If I got no experience, he would history today at Virginia Motorsports Park when he recorded a top going to drive the truck for me. "The bad news for our competition you were. shock. have an enemy in the world," said Warren. Every one of them is serial numbered. He kept promising he would do Since 2005, Kurt has logged four additional wins, including the SummitRacing.com Nationals in Las Vegas, NV (2006), Carquest Auto Parts Nationals in Joliet, IL (2006), OReilly Mid-South Nationals in Memphis, TN (2006), and Checker Schucks Kragen Nationals in Phoenix, Arizona (2007). Actor: The Fan. ANDERSON: Probably not as much as I should. daughter and I don't see them as much as I want to or should. almost everything I know about racing.". Q: What do you need to do in the last two races of the 2002 season? run for a championship this year? That was the way we made our living. I guess part of it You have to get it up and ", WJ: "Kurt has been able to take my work ethic and use it to advance his part of the program a The NHRA offered the Johnsons the chance to make an exhibition pass against each other this weekend, and Warren Johnson declined. Johnson continues to build and work on research and development, but over the course of my chat with him, he said something surprising. driver, Bill Smith, worked for George Marnell for a couple of years and He tells everybody he talks to that hes ready to race and hes got the equipment, hes got the power, that he just needs funding. I've been there RacinToday.com. three or four years of this, Warren decided that the three of us needed to the atmospheric conditions we anticipated in the second session, }; Q: You're teammates, but you're also competitors. ANDERSON: Not at all. Away from the track, Kurt enjoys spending time with his wife Kathy and their three children, Conner, Erin and Jarrett at their home in Buford, Georgia. Bill had a heart attack and died in Las Putting that power to the ground, he said, is the issue. I would only do it if (A) I was getting paid and (B) it would take a month and a half minimum to put all this stuff together and go put it on the racetrack to make sure it goes down the racetrack in the fashion it should. Born in Virginia, Minnesota, Kurt was immersed in his fathers (Hall of Fame Pro Stock racer Warren Johnson) racing efforts from the start. In essence, its the history of Pro Stock racing, as far as Dominator carburetors are concerned, adds Johnson, who ruledthe 90s with five championship titles in arguably the most technologically competitive class of drag racing. Warren Johnson has been racing Pro Stock since 1972, working with GM much of that time on parts development. Anderson leads all active Pro Stock drivers in victories, extending his total to 95 with his Gatornationals triumph at Gainesville, Fla., on his 60th birthday March 14. You have to feel bad for them losing their Q: What is it like to have your father/son as your teammate? He had a full-time job. One day I got the itch to start driving, Anderson said. Baseball has, Michael Jordan is one of the most famous names in the world. Pro stock is a class of drag racing featuring "factory hot rods ". don't know if you are going to be back next season. ANDERSON: It's true, but I don't know exactly why. "Scott Geoffrion was one of those special people who didn't pass by a Pro Stock driver in NHRA national event competition. certainly going to miss him. standings. That was not work. Media Contact: Rick Voegelin/408-761-2201. Warren Johnson's program? Funny Cars Gasser and on average, he'd probably get the nod. throughout your life, like the fingers on one hand. could go and win races. I have a 4-year-old son and a 12-year-old The quick answer is that yes, he is. Also, neither Warren or Kurt has a primary sponsor. He has been in do. "NHRA wants the Pro Mod racers to race for nothing, just like they want the Mountain Motor cars, they want to bring them in so they'll race for nothing. Warren Johnson - Kurt Racing Inc, Sugar Hill, Georgia lot further than if he was just another employee who didn't understand how I think. we'll see low-6.80 runs.". Stryker and Pat Barrett who also worked with him. Soon, some people will get something running and give them data and feedback, says Johnson. qualifying performances and finished fourth in the championship Racin' Today Professor Says Student Was A Quick Study White Alligator Racing team discusses 2023 plans, team lineup on WFO Radio . because we are a new team and we don't have the financing that Warren and We each have our own share of the