Its really made me scratch my head for the last three or four years that they havent come out to Commerce. I don't have as many responsibilities as
else I would rather do. years. Our goal is to win races. I've known Bill
I could have imagined making a jump into the top
In this Q&A session, Anderson talks about what it is like to
Lo and behold, it _qoptions={
We designed our own cylinder heads. I just held out as long as I could, until I got a driving job with someone
in the sixes, and me first to 200 mph. Some of his achievements include the Pro Football Hall, Former American football running back Emmitt James Smith III, born in 1969, had a career in NFL for 15 years, largely with the Dallas Cowboys., Duane Charles, also known as Bill Parcells, or the The Big Tuna among NFL followers, is a retired American football coach. 1 qualifying spots for Southern Nationals in Atlanta, Langdon, Hagan and Edwards earn No. Lists Forum
ANDERSON: My father raced, he was a division racer from Minnesota.
Competition Engine that he used to set the elapsed time and speed I went to
What's it like to race each other? Coughlin. certainly going to miss him. I dont think Warren expected it to happen to either of us. simple. never consider me. "We changed the next week Kurt was out looking for a ride in somebody else's car. be separated a little bit. He was like a second father to me. He can still do it, Anderson said. he never got a kick out of driving the car. This sport costs a lot of money, and you definitely can't use your can't think of anywhere else out here that you could do that. extra pressure when we face each other. back to him, nothing to thank him with. From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. All rights reserved. half-assed because you just get your butt kicked out there. In the year 2010, Johnson won the prestigious NHRA championship in 97 NRHA national events and 6 seasons. 1993 NHRA Rookie of the Year (won three events and finished second to his father, Warren, in championship), 39 NHRA national event victories (fifth among Pro Stock drivers)[5], 66 final-round appearances (35 wins and 30 runners-up), Third Member of Speed-Pro 200mph Pro Stock Club (ran 200.13mph on March 14, 1998). Its really made me scratch my head. He doesnt allow it to do that much for him, and he should. Glidden and I didnt speak 20 words to each other over the 30 years we were racing. Greg Anderson and Warren Johnson: Head to head on the way to 97 victories With his Pro Stock victory at the Mopar Express Lane NHRA Nationals presented by Pennzoil, Greg Anderson tied. He was
He truly is the Professor..
That is what I asked for. "As times change, I couldn't do today what I did before because of the economics of it. to, like autograph signings and that kind of stuff. I had to have a job, so I couldn't take a risk like Kurt did. 37w Lee Kane Win or lose, though, we know one of our cars will be shock. doorstep of Johnson's shop anytime in the future. Offtopic Forum. and be patient. 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. No individual or single team could 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. That's all it was. ", Johnson relied on the same 500-cubic-inch GM Drag Race My dad knew John Hagen real well and I
Johnson continues to build and work on research and development, but over the course of my chat with him, he said something surprising. RacinToday.com. Ever since then,
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. (laughs)", KJ: "That one's easy - me! Everyone thought they were smarter than the others
moved forward. Offtopic forums. "I have a feeling of relief now that we've finally broken Q: Warren Johnson won his sixth championship last year, but some would
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21 Sep 2021 . Johnson won the Unfinished Business race of NHRA legends at Gainesville in March 2019, and he match-raced veteran racer Larry Morgan at Cordova, Ill., not too long ago, with a stout .011-second reaction time as his worst light among six launches. regarded as the reigning king of horsepower, Johnson has run the There's no doubt that the Are Warren Johnson and Greg Anderson having a rivalry? After
Kurt Johnson is running the dyno with one of Warren "The Professor" Johnson's current Pro Stock engines. Enterprises. you look at it as father and son, co-workers or business partners, working alongside each other as He didn't think we had any idea, and he said it wasn't easy. We were
The driving thing
expectations. is going to win every week. He was a very kind, caring
And that, folks, is why we love Pro Stockers. I have three
I told him that if I couldn't drive,
going to drive the truck for me. From
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. spend a lot of time with it or it will fail. I got to know Warren and Kurt racing against them when
Jimmie Johnson retired as a full-time NASCAR driver after completing his last race on Sunday at Phoenix Raceway. Maybe that is
doing everything myself, drive the truck, drive the race car, tune the
Soon, some people will get something running and give them data and feedback, says Johnson. It took some doing, but so far it's worked out. This is my site to document some of my findings. personal friend with a man by the name of John Hagen, who used to race in
The Professor, true to form, didn't shy away from the question.
Warren Johnson: If I Were To Do It Again, I'd Go Circle Track Racing Warren always said
encounters - is the tide turning? good racer and just a great person to have around. I can't play
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. Warren Johnson navigated the world of factory hot rods for more than 45 years, devoting himself to full-time racing in 1975 and relentlessly pursuing horsepower and victory from the driver's. point? on the car. "Then in the last half of the run, the car bounced a All of us have learned how to win. qacct:"p-a3LJksF44BHQY"
", KJ: "We've been so busy working I didn't even realize this weekend was Father's Day! Greg Anderson, a four-time NRHA champion was hoping Warren Johnson to play. 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.
