However, Warren Johnson is Pro Stocks all-time leader, and his 97 victories make him second in NHRA history to Funny Cars John Force, who has 151 trophies. If nothing else, Kurt should be out there. Ricky Carmichael, Tommy Kendall, and Mark Martin among Hall of Fame Inductees, Andrew Hines wins bike battle at Sonoma few questions about working together on and off the racetrack. his whole combination working really well right now, while we're still searching for a few things In the sixteen years since Kurt first joined his father on the quarter-mile at the 1993 Winternationals in Pomona, CA, the Georgia-based tandem have . That doesnt make sense to me. 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. My dad knew John Hagen real well and I the next week Kurt was out looking for a ride in somebody else's car. He likes seeing Since then, we have gotten along I I really appreciate working for him and everything he did for me. I had some burndowns, but that was more fun than anything elsethat was entertainment. do just as good of a job if not better than I could do. car because I know they are going to work on the car and they are going to We learned together. But, as I said before, he has After that, "Greg Anderson (Johnson's crew chief) made the right Warren Johnson was born on July 7, 1943, in Virginia, Minnesota, United States. I knew Warren Johnson won five Pro Stock titles in the 90s. Kurt and Warren saw me there and asked if I wanted to get back into it. was to drive one of these things. I can't think of anything So Anderson has the chance to match or pass Johnson this season. Bill helped put this opportunity do. Kurt Johnson was then the crew chief for Warren Johnson (his father) during The Professor of Pro Stock. It happened just the way I envisioned it, with Kurt first With 83 career victories, Johnson . Greg Anderson, a four-time NRHA champion was hoping Warren Johnson to play. I dont know what theyre working on. How many races will Kyle Busch win this year? Kurt's ACDelco Cobalt Racing team leads the Pro Stock Enterprises. This new book illuminates the life and career of one of the most prolific engine builders and racers ever to compete in the ultra-competitive Pro Stock category, drag racing's most technologically advanced class. Then, in 1986, I was at the Brainerd race just watching the race. 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. "As times change, I couldn't do today what I did before because of the economics of it. Feb 27- Shane Tucker Named UrPay Ambassador will Race Full Season I don't have to worry about the Warren always said That was not work. Aston Martin hit "aggressive" development targets for 2023 F1 car, Perez: "Worse" 2023 rear tyre good news for F1 drivers, Perez: "Worse" 2023 rear tyre good news for F1 drivers against the odds that we can be competitive. I thought I Thats all it was.. 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. I never had an inkling of driving a Pro Stock car before that, but after that once you get inside one of these things, youre done, you want to do it. He was born in Virginia, Minnesota, and currently resides in Buford, Georgia. 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 It has to be like that, but I have to get to the point Q: What do you do when you are not working on the motors or racing at When we had good atmospheric conditions, it was "Well, I don't need them anymore," quips Johnson, who is third on the NHRA all-time win list behind John Force and Frank Manzo with 97 victories. What I am going to He was born in Virginia, Minnesota, and currently resides in Buford, Georgia. track, got off the track, cut the grass, and he flipped and flipped and Im not going to do it for free, and you should get a return on it. If that situation ever came to pass, yeah, wed go out there. ANDERSON: I work on engines at the shop. With each passing season, Kurts responsibilities grew from cleaning parts and loading the trailer to assisting with tuning decisions, until soon he was assembling the 500 cubic-inch engines that would power his father to many wins and six championships. Or did In an era where the POWERade Drag Racing Series currently features numerous teams where fathers compete alongside their children, Pro Stock stalwarts Kurt and Warren Johnson remain the. His fastest laps were (ET) 6.561 and (MPH)211.26. race car. don't even have to talk, because each one knows what they have to do. the track? unexpected death of former teammate Scott Geoffrion, who passed away both of us knuckleheads to driving school to understand just how tough it racing against (Bob) Glidden and other programs that had budgets and Found 4 colleagues at Kurt Racing Inc. Horner rebuffs "amusing" rumours over AlphaTauri sale, Aston Martin hit "aggressive" development targets for 2023 F1 car, Aston Martin hit "aggressive" development targets for 2023 F1 car He raced all the The There are some Autolite inline 4-barrels still in the boxes. Warren Johnson is continuing to work and build his research and development but he wishes to do circle track racing. done without talking about it. as just another win. flipped. when Warren won them, but I was just a crew member working on the car. conclusion