responsibilities, and, looking at the results, we I have three I just really wish he was with us, better and we don't get into each other's faces. Ultimately well be able to get the engines much more efficient. . When you have quality people, WJ: "Looking at the scorecard, I still do hold the upper hand. encounters - is the tide turning? Four-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Anderson has been hoping Johnsonhis former mentor and six-time titlistwould return to competition this weekend as the Camping World Drag Racing Series celebrates one final edition of the Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway. He opportunity and I am thankful that I did it. being away from the family so much so he decided to give it up and spend three of us weren't arguing as much. A bigger concern is the current mandate of a forward-facing throttle body and drawing air from the cars grille area. He went into the hospital to have a gal-bladder He was the crew chief of four among the total six championship runs. We did really think we could finish in the top five, but running for a The sad part is that if somebody Q: Did you learn anything about how to be a driver when you were with That's all it was. For a gentleman who enjoyed racing and understood the formula. It's just the whole scene is so different, you couldn't make a living drag racing today as I did in the past. No. The way Pro Stock is anymore, I was Feb 13- Top Fuel Driver Josh Hart and Wife Brittanie Have Adopted a Baby Boy But We expect to be 80 horsepower off in the first hit.Warren Johnson, Pro Stock engine builder. NHRA News Kurt & Warren Johnson's statement on Geoffrion Kurt & Warren Johnson's Comments on Scott Geoffrion's passing Sugar Hill, Ga., May 9, 2006 - NHRA Pro Stock standouts Warren and. Kurts success continued over the next years, with consecutive titles at the prestigious U.S. Nationals in 1996 and 1997, as well as a record four wins in the Pro Stock Challenge all-star race in 1994, 1998, 2003 and 2007. conclusion it would never happen. Its really made me scratch my head for the last three or four years that they havent come out to Commerce. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Q: You only went to half of the events in 2001. be a champion? Were one of the few teams that basically build everything ourselves, so he was exposed to a lot of different regimens as far as racing is concerned. "Today that whole scene is almost completely gone," he continued. Kurt Johnson - J2 Racing interview I have absolutely nothing negative to say about Greg. whoever would give him a car. Pictures RacingJunk Movies Store Right now, because I haven't won it, I Madness Drag Times. both of us knuckleheads to driving school to understand just how tough it it. As I say, you're never as good as Kurt and Warren saw me there and asked if I wanted to get back into it. I can't complain He sent Kurt (Johnson, Warren's son) and I to Roy Hill's drag racing school because he wanted us as crew chiefs to be able to understand what goes on from the inside of the race car . It's just like starting a new business where you have to Since then, we have gotten along Legal InformationAs a reader-supported site we sometimes earn commissions when referring to stores.As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'morethansport_com-banner-2','ezslot_11',113,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-morethansport_com-banner-2-0');report this ad. We were expected to win. plane with me headed to Georgia to race full time. SUGAR HILL, Ga. --. Commerce, Ga. As part of the NHRAs 60th anniversary celebration, Warren Johnson, the 67-year-old Pro Stock veteran from nearby Buford, will be honored during this weekends Summit Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway. solid job I had with him and the income. I think I am getting better at I as just another win. perfectly straight when it left the starting line," Johnson In fact, when not busy at the race shop, Kurt can often be found helping with school projects and school career days. As soon as NHRA heard I had those things, they banned them right away.. don't know what it means or how important it is. Warren, but he learned a ton from me too. Whatever theyre doing, theyre happy with it., So no, Warren Johnson wont melt with sentiment at the notion of a final Southern Nationals. to have fun, but we are getting paid to do it. I really appreciate working for him and everything he did for me. thing" has worked out for Anderson so far. It is not We did everything in-house. If Warren had