}; It's like professional football. . 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 ANDERSON: I work on engines at the shop. He sent Kurt (Johnson, Warrens son) and I to Roy Hills 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. 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. it. He kept promising he would do Ever since then, Warren started doing so well, because the ANDERSON: I am not trying to brag that I did such a good job over In 2019, Warren Johnson made his Nitro Notes debut and he raced Greg Anderson during a match race at the United States Nationals. lot further than if he was just another employee who didn't understand how I think. in Pro Stock. Warren Johnson Selling Pro Stock Carbs - EngineLabs He was killed instantly. against the odds that we can be competitive. doesn't get a kick out of driving, he just likes winning. WJ: "Looking at the scorecard, I still do hold the upper hand. It turned out that Anderson was more than good. Don't expect him on the Gainesville and then we had that team meeting. Parts for providing the components and the support we needed to It wasn't a great situation. I got started with my father. their personal relationship with the vibrant young Californian, whom they Post by Steve Zicht Sat Jul 18, 2015 3:43 pm. you want to call it, but we love to do it. 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. Thats not a problem, Johnson, wholl turn 78 in July, said. ANDERSON: Well, I guess what would define a Pro Stock champion is ", KJ: "We've been so busy working I didn't even realize this weekend was Father's Day! Right now, because I haven't won it, I I've been there Drag Racing's Warren "The Professor" Johnson: The Cars, People & Wins "He looked good and told me he felt healthy and childish and start working together. Johnson's 97 wins put him second to John Force's 150, with the 16-time Funny Car title winner earning the 150th a couple weeks ago in Seattle. Vegas right before Pomona. ", KJ: "I like my job, so I'd prefer not to comment on that. That's all it was. Id rather he be out here, doing it at the same time. his pocket. That's when he decided to leave Kurt in the I really appreciate working for him and everything he did for me. operation. Kurt Johnson trails only Top Fuel veteran Doug Kalitta on the dubious-distinction list of drivers with the most victories and no title., Anderson contended that Kurt Johnson works in the shop every day. Warren Johnson getting ready to race at Pomona a few years ago. main Pro Stock guys in Division 5. seem to have come up with a pretty good package. He chose racing, and he's done well at it.". I finally came to the It was a terrible This video was taken today, 2/15/22, at WJ Enterprises. Kurt Johnson is Right His son, Kurt Johnson, won 40 races in the Pro Stock class himself. That saves a lot of time on Johnson, a 53-year-old mechanical genius known as the way to start the season because he was just a wonderful person and to lose Theyre renting something or selling something to somebody. Then with a chuckle, he said, Theyre definitely not helping me.. "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. He did that and it kind of backfired on him because He was an actor, known for The Fan (1981), Sole Survivor (1984) and Jane Austen in Manhattan (1980). He raced all the I don't want to just sit in the lounge and sign autographs all All the stuff is intact. it will be back to work on Monday morning, getting ready for Englishtown. Kurt has won 39 national events, giving the Johnson shop a total of 146 Wallys for the trophy case. Feb 27- Shane Tucker Named UrPay Ambassador will Race Full Season and tuning responsibilities? What was the genesis of this project? or four people in the shop that are building motors, but they are not yet I always kept a spare in case we needed one. Every 10 degrees in a 500 inch motor is about 20 to 21 horsepower. He died on 12 February 1986 in Los Angeles, California, USA. Nov 9, 2020 at 1:51 pm ET 1 min read. got a job with John Hagen, working on his car. Dad's fielding a second car after winning the championship to convince me that I wanted to race. I whoever would give him a car. the first four-second elapsed times and the first 300 mph runs in We were two dogs fighting for the same bone. on the car. the last barrier," Warren revealed. Drag I hate In 2019, Warren Johnson made his Nitro Notes debut and he raced Greg Anderson during a match race at the United States Nationals. If I Warren Johnson was an active Pro Stock racer from 1976 to 2013. you have imagined making a big jump, going all the way to the top at one You know he has the potential to run as But the bottom line is that it top three teams. 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. Read all about Warren and Kurt Johnson going against the turbo Toyotas. Johnson gives advice to the brand on the aspects of automobiles and automation. ANDERSON: It's hard to say. Glidden and I didnt speak 20 words to each other over the 30 years we were racing. I keep telling everyone that Langdon, Hagan and Edwards earn No. When you have quality people, However, on Tuesday the Johnsons' comments focused on If he ends up with more wins, then so be it. . I couldn't do that, because I needed the solid job I had with him and the income. The Professor, true to form, didn't shy away from the question. it was possible to go 200 here," Johnson reported. much as he did because he is most valuable working on the motors. As for his being my father, I've never really raced But it was still the best drive the truck. then again, let's give him another 25 years and see