were among
the best among the 22 Pro Stock teams attempting to qualify, putting
them among the top contenders for race day.  However, their strong
performance was not without some drama, as they discovered a mechanical
failure prior to the final qualifying session that required some
last-minute repairs.

 

"Unbeknownst to us until just before we went out to qualify for the last
session, we broke a lifter during this morning's run.  We discovered it
when we tried to warm up the car this afternoon and it squealed like you
were stepping on a bat.  Looking at the lobe, it was pretty black, so it
obviously happened during the run, affecting our performance.  That
explains why we were able to run better speed in worse conditions this
afternoon.

 

"Still, we're enthused by our GM Performance Parts Pontiac's performance
so far this weekend.  We were able to traverse both lanes without a
problem, it's been consistent and it's actually working a little better
than it was at the Finals last November.  We'd made some changes to it
other than the rear suspension, which seems to be working in our favor,
so tomorrow it's just a matter of expanding on it."

 

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