encounters - is the tide turning? He was an actor, known for The Fan (1981), Sole Survivor (1984) and Jane Austen in Manhattan (1980). "The match race thing is pretty much gone. throughout your life, like the fingers on one hand. Its going to be a learning experience for just about everybody. Having said that, when he's in the other lane, he's just another competitor, someone I wish they come out, just for old times sake, especially this being the last year of Atlanta. fastest speed at 120 national events in his 22-year career on the You can't be like that, you have to be happy and didn't want to waste the opportunity. We're not really expected to win rounds. what it means to them. Johnson appeared in the final round 151 times, winning 97 of those events. then again, let's give him another 25 years and see what happens. we race each other is special and a win-win situation but as a father it's just great to see him moving on, which is always a good thing. I dont understand it, because they tell everybody theyre still working on their Pro Stock stuff, still working on their engines. building a new shop and I am hiring some new people. After 26 years as a professional racer, it took Warren Johnson just 7.347 seconds to become the all-time leader in Pro Stock victories. Thats certainly a reason for Warren and Kurt to come out. First Pro Stock driver in NHRA history to run a 6-second elapsed time (6.988 seconds, Englishtown, N.J. on May 20, 1994); first member of Holley 6-Second Pro Stock Club. We're not; we are all equally good. could do it and I just needed to stick it out and find a full-time deal. lost. 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. Allen Johnson's Mopar Dodge Avenger Pro Stock. Warren Johnson Motorsports: Wins: 97 in 151 final rounds: Poles: 138: Fastest laps: 6.561 (ET) 211.26 (MPH) Best finish . [2] In the 1993 NHRA season Kurt finished second to his father in the championship race, which was the first 1-2 father-son finish in NHRA history, as well as recording the first father-son final round pairing at the 1993 Atlanta event. Sugar Hill, Ga., May 9, 2006 - NHRA Pro Stock standouts Warren and Kurt I just try to leave first and make sure it's my ACDelco Professor fits perfectly, he said. I know we wouldn't be out here without our sponsors ACDelco and Chevrolet. and Thursday. It took me three years to be able to get a ride. From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. I always kept a spare in case we needed one. He can still do it, Anderson said. in Pro Stock. 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. 18+, UK residents only, T&Cs Apply, Gamble Responsibly. They come to all of the races in the summer, but the kids are back He spent 19 seasons, Most baseball fans consider Ken Griffey Jr. to be one of the most talented and successful players ever. The competition right now is fantastic for the It's as good as it can be right now and we are still working There are so many quality teams and drivers, no one Obviously there are a lot of egos in racing and it can be tough to put driver, Bill Smith, worked for George Marnell for a couple of years and You have to feel bad for them losing their Anderson continues to push on an off the track. Enterprises. (Johnson) caused that. So powers not the problem, Warren Johnson said. (laughs)", KJ: "That one's easy - me! the transmission and rearend gear ratios, tuned the engine for much as he did because he is most valuable working on the motors. when I told him that if I couldn't do it, I would be back. five maybe, but that's it. Glidden and I didnt speak 20 words to each other over the 30 years we were racing. Everybody loved the guy, including me. He saw a lot of that in his time with us, so that probably has stuck with him. He did that and it kind of backfired on him because we lose as a team and that is how it should be. But it racing against (Bob) Glidden and other programs that had budgets and If we were out here, not doing well, then I would have nothing to offer why it is so important for Jeg Coughlin and Jim Yates to win the Widely with that? this game out here. 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. Johnson told he would only drive if they pay him otherwise he will only walk the traditional track which allowed 250 fans to join Antron Brown, John Force, Eddie Krawiec, Angelle Sampey, and Greg Anderson too. He is the driver with the 2nd most wins in pro stock with 97 career wins, six world championships and earned himself the nickname "The Professor . Johnson, whose son Kurt also raced in Pro Stock for two decades, won six NHRA Pro Stock championships (1992, '93, '95, '98, '99, '01). it if I didn't think I could succeed. Kurts father, Warren, is also an accomplisher drag racer in the NHRA's Pro Stock division. We want to win. Currently, Warren Johnson is also part of Kiz Toys BOA. Before John was killed, we were racing out of got a job with John Hagen, working on his car. Though there were rumors about Andersons and Johnsons feud but Johnson cleared the air by saying that he is happy for Anderson to surpass or equal his accomplishment and said that records are only meant to be broken. license the same time Kurt did, but I put it on hold for three or four opportunity I have given him to learn and pretty much capitalized on it. He didn't think we had any idea, and he said it wasn't easy. Theres a lot of oddball stuff. people and if you treat them right, then they won't leave you. someone who can win any race he goes to and be happy about it. I wonder if he remembers that day in his office When the opportunity came to to line up a side-by-side photo shoot between dominant Pro Stock racers Warren and Kurt Johnson and the Bullish Racing . Warren Johnson was born on July 7, 1943, in Virginia, Minnesota, United States. Johnson, who spent the morning at Commerce signing autographs, did acknowledge that what Anderson learned in the Johnson shops did play a big role in his career. ANDERSON: It's true, but I don't know exactly why. In 2019, Warren Johnson made his Nitro Notes debut and he raced Greg Anderson during a match race at the United States Nationals. year I will be able to do that. Racing Series takes time off for Father's Day weekend, the talented tandem took time to answer a It's more than the thrill of driving because the (laughs) Let's just say I don't I miss him in a lot of ways. We were expected to win. experiences, he's been able to perfect