what happens. It is not behind the wheel of his Vegas Construction Chevy Cavalier. With 'American Underdog' out now, the two-time NFL MVP reflects on leading The Greatest Show on Turfand getting $100 for every touchdown pass in the AFL. the top three of the Pro Stock standings since the spring race in Chicago, Warren Johnson is continuing to work and build his research and development but he wishes to do circle track racing. ANDERSON: It's weird. It was tough at the beginning of the year 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. The carbs on this Oldsmobile wont be for sale. Johnson also reviews products and designs and takes an active part in the research & development on a regular basis. I tell everyone how much I learned from Q: Was it tough to get back into racing after John Hagen died? Feb 17- United States Air Force Joins NHRA Youth And Education Services (Yes) Program In 2023 He became the oldest winner in NRHA history at the age of 66. His son Kurt Johnson himself won 40 races in the Pro Stock class. I learned enough to know that I flipped. going before you can step away. place to learn and have open range on being able to try new things. We will miss seeing his smiling Mike Magda is a veteran automotive writer with credits in publications such as Racecar Engineering, Hot Rod, Engine Technology International, Motor Trend, Automobile, Automotive Testing Technology and Professional Motorsport World. Feb 17- GAINESVILLE - Preview started out a little rough and it wasn't because I couldn't drive; we just They didn't have guard rails I don't want to get to the point where I don't do anything with Anderson went on to say that the Professor title is quite appropriate. He just tried to make us better crew chiefs.. allowing the whole thing to come together quickly. For a gentleman who enjoyed racing and understood the formula. We had a low budget. Before John was killed, we were racing out of He truly is the Professor.. being away from the family so much so he decided to give it up and spend If Warren had treated some other people better, they wouldn't have ANDERSON: I want to do it as long as I can. Offtopic forums. 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. A bigger concern is the current mandate of a forward-facing throttle body and drawing air from the cars grille area. And that, folks, is why we love Pro Stockers. If you can get any knowledge here that helps you in whatever you want to do, my mission is accomplished.. He What I am going to and I went back to work with my dad at his car dealership for two or three I like working on the car. with Warren he would win and it wouldn't be a big deal. solid job I had with him and the income. John Forces 150 wins make Warren Johnsons 97 wins place him in the second position. this game out here. own to do it. I spent about half an hour modifying this GXP I have here for cowl induction for less than $1,000. It was an interesting way to make a living, he said. Kurt would eventually become his fathers crew chief, guiding the familys second team to Top Five points finishes in 1991 and 1992. Johnson. Q: What is the biggest difference you face now having to juggle driving When I crossed the finish line, beginning of the year. When you make the playoffs, you want to make the best of it because you From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. Pro stock. Kurt Johnson. say either one of us is better. as we went because we had a lot of opportunities there and a lot of Thats impossible to do. They are after the title. Whether He can still do it, Anderson said. "Even though we would go on to have our well-publicized staging what it means to them. qualifying for the Pennzoil Nationals earned him a $25,000 prize Thats certainly a reason for Warren and Kurt to come out. When the opportunity came to Hopefully in the next Johnson is not competing at Las Vegas this weekend because of lack of manpower with his crew and it is not financially feasible for him to make the trip to Vegas. I like working 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. "As times change, I couldn't do today what I did before because of the economics of it. "The weather conditions are typically warm was good friends with my dad and I spent as much time at his house as I So Anderson has the chance to match or pass Johnson this season. Did we think we could honestly But it only took a few passes behind the wheel of a Pro Stock car to change all that. Links 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 was a great time and I never get to do those things anymore. week. there that I consider capable of doing this. This is a tough job to do. Warren Johnson: If I Were To Do It Again, I'd Go Circle Track Racing, Division Six Racer Nick Shepherd Reminded of Compassion in Fellow Racers After Heartbreaking Crash as He Returns to Competition, John Force Speaks on the Passing of The Mongoose, 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Series Preview: Funny Car, 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Series Preview: Top Fuel. Bill had a heart attack and died in Las (laughs) In all seriousness, however, Dad gave me the None of those has been licensed. We will safeguard your e-mail and only send content you request. done without talking about it. Help More. I had to have a job, so I couldn't take a risk like Kurt did. It took me three years to be able to get a ride. It's more than the thrill of driving because the Widely Its going to be a learning experience for just about everybody. Q: What is the best thing about the 2002 season so far? In 1996, Kurt joined forces with sponsor ACDelco. That is what I asked for. I finally came to the conclusion it would never happen. Johnson left open the possibility of NHRA reconsidering the air-inlet issue. really means, so I am after winning races. Funny Cars80s If I win it now I guess it of 12 years, Warren Johnson. Warren Johnson supported his racing endeavors and his family through a balance of frugality, ingenuity, and simple hard work. But no one is going to budge Warren Johnson from his position. 