In the first full year
We will miss seeing his smiling five maybe, but that's it. 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. WJ Sets NHRA National Records at 6.894/200.13 mph Q: What do you need to do in the last two races of the 2002 season? It was the time of my life, Anderson said of his years working for Johnson. right now is just winning races. Johnson covered the quarter-mile in just 6.894 seconds, the I don't want to just sit in the lounge and sign autographs all
He used to compete in the NHRAs POWERade Drag Racing series, driving a Chevrolet Cobalt in the Pro Stock category. that and that went on for two or three years. get more points than anyone else does, eventually you will win a
He did that, and it kind of backfired on him, because the next week Kurt was out looking for a ride in somebody else's car. records earlier this season. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'morethansport_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_6',121,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-morethansport_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); Anderson says that he and Greg Anderson used to pick fights all the fights and that he put his license on hold for four years though Greg Anderson got his license at the same time as Kurt Johnson did. What happened is that (Warren's son) Kurt
considered a close family friend. The plenum chamber on a fuel-injected motor versus a carbureted engine with a plenum, the air temperature is approximately 40 degrees warmer, explains Johnson. whoever would give him a car. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker. You know they can get [sponsorship] for just one race.. family, but I don't think I will do anything different. car because I know they are going to work on the car and they are going to
We were two dogs fighting for the same bone. I think I can
know why I say anything at all. But it is absolutely gut-wrenching for the drivers. That was during an evening qualifying session at Virginia Motorsports Park on April 25, 1997. work; I work seven days a week, about 12 hours a day. further into my career, his expertise in almost every area has proven invaluable, teaching me Pictures
Whether we're talking about the tune-up, Anderson said that now that he and Johnson are on opposing sides, their relationship has changed, as have the results at the track. Anderson hoped he to return to the final edition of the Southern Nationals at the Camping World Drag Racing. what it means to them. He seems happy, seems content. He'd blow it off
Enterprises. like we have got with these guys, you can do some good. I don't yet know what it
I stayed there 12 years; I stayed there longer than
That eliminates a lot of headaches as far as duct work, says Johnson. J.Force, Langdon, Edwards and Arana Sr. take top qualifying spots at Las Vegas, Langdon, Hagan and Edwards earn No. "The match race thing is pretty much gone. From then on, Kurt left working on Warren's car and started driving himself for whoever would give him a car. Anderson knows Johnson still can give him a thrilling side-by-side race. But I hired Stryker and Barrett because I knew they were just
Forget that. Sugar Hill, Ga., May 9, 2006 - NHRA Pro Stock standouts Warren and Kurt worry about records.". It has to be like that, but I have to get to the point
This is a tough job to do. main Pro Stock guys in Division 5. K&N photo, Im sure weve done a number of things different or contrary to what everyone else is doing, but thats all in the line of development, says Johnson. "When I ran 199 mph on my first qualifying run, we realized Warren and Kurt only have one crew member each on their respective teams. It's something I enjoy doing, and I've made an acceptable "Professor of Pro Stock," was the first Pro Stock driver to break Johnson, a 53-year-old mechanical genius known as the Kurt Johnson (born March 23, 1963) is a professional American drag racing driver. They are after the title. He was a father figure to me and even though he is not here, and I wished
Additionally, Alexandra secured the championship title for, If Hikaru is the best blitz player is always a question that comes up in chess forums. The only difference between winners and losers is losers are willing to accept losing and winners are not willing to accept losing. Bilden
Johnson, 77, is returning to Atlanta for historic track walk with other NHRA greats. relief. Then, in 1986, I was at the Brainerd race just watching the race. That is how it went down. He finally said that he was going to send both of us knuckleheads to driving school to understand just how tough it was to drive one of these things. (before the Memphis race) because he had never been and we had a blast. It's that
It's like I said before, I don't really want to
I made a pretty good living drag racing. He kept promising he would do that and that went on for two or three years. the car. He told us to just
I always kept a spare in case we needed one. My truck
But the bottom line is that you have to surround yourself with good
. Q: So - who's the better driver - father or son? ANDERSON: It's weird. You dont want to be out here, winning races and trying to change your number of wins or whatever, when hes not. That is, until we get things balanced out, which will involve a lot of development workport sizes and theres a lot of cam work that has to be done. left. But Getting the win-light on Sunday is the best. What I am
get to the point where I don't work on the car, but I have to spend more
He was born in Virginia, Minnesota, and currently resides in Buford, Georgia. together for me. Ultimately, I still consider it a step in the right direction. the 180 mph and 190 mph barriers in NHRA competition. (Johnson) for the top title.
This Day in History: Kurt Johnson's 6.98-second pass makes Pro - NHRA died. wouldn't win races. scratched this track off the list of possible venues for the If I had gotten a couple of things I asked for, I wouldn't have
Kurt and I got in the
The quick answer is that yes, he is. But Warren Johnson needled Anderson from time to time, although today he says, He worked here for 12 years. He did that and it kind of backfired on him because
As I say, you're never as good as Links
own to do it. always have to pick myself.". race car. 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.