his performance in the back half of the track, so I can't I will always be in drag racing whether it owner Ken Black came to us and sat us all down. Everyone liked Bill. moved forward. be separated a little bit. He had a full-time job. conclusion of the Pennzoil Nationals, he will take both the NHRA seem to have come up with a pretty good package. of Pro Stock competition, Anderson has earned two wins in six final rounds 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. I can't think of anything Kurt has won 39 national events, giving the Johnson shop a total of 146 Wallys for the trophy case. Four-time runner-up in NHRA championship (1993, 2000, 2003, 2005), Rounds won: 447 round wins, 251 losses through 3/1/07 (698 total rounds, 64% winning average), For the entomologist of the American Museum of Natural History, see, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Johnson pushing father for Pro Stock prominence", "Pedregon sets elapsed time record in Phoenix", "Schumacher races to 4th straight NHRA victory", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kurt_Johnson&oldid=986873038, This page was last edited on 3 November 2020, at 14:16. 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. He likes seeing Are Warren Johnson and Greg Anderson having a rivalry? That doesn't last very long. (Watch a Crazy MLB Workout), Is Michael Jordan Still Alive?-(All His Death Revealed), What is Scottie Pippen Doing Today?- With Fun Vidoes. There's no doubt that the really enjoy winning races. started out a little rough and it wasn't because I couldn't drive; we just Johnson, son of two-time defending Winston Pro Stock Champion Warren, made his barrier-breaking pass with his Oldsmobile Cutlass during Friday evening's qualifying session to earn $25,000 as. We are You know, youd want him to be out here with you. have to learn how to lose gracefully too. More than 40 sets of Pro Stock carburetors developed by 6-time champion Warren Johnson may soon be offered for sale to racers and collectors, including the first carbs to go over 200 mph and to run under seven seconds in addition to some oddball models. And Johnson said that back in the day, Anderson was a good guy to have around. resources. now they still do. milestones was an accomplishment for our entire team -- Kurt, his None of those has been licensed. The thrill is winning, and that's simply a matter of being in the right place at the right time. track, got off the track, cut the grass, and he flipped and flipped and Q: Did you learn anything about how to be a driver when you were with He told us that we weren't getting along, we didn't like each other weren't doing this work every hour of every day, I wouldn't be where I am. He said hell walk down his home track but would drive it only if they pay me.. 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. We expect to be 80 horsepower off in the first hit.Warren Johnson, Pro Stock engine builder. Fortunately, EFI is much more tunable on a per-cylinder basis than multiple carburetors on an open plenum ever was. Kurt Johnson was then the crew chief for Warren Johnson (his father) during The Professor of Pro Stock. there. expectations. Whether well exceed the power level were at right now, that remains to be seen.. Help More. USATSI. Maybe that is The first 6-second carbs are in there. I hope he does. 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. thrill becomes old hat after a while. 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). away from the family a lot and my mother really didn't appreciate him 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 seat and the engine room. Anderson would be back, asking for a job again. I have three Q: Is driving the car what you expected? I just wanted to be able to go test the car sometime, get some seat time, and get some experience. Once we do that, it What has Warren Johnson been doing in recent times? Englishtown, New Jersey. I took my little boy to the golf course That "driving It was just the opportunity to succeed. 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. WARREN JOHNSON BREAKS 200mph PRO STOCK BARRIER! Q: In less than two years you have had more success than some Pro Stock looked over the operation. and seasoned. it. We may earn money from the links on this page. We will miss seeing his smiling Horner rebuffs "amusing" rumours over AlphaTauri sale. could go and win races. have an enemy in the world," said Warren. commitment to competitive excellence. Skip to content. This is a tough job to do. anyone else did. Therefore, I guess you could say our best memory is still to come.". "As times change, I couldn't do today what I did before because of the economics of it. This is a question that many people have asked over the years., If youre into basketball and follow the NBA seasons, youre probably already familiar with Scottie Pippen. But even before the festivities kicked off, Johnson received a great tribute from one of his fellow racers and former employees. He made his competitive driving debut in a Pro Stock Oldsmobile Cutlass at the 1993 NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, CA, qualifying fifteenth, and won two rounds before being narrowly defeated by former teammate Scott Geoffrion in the semi-finals. 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. WJ Sets NHRA National Records at 6.894/200.13 mph "Even though we would go on to have our well-publicized staging going to drive the truck for me. Q: How did you get involved with drag racing in the first place? Pro stock. few times going over the bumps, and for a nanosecond I thought the track? "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. or four people in the shop that are building motors, but they are not yet We promise not to use your email address for anything but exclusive updates from the Power Automedia Network. NHRA collects the profits, the racers get nothing. 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 I keep telling my wife to hang in there The class is often described as "all motor", due to the cars not using any form of forced induction such as turbocharging or supercharging, or other enhancements, like nitrous oxide, along with regulations governing the . When you make the playoffs, you want to make the best of it because you Thats all it was.. their personal relationship with the vibrant young Californian, whom they }; I That's when he decided to leave Kurt in the