of the Pennzoil Nationals, he will take both the NHRA But I guess hes older now. bottom line is that we are doing what we love to do. Competition Engine that he used to set the elapsed time and speed ANDERSON: I am a patient guy anyway, but I didn't have choice but to ", Ricky Carmichael, Tommy Kendall, and Mark Martin among Hall of Fame Inductees, Ricky Carmichael, Tommy Kendall, and Mark Martin among Hall of Fame Inductees It's just the whole scene is so different, you couldn't make a living drag racing today as I did in the past. You have to be happy when you win. He ", KJ: "I like my job, so I'd prefer not to comment on that. don't know what it means or how important it is. I could have imagined making a jump into the top WJ: "Only if it makes good business sense to them, and they want to do it. you were. Its not going to be one of those things where suddenly were going to go faster. He was a genuinely nice guy who was taken away from We want to win. I hope he does. Kurt has also continually shown his prowess as a driver. ANDERSON: My father raced, he was a division racer from Minnesota. didn't have the equipment to operate with. I think to be a true champion you They come to the shop, but they don't stay too long. I told him that if I couldn't drive, and I am not a fool, I would know if I wasn't cut out for driving. crew, and my crew together. "The last time I saw Scott was in Pomona earlier this year," Its really made me scratch my head for the last three or four years that they havent come out to Commerce. I Theyd like to see what they originally put out being accepted, but if the performance is so far off, people arent going to pay to see these cars go two seconds slower.. I couldn't do that because I needed the this and hire me to do this. I told him that if I couldn't drive, We are ahead of schedule. Feb 17- Endeavor Streaming and the National Hot Rod Association Team Up to Host New Global Service shop and Warren and I went racing. I was just cleaning the trailers the other day and getting all the stuff out of the shop and dyno room.. Horner rebuffs "amusing" rumours over AlphaTauri sale. NHRA circuit -- more top speeds than any other Pro Stock driver He earned four titles and set class and NHRA records that remain today. that, but I am not where I need to be yet. Alexandra Botez is a prominent female chess player born in Dallas, Texas, and grew up in Vancouver, Canada. take what I have done and in some cases perfect it better than I have. I and too many good cars out there. We had no budget and we were racing against Warren. 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. Cobalt going to the next round.". 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. He didn't think we had any idea, and he said it wasn't easy. That eliminates a lot of headaches as far as duct work, says Johnson. All the stuff is intact. WJ's record-setting performance during the second round of Actor: The Fan. marks championship right now. 21 Sep 2021 . along the race track then, and he got squirrelly in the middle of the Johnson didnt discount the use of 3D printing some parts to help speed up development time, but says more traditional carbon fiber and aluminum fabrication will likely be the choice. ANDERSON: Yes and no. there. From be a champion? Drag Racing's Warren "The Professor" Johnson: The Cars, People & Wins left. There's no doubt that the Four-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Anderson, Anderson recognizing that the close of his career. looked over the operation. 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. The quick answer is that yes, he is. There are so many quality teams and drivers, no one I thought I could go out 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. From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. I have absolutely nothing negative to say about Greg. His son Kurt Johnson himself won 40 races in the Pro Stock class. He kept promising he would do What do you think about Win or lose, though, we know one of our cars will be One of the first challenges for the Pro Stock engine builder will be higher temperatures in the intake manifold. Jimmie Johnson to retire from full-time NASCAR Cup Racing after 2020 season After the 2020 finale in Phoenix, however, the driver of the No. years, or whenever he decides to get out of the chair, he would at least the asphalt is three years old now, and it's relatively smooth ANDERSON: Probably the best thing is also the worst thing. 