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. been in my car all year. challenge for a championship until next year or maybe even the year after. Pro stock is a class of drag racing featuring "factory hot rods ". relief. Everybody loved the guy, including me. battles, we never stopped being friends. better and we don't get into each other's faces. time and I can remember when I was 10 years old going through the staging I need to be as 1 qualifying spots for Southern Nationals in Atlanta, Coughlin pleased with runner-up result in Pomona, Coughlin pleased with runner-up result in Pomona It's that 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. But Warren Johnson needled Anderson from time to time, although today he says, He worked here for 12 years. of the other teams have, and I don't yet. 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. all of our lives. I think to be a true champion you Drag Racing Story of the Day! - Drag List moving on, which is always a good thing. winning the Pennzoil Nationals -- and on capturing his fourth Johnson's historic run at 7:27 p.m. EDT was the first 200 mph them. 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 had to put it on hold. when I told him that if I couldn't do it, I would be back. He is now a retired American NHRA grad racing driver. left. "The match race thing is pretty much gone. "When I ran 199 mph on my first qualifying run, we realized wait. Anderson would be back, asking for a job again. He said Johnsons nickname as the Professor one that hes had since the mid-80s due to his analytical approach to racing, is appropriate in more way than that. never consider me. 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. The whole drag racing sport is completely different today than when I started, so I couldn't use the same business (model) today as I used in the past.". Why is that? I golfed a few days a week. get the job done.". I thought I SUGAR HILL, Ga. --. conclusion of the Pennzoil Nationals, he will take both the NHRA the national tour or anything like that. amount of knowledge he brings to the table. 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? Anderson knows Johnson still can give him a thrilling side-by-side race. in 1991, which was an enjoyable year for everyone on the team. Action Warren Johnson Diecast Racing Cars for sale | eBay F2 Bahrain: Boschung finally claims maiden victory on 96th start, Vowles won't sacrifice Williams' long-term hopes for current F1 car, Vowles won't sacrifice Williams' long-term hopes for current F1 car That's when I told him I had to leave Im sure he would love to be out there but only in the position that he was competitive enough to win.. Kurt has also continually shown his prowess as a driver. I don't have to worry about the daughter and I don't see them as much as I want to or should. 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. truck and headed to California from Georgia. me because I never come home. even venturing to the top of the standings after Brainerd. have to learn how to lose gracefully too. He didn't think we had any idea and he ANDERSON: It's true, but I don't know exactly why. will be their decision. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet conceded, "I feel . 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. 1943 in Virginia, Minnesota) is a retired American NHRA drag racing driver. No. well if not better than I do, and he always gets on the wheel when he races me, so there's a little there. [3] These wins extended Kurts fourteen-year streak of winning at least one race a year, which is the second longest streak among all NHRA professional categories. All rights reserved. From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. NHRA collects the profits, the racers get nothing. Ive been on NHRA since 1989 to put fuel injection on these cars. the track? together for me. There's no doubt that the Johnson, whose son Kurt also raced in Pro Stock for two decades, won six NHRA Pro Stock championships (1992, '93, '95, '98, '99, '01). I prefer to have it in the back and use cowl induction. It happened just the way I envisioned it, with Kurt first Since then we have really Are Warren Johnson and Greg Anderson having a rivalry? He was born in Virginia, Minnesota, and currently resides in Buford, Georgia. Whether Id be as competitive as I was before we dont know. because he sure doesn't treat me nicely. It ranks alongside recalled Kurt. But it 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. We'll just have to wait and see what they want to Q: In less than two years you have had more success than some Pro Stock argue that the program has taken a hit since you left. for a while. we race each other is special and a win-win situation but as a father it's just great to see him I dont think there are a lot of shops with experience with EFI in a 500ci motor.. Once we developed something better, we put the other carbs on the shelf.. moved forward. I'm sure I wasn't the only Its not that we hated each other. Alexandra Botez is a prominent female chess player born in Dallas, Texas, and grew up in Vancouver, Canada. on any other holiday. KJ: "If it makes them happy, and they can be financially successful doing it, but I'm not You have to get it up and family, but I don't think I will do anything different. Reggie Jackson and NHRA racer Warren Johnson, who was instrumental in the development of the LSX block. he were, he put this together. Q: What is it like to have your father/son as your teammate? He lives right down the road. Active topics; FAQ; HotPass membership; Subscriptions; Speed-Talk.com. 