FW: ACDelco/Kurt Johnson Qualifying Results/NHRA Phoenix

From: Jeff Romack
Sent: Saturday, February 21, 2009 9:59 PM
To: Jeff Romack
Subject: ACDelco/Kurt Johnson Qualifying Results/NHRA Phoenix

[cid:image001.jpg@01C9946E.6AD70680]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeff Romack
ACDelco Racing Communications
Office: 317.843.5447
Cell: 317.698.1016
jfromack@cs.com
www.ACDelco.com

Kurt Johnson Qualifies
ACDelco Chevrolet
No. 6 at NHRA Phoenix

PHOENIX, Feb. 21, 2009 -The 16-car Pro Stock field is set for tomorrow's 25th annual Lucas Oil Slick Mist NHRA Nationals at Firebird International Raceway, and Kurt Johnson's ACDelco Chevrolet is qualified in the No. 6 position with a 6.640 e.t. at 207.69 mph. Johnson's run in Saturday's first round of time trials was the fourth quickest of the session.

"We feel that we could have taken that run, and picked up even more but we went back to the  basics." Johnson said. "We have some good combinations that we can still improve on so I'm pleased with that."

Johnson entered the final day of qualifying with the ACDelco Chevrolet slotted in the No. 8 spot. Although his first run of the day on Saturday allowed him to jump two positions, he's confident that the car can improve even more on race day.

"We should be running faster," Johnson said. "There are some variables that are a little different than last year and we're working through them. With the minimal amount of testing we did over the winter, and considering Pomona was so pitiful, this is like the first race for us. We're scratching our heads right now because we feel we should be a couple of hundredths faster and in the top four."

Johnson will face Larry Morgan in the first round of eliminations on Sunday. Last season the ACDelco Chevrolet driver faced Morgan twice in eliminations and defeated him both times -
first at Reading (Pa.) and later in the fall at Richmond (Va.).

"We've made some gains over the past two days," Johnson said. "I honestly think we can pick up two-hundredths going into tomorrow, which if you take the 6.65s and the 6.64s and turn them into 6.62s and 6.63s, all of a sudden we're where we should be. I can look at the computer and see where we're lacking. It's just a matter of if we can make a big enough move. But then again you don't want to make a move that's too big. We have to find where that line is."

Johnson has recorded three of his 39 career victories at FIR, tying him with his dad Warren Johnson for the most victories at this event among active Pro Stock drivers, and all of Johnson's wins at Firebird have come during the last 10 race seasons. He captured his first victory here in 1999 when he defeated Troy Coughlin in the final round. In 2004 he secured his second victory at FIR with a final-round win over Dave Connolly and his most recent win at this venue was in 2007 when he defeated Jason Line in the finals.

ACDelco is a global leader in high-quality automotive replacement parts and related services and offers quality aftermarket products for all makes and models, plus GM original equipment replacement parts. For more information go to www.ACDelco.com.

# # # #