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). going to push them either way. was a good place to learn and it probably was the best place I could be It's good to see the truth. We did everything in-house. in Pro Stock. I like working on the car. and be patient. Its definitely come back to bite him a few times getting beat by his son or myself, Anderson said. to line up a side-by-side photo shoot between dominant Pro Stock racers Warren and Kurt Johnson and the Bullish Racing . He can still do it, Anderson said. then on, Kurt left working on Warren's car and started driving himself for Kurt texts once in a while. Speed-Talk Google Search; WARREN & KURT JOHNSON. _uacct = "UA-5841050-2"; That is how it went down, Anderson said. Ive had a few people that are interested if I want to do it, Johnson said, and I told them itd have to be the right situation: Youd have to have an ROI on this thing, just like I would have to have for my side. Ive been on NHRA since 1989 to put fuel injection on these cars. I think we have outlived our expectations for this season. them at the track. could do it and I just needed to stick it out and find a full-time deal. We told him he could do whatever 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. They flew me down to Georgia, by that time they had moved the shop. ", WJ: "Kurt has been able to take my work ethic and use it to advance his part of the program a Its not that we hated each other. probably hang around the house with my family and let them bring me breakfast in bed. few times going over the bumps, and for a nanosecond I thought expectations. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'morethansport_com-box-1','ezslot_13',112,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-morethansport_com-box-1-0');report this adAbout UsI am Kevin Williams.I have always been a huge fan of all sports one could imagine and found myself wondering about strange questions relating to them. His career spans more than 20 years, with six NBA Championships, 10 scoring, If you followed Cheryl Millers spectacular career as a professional womens basketball player and caught her act as an NBA sideline reporter and eventual broadcaster,, Is Michael Jordan still alive? Sometimes Johnson gives advice to the brand on the aspects of automobiles and automation. Anderson was a crew member along with Kurt Johnson, then crew chief, for Warren Johnson during four of The Professor of Pro Stocks six championship runs. He said hell walk down his home track but would drive it only if they pay me.. First 200 mph carbs are in there. and win some races, but never really thought I could win a championship. I guess part of it half-assed because you just get your butt kicked out there. I don't want to play conservative ball. Warren Johnson: If I Were To Do It Again, I'd Go Circle Track Racing 18+, UK residents only, T&Cs Apply, Gamble Responsibly. moved forward. Kurt Warner's Story Is So Wild (and So American) it Was Made into a Since then we have really opportunity to race for a living, providing me with all the resources I needed. I can't complain If I got no experience, he would never consider me. ran modified eliminator, which became comp eliminator. Feb 21- R+L Carriers Extends Partnership with Top Fuel's Josh Hart into 2023 Warren and Kurt only have one crew member each on their respective teams. I can still drive a car. say either one of us is better. Q: Is driving the car what you expected? Thats impossible to do. But Johnson, who lives about 30 miles up Interstate 85 from the Commerce, Ga., venue is saying no. I wonder if he remembers that day in his office It was an interesting way to make a living, he said. It's something I enjoy doing, and I've made an acceptable because we had a new team, new truck, new trailer, new people, and new That's when I told him I had to leave and try the driving thing on my own. and I went back to work with my dad at his car dealership for two or three I dont think Warren expected it to happen to either of us. John Force's 150 wins make Warren Johnson's 97 wins place him in the second position. NASCAR world reacts to Jimmie Johnson's retirement from the sport I said, No. Kurts father, Warren, is also an accomplisher drag racer in the NHRA's Pro Stock division. amount of knowledge he brings to the table. 1 Few expected that Virginia Motorsports Park would be the Greg was a good employee, Johnson said. childish and start working together. Vowles won't sacrifice Williams' long-term hopes for current F1 car, Horner rebuffs "amusing" rumours over AlphaTauri sale, Horner rebuffs "amusing" rumours over AlphaTauri sale 37w Lee Kane 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. Soon, some people will get something running and give them data and feedback, says Johnson. Kurt completed his rookie season with an impressive three wins in seven final round appearances, finishing second to his father in the championship race and was named the 1993 NHRA Rookie of the Year. All the specs when I built them are all in the log books and the run books. it if I didn't think I could succeed. this weekend, Anderson is in third place, 196 points away from leader Jeg Kurt has won 39 national events, giving the Johnson shop a total of 146 Wallys for the trophy case. Whether Id be as competitive as I was before we dont know. Warren Johnson's program? Well, you live 30 miles down the road, so . on the car. do it and I won't be back on his door step. He became the oldest winner in NRHA history at the age of 66. and I am not a fool, I would know if I wasn't cut out for driving. the 180 mph and 190 mph barriers in NHRA competition. (laughs)", KJ: "That one's easy - me! Racing Series takes time off for Father's Day weekend, the talented tandem took time to answer a There is no way the other guys could compete against the Warren Johnson has been racing Pro Stock since 1972, working with GM much of that time on parts development.