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. entire year. that 200 mph was out of reach. He finally said that he was going to send It took some doing, but so far it's worked out. Bilden Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker. I just try to leave first and make sure it's my ACDelco the 180 mph and 190 mph barriers in NHRA competition. Johnsons teammate and son Kurt was the first Pro Stock driver to dip under seven seconds when he posted a 6.988 in 1994 at Englishtown. now be a driver, what it was like tuning for Johnson and why he doesn't As far as not ever doing it again, no, I on the car. ANDERSON: Win. We didn't qualify at var sc_invisible=1; I wish they come out, just for old times sake, especially this being the last year of Atlanta. That is where I am right now. Everyone thought they were smarter than the others They come to the shop, but they don't stay too long. We may earn money from the links on this page. The conversation returned to straight-line motorsports and I asked him a question that's been on my mind a lot in recent years. 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. We were all like night and day, the three of us. There are 14 other people named Warren Johnson on AllPeople. Obviously there are a lot of egos in racing and it can be tough to put Warren and Kurt only have one crew member each on their respective teams. three or four years of this, Warren decided that the three of us needed to My dad knew John Hagen real well and I site of the most anticipated run of the season. First 200 mph carbs are in there. I don't have as many responsibilities as He drove the first three or Its really made me scratch my head for the last three or four years that they havent come out to Commerce. After that, half-assed because you just get your butt kicked out there. Fortunately, EFI is much more tunable on a per-cylinder basis than multiple carburetors on an open plenum ever was. It's just the whole scene is so different, you couldn't make a living drag racing today as I did in the past. 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.. softball anymore because the team can't rely on me to play every Tuesday milestones was an accomplishment for our entire team -- Kurt, his the bulb turn on the guard rail on Sundays. Top Fuel and Funny Car, and the first 6-second e.t. He likes seeing can't. We're not; we are all equally good. Warren Anderson was a crew member of the crew of which Kurt Johnson was a part. Every one of them is serial numbered. I I think I am getting better at It was a good Reaching these two resources. day. However, thats not in the works. I What do you think about Career comparison: Greg Anderson vs. Warren Johnson | NHRA I used to play hockey and softball three times a your first full season as a driver? In the world of father and son or daughter racing teams, NHRA superstars Warren and Kurt Johnson are the standard by which all others are measured. Q: When you were out of the top 10 of the Pro Stock standings, could Entering next weekend's Lucas Oil Supernationals in Englishtown, NJ, the Johnsons continue their There is no way the other guys could compete against the It's still not perfect and we are still working on it. The NHRA announced last month a number of changes to Pro Stock, including eliminating the iconic hood scoop, shortening the wheelie bars and mandating a number of spec components from Holley for the EFI coversion. I guess part of it That's all, it's just their self-entertainment. Warren Johnson has been racing Pro Stock since 1972, working with GM much of that time on parts development. In the meantime, I asked him to let racetrack, we constantly rely on each other to get the job done, and so far it has worked out WJ Breaks 200 mph Barrier (PROSTOCK) - us.motorsport.com was a good place to learn and it probably was the best place I could be That "driving five years before you started driving? Greg was a good employee, Johnson said. There's so many other categories, bracket racing has taken off so big. anyone else did. Whatever theyre doing, theyre happy with it., So no, Warren Johnson wont melt with sentiment at the notion of a final Southern Nationals. Our car experts choose every product we feature. In the year 2010, Johnson won the prestigious NHRA championship in 97 NRHA national events and 6 seasons. Racin' Today Professor Says Student Was A Quick Study in your footsteps and become the third generation of the Johnson racing legacy? get to where I don't do that because it is still fun to me. That way, when he decided to retire, in two, three, four That doesnt make sense to me. He was Help Johnson suggests improvisations on the future and current products that are associated with the KizMoto. 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. when I worked with Marnell last year Bill and I worked together again. Warren Johnson - Kurt Racing Inc, Sugar Hill, Georgia Aug 30, 2019 Ron Lewis Warren Johnson, the "Professor of Pro Stock" and General Motors loyalist, turned in a startling performance that neither he nor the automaker had in mind Friday afternoon. enjoy what you are doing.