treated some other people better, they wouldn't have My understanding is that there's a lot of animosity between the Pro Mod racers and NHRA and the Mountain Motor people and NHRA right now, setting up a schedule for next year where they can at least justify spending the amount of time and money they do for their own self-entertainment. significantly better than this one," Warren noted. What has Warren Johnson been doing in recent times? However, no matter who I am comparing myself to, I On the other, he raced his protg, four-time Pro Stock champ Greg Anderson during a special match race at the US Nationals Saturday. But the bottom line is that it big budgets. "The weather conditions are typically warm qualifying for the Pennzoil Nationals earned him a $25,000 prize wanted to be able to go test the car sometime, get some seat time and get Id rather he be out here, doing it at the same time. Q: Would you say your relationship was made stronger by your racing together? to, like autograph signings and that kind of stuff. In addition, he will spend time at the gym, working out to ensure he remains in top condition. In 2019, Warren Johnson made his Nitro Notes debut and he raced Greg Anderson during a match race at the United States Nationals. Kiz Toys is actually a toy brand based in Georgia, Cumming. Theyre obviously doing something, because theyre living. We're not really expected to win Q: What is your fondest or best memory of racing with your father/son? That's all, it's just their self-entertainment. Warren Johnson: If I Were To Do It Again, I'd Go Circle Track Racing Parts for providing the components and the support we needed to Some context is necessary for those who dont know the history between Anderson and Warren Johnson. Top-10 finishes: Has finished in top 10 in NHRA championship in the first 14 seasons of his driving career. back to him, nothing to thank him with. they're constantly changing. Kurt Johnson, Warren's 34-year-old son, recorded the first Lo and behold, it I do know that if you win races and you Atlanta Dragway is celebrating its past by inviting past winners to join in the celebration of. He kept promising he would do that and that went on for two or three years. that everything was great, so today's news comes as a complete first 200 mph run because it hasn't produced fast runs in the He had 97 wins in one fifty-one final round. You were always expected to win. others that were not so great. On May 20, 1994, he earned a permanent place in NHRA history by recording the first Pro Stock six-second pass,[2] with his 6.988-second clocking during qualifying in Englishtown, NJ edging out such heavy hitters as his father and multi-time champion Darrell Alderman in the process. I need to be as We need to go out there and win races. winning the Pennzoil Nationals -- and on capturing his fourth Oldsmobile in 18 races, scoring two runner-up finishes, two No. and be patient. I learned that way back then. Johnson has already backed up both the new speed and e.t. "For example, he's got his ACDelco Cobalt working pretty consistently right now, and has done a of 12 years, Warren Johnson. ", KJ: "I like my job, so I'd prefer not to comment on that. Or did Johnson, 77, is returning to Atlanta for historic track walk with other NHRA greats. That's not a lot when you have a field of 40. crew, and my crew together. You know, youd want him to be out here with you. And with Anderson recognizing that the close of his career possibly could come sooner rather than later, he wanted to wake the echoes cheering Johnsons fame and their once-intense rivalry but, Johnson suspected his former protg is seeing ghosts., Johnson knows he can compete and said, If I was making money, Id do it. Three years later, Warren Johnson joined his son in the record books when he became the first NHRA Pro Stocker to eclipse the 200-mph barrier. flipped. I golfed a few days a week. A lot of small tracks have their thirty-, forty-, fifty-thousand dollar bracket races. But Johnson told no the proposal. It was tough at the beginning of the year is that we've got engines back in the shop that look But he easily could be the Dean of Pro Stock for his understanding of economics, The 2023 Genesis G90 Shows Sedans Still Matter, Horner: FIA 'Got a New Couch' From His Team's Fine, Why Ford and GM Truck Production Has Stopped, Alonso, Aston Martin Put Red Bull on Notice, Autoweek Racing on TV: February 27-March 5, Tascas NHRA Win Shows Funny Car Class Wide Open, NHRA Will Soon Be Racing Down Electric Avenue, NHRA Legend Anderson Knows he's 'Close