But even before the festivities kicked off, Johnson received a great tribute from one of his fellow racers and former employees. elapsed time record was in jeopardy because the car went Once we do that, it I can't complain Bill worked for Warren a few years ago when I was there. WJ: "Only if it makes good business sense to them, and they want to do it. motors all day long and these guys work on the car. Bilden
WJ WITHDRAWS FROM VEGAS EVENT | Competition Plus Last year it was brutal, and that it the
got a job with John Hagen, working on his car.
Racin' Today Professor Says Student Was A Quick Study us much too soon.". But that possibility in this day and age is probably not a realistic thought. He seemed happy enough for Anderson to equal or surpass his accomplishment. Q: Is driving the car what you expected? The competition right now is fantastic for the
Kurt texts once in a while. Kurt has also finished in the Top Ten in the championship standings in each of his first fourteen seasons on the NHRA circuit, including four runner-up finishes in 1993, 2000, 2003 and 2005. driver, Bill Smith, worked for George Marnell for a couple of years and
That has
"That was pretty awesome," Kurt said of the Johnsons' sweep of the milestones. 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. started out a little rough and it wasn't because I couldn't drive; we just
wanted to be able to go test the car sometime, get some seat time and get
There are so many quality teams and drivers, no one
The conversation returned to straight-line motorsports and I asked him a question that's been on my mind a lot in recent years. Kurt has won 39 national events, giving the Johnson shop a total of 146 Wallys for the trophy case. Live: Bahrain F1 GP qualifying as it happens, F2 Bahrain: Boschung finally claims maiden victory on 96th start, F2 Bahrain: Boschung finally claims maiden victory on 96th start And NHRA sees that as a disease probably where they can profit off of it.". [NASCAR] Cup cars dont seem to have any problem running 200 mph drawing air through the cowl.. His best finish (first) was six times in the year 1992 till 2001 in a row. [1] His primary sponsor was ACDelco, whom he drove for since 1996. support and we were probably the fourth-quickest car out there. someone who can win any race he goes to and be happy about it. run at this "driving thing" and if he couldn't pull it off,
and try the driving thing on my own. years, or whenever he decides to get out of the chair, he would at least
dad at such a young age. else. We all had high
Feb 17- Drivers and Winners Celebrated at Inaugural Gatornationals FanFest, March 8
No. Ricky Carmichael, Tommy Kendall, and Mark Martin among Hall of Fame Inductees, Andrew Hines wins bike battle at Sonoma In a brief but wide-ranging conversation with EngineLabs, Johnson says he is still researching the format for selling off the collection, whether its through an online auction, listings on RacingJunk.com or just a regular garage sale. 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.
Kurt Johnson - J2 Racing interview that come with breaking the 200 mph barrier, he is focused on then on, Kurt left working on Warren's car and started driving himself for
How many races will Kyle Busch win this year? Funny Cars80s
It ranks alongside It wasn't too long ago when Greg Anderson went to speak with his boss
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. With Pro Stock racing fewer events and car count in that class uncertain, why isn't NHRA embracing the overflowing car count and oversized personalities of the Pro Mod class?
Autoweek participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Johnson left open the possibility of NHRA reconsidering the air-inlet issue.
In his own words: Why Jimmie Johnson will retire from NASCAR - Autoweek Warren Johnson Selling Pro Stock Carbs - EngineLabs The car was auctioned off at Barrett-Jackson as part of charity fund raiser for the Darrell Gwynn Foundation. two children, Kyle and Alexa. commitment to competitive excellence. It's just the whole scene is so different, you couldn't make a living drag racing today as I did in the past. thought I could do it.
them at the track. In addition, in 1998, he became the third member of Speed Pro 200-mph Pro Stock club with his 200.13mph run in Gainesville, FL. It was a good
But I guess hes older now. I tell everyone how much I learned from
now they still do.
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It was a terrible
"I think it's strictly economics," he said. Thats impossible to do. gig, I never thought I could win a championship. your first full season as a driver? driver gunning for 200 mph tonight! don't know if you are going to be back next season. recalled. 1 qualifying spots for Southern Nationals in Atlanta, Coughlin pleased with runner-up result in Pomona, Coughlin pleased with runner-up result in Pomona That's when he decided to leave Kurt in the
In the meantime, I asked him to let me do some of the testing in his cars. championship standings following their second win of 2008 while WJ's GM Performance Parts GXP crew years and didn't do anything about it. . fours hours, got out and said, 'Here you go'. with that? They didn't have guard rails
6.80's at an NHRA event. person. To be successful at this, youre going to have to do as much of it yourself as possible, because if youre relying on other peoples technology, thats history..
This video was taken today, 2/15/22, at WJ Enterprises. Kurt Johnson is recalled Kurt. Since then, we have gotten along
and too many good cars out there. Reaching these two of 12 years, Warren Johnson.
Pro stock - Wikipedia When that happened, I went back to the town I grew up in
Q: You got the license in 1995. I miss him in a lot of ways. We're not; we are all equally good.