NHRA: The Kurt Chronicles: Brainerd Edition
16 August 2000
THE KURT CHRONICLES: Kurt Johnson ACDelco News & Notes for the Colonel's
Truck Accessories NHRA Nationals
NEXT RACE:
Colonel's Truck Accessories NHRA Nationals
Brainerd International Raceway, Brainerd, Minn., August 18-20
TV: TNN, Aug. 20, 4:30-6 p.m. (ET)
THE TIDE TURNS
Like the currents that ebb and flow beneath the Golden Gate Bridge near
Sears Point Raceway, the tide has turned for Kurt Johnson and his ACDelco
Camaro. Johnson emerged from the three-race Western Swing as the top points
earner among all NHRA drivers in the three professional classes that
competed in Denver, Seattle, and Sonoma, Calif.
With victories in Denver and Sonoma and a semi-final finish in
Sonoma, Johnson racked up 310 points on his month-long trek. He outscored
Funny Car driver John Force (268 points), Top Fuel pilots Doug Kalitta and
Larry Dixon (245 and 224 points respectively), and Pro Stock points leader
Jeg Coughlin Jr. (222 points). Kurt started the Western Swing ranked sixth
in the Pro Stock standings; he left California in fourth place, just three
points behind his father Warren.
Ironically, Johnson's two victories came at tracks that are
polar opposites. In the mile-high altitude of Denver, the problem is a lack
of power; at sea-level Sears Point, the challenge is applying an
overabundance of horsepower to the problematic pavement. Johnson solved
both puzzles with adroit chassis tuning.
The Fram Autolite Nationals at Sears Point Raceway may prove to be
the turning point in Johnson's 2000 campaign. Going into a crucial
semi-final round match with Coughlin, Kurt knew that he had to take drastic
measures to defeat Jeg's faster machine. K.J. and crew chief Jeff Perley
made the decision to radically change the rear suspension. Their
adjustments produced the intended results, and Kurt took the victory by
less than 1/100th of a second.
"We've been gun-shy with this car," Kurt said. "We test all the time
to find out what this chassis wants, but we haven't made a lot of
suspension changes on race day because we were afraid to shake the tires.
We had no idea whether the car was even going to go down the track in the
semi-final round, but we knew that we needed more traction. I just did what
I've learned to do in the last 20 years - and it worked. We can't be afraid
to make a big change when the car needs a big change."
Those years of experience have also taught Johnson to savor his
success while he can. "Nothing lasts forever," he observed. "Jeg had his
hot streak, Ron Krisher had his, and now it's our turn. We're going to try
to keep the momentum going. We've got the power to run with the best of
them, but we need to make the right decisions on the setup every time the
track and weather change."
Johnson has learned his lessons well in the school of hard racing
knocks. "Last year we started the season with two wins, a runner-up, and
three semi-final finishes in the first six races," he recalled. "I thought
1999 was going to be my championship year. Then the car started shaking and
things just fell apart. Now we're finally putting it back together. If we
could string together the first, second, and third parts of the season, I
really think I could win the whole thing. We won ten rounds in the last
three races, so that proves that we can do it."
THE PRODIGAL RACER RETURNS
Kurt Johnson will return to the land of his birth for the 16th event on
the NHRA schedule, the Colonel's Truck Accessories NHRA Nationals in
Brainerd, Minn., on August 18-20. Kurt was born in Virginia, Minn., and
raised in the frozen North. In 1982 he emigrated with his family to the
warmer climes of Georgia in pursuit of year-round racing weather.
Johnson enjoyed a triumphant homecoming in 1997 when he won the
Colonel's Truck Accessories NHRA Nationals, defeating Jim Yates in the
final round. In his seven career starts at BIR, Kurt has one victory and
three semi-final round finishes. His best qualifying performance was last
year, when he qualified second behind his father Warren.
Kurt has vivid memories of his early racing days in Minnesota. "I
went with Dad to Brainerd in the '60s when the track was called
Donnybrooke Speedway, and we've raced there since NHRA first ran national
events at the track," he recalled.
"Not much has changed over the years. I consider Brainerd a
high-altitude track. The surface is smooth but the concrete is a little
coarse, so the elapsed times aren't usually as quick as we expect them to
be.
"When I go back to Minnesota, I see friends and relatives I haven't
talked with for years, but I still have to take care of business," Kurt
added. "Sometimes at the end of the day, when the race car's tucked away in
the transporter, we reminisce about old times. The difference is that they
come to the races to enjoy themselves, while I'm there to do my job."
And what is the greatest challenge facing Johnson when he returns to
his native land? "Coming up with tickets for all of the friends and
relatives," he replied with a laugh.
KURT JOHNSON BRAINERD INTL. RACEWAY RESULTS:
Year Qualified Result
1993 3 Semi Final
1994 7 First Round
1995 5 Second Round
1996 10 First Round
1997 3 Winner (over Yates)
1998 9 Semi-Final
1999 2 Semi-Final
POINTS RACE:
(After 14 of 23 events)
Driver Wins Points
1. Jeg Coughlin Jr. 6 1,195
2. Ron Krisher 2 953
3. Warren Johnson 1 896
4. Kurt Johnson 2 893
5. Troy Coughlin 0 772