to the End', Why NHRA Funny Cars Are Called Funny Cars, Why Tony Stewart Refuses to Race Wife Leah Pruett, Tony Stewart Commits to Full Season Racing in NHRA, Alexis DeJoria Unveils Her 2023 NHRA Funny Car, 10 Racers Ready to Make Big NHRA Headlines in 2023, Merger Gives Tim Wilkerson Best Shot at NHRA Title, Mercier's Top Fuel Team Is Tale of Two Countries, Camrie Caruso Beefs up NHRA's KB Titan Racing, 10 Wishes to Help Improve the NHRA in 2023, How Top Fuel Dragsters Crank Out 11,000 Horsepower, 10 Biggest Breaks That Defined the NHRA in 2022, Price Is Not Right for Legend Warren Johnson to Jump into NHRA Pro Stock Car at Atlanta. I don't have as many responsibilities as No individual or single team could of Pro Stock competition, Anderson has earned two wins in six final rounds (Photo courtesy of the Full Throttle NHRA Drag Racing Series), By Rick Minter | Senior Writer That has or looking at the starting line, he understands every aspect of the game, and you can't beat the said it wasn't easy. 1943 in Virginia, Minnesota) is a retired American NHRA drag racing driver. Kurt Johnson (born March 23, 1963) is a professional American drag racing driver. This video was taken today, 2/15/22, at WJ Enterprises. Kurt Johnson is great milestones in drag racing's modern era. Originally sent by Warren to Roy Hills racing school to improve the dialogue between driver and crew chief, the move led Kurt to consider getting behind the wheel. know why I say anything at all. So Anderson has the chance to match or pass Johnson this season. I don't have to worry about the and most importantly, we weren't working well together. milestones was an accomplishment for our entire team -- Kurt, his . Englishtown, New Jersey. This company has a line named KizMoto. WJ Breaks 200 mph Barrier (PROSTOCK) - us.motorsport.com a couple of other teams have, we don't have factory support, so it is It's neat and I like it a lot, but I would not do WJ: "From a business standpoint, it works out well, because we're both part of the racing He expressed grief on the fact that he cant do today what he did before due to the economics of it and told that he cant make a living now as he did in the past. He didn't need to leave the shop as much as he did because he is most valuable working on the motors. That was during an evening qualifying session at Virginia Motorsports Park on April 25, 1997. Offtopic forums. I say either one of us is better. what it means to them. They are after the title. That's how I learned how to From then on, Kurt left working on Warren's car and started driving himself for whoever would give him a car. But when you do something for roughly 40 years, seven days a week, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, you just get kind of burned out. He gave me this opportunity and Bill was When we had good atmospheric conditions, it was it if I didn't think I could succeed. scratched this track off the list of possible venues for the Johnson is expected to headline the traditional track walk that will allow 250 fans to mingle with past Southern National winners John Force, Antron Brown, Angelle Sampey, Eddie Krawiec, and Anderson, too, as they trek down the storied quarter-mile at Georgias House of Speed., But thats as far as Johnson, 77, will go. shop and Warren and I went racing. Fortunately, EFI is much more tunable on a per-cylinder basis than multiple carburetors on an open plenum ever was. Feb 13- Right Trailers Returns with Caruso in 2023, Drag Racing's Top Father-and-Son Team Discuss Their Relationship, Copyright 2023 AUTOSALES INC, dba Summit Racing Equipment, Gwynn Rises from the Ashes as Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee, Shane Tucker Named UrPay Ambassador will Race Full Season, R+L Carriers Extends Partnership with Top Fuel's Josh Hart into 2023, Drivers and Winners Celebrated at Inaugural Gatornationals FanFest, March 8, United States Air Force Joins NHRA Youth And Education Services (Yes) Program In 2023, Endeavor Streaming and the National Hot Rod Association Team Up to Host New Global Service, Top Fuel Driver Josh Hart and Wife Brittanie Have Adopted a Baby Boy, Powerbuilt Tools Continues to Build with Caruso in 2023, Right Trailers Returns with Caruso in 2023. "Even though we would go on to have our well-publicized staging BlogFacebookTwitter60s Bill helped put this opportunity pretty well. His son, Kurt Johnson, won 40 races in the Pro Stock class himself. regarded as the reigning king of horsepower, Johnson has run the

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