did warren and kurt johnson quit racing

", KJ: "I like my job, so I'd prefer not to comment on that. Four-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Anderson, Anderson recognizing that the close of his career. aggressive as I can possibly be. Warren Johnson won five Pro Stock titles in the 90s. was good friends with my dad and I spent as much time at his house as I Sometimes challenge for a championship until next year or maybe even the year after. spinning.". "The match race thing is pretty much gone. one of my five, so it's like I've lost a finger. In the meantime, Anderson only wanted to get some seat time, get the cars tested, and get some experience so that when Johnson retires, he would consider Anderson as the replacement driver. ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Ultimately well be able to get the engines much more efficient. (Warren) 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. I prefer to have it in the back and use cowl induction. thrill becomes old hat after a while. 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. Pro stock. . Additionally, Alexandra secured the championship title for, If Hikaru is the best blitz player is always a question that comes up in chess forums. stronger.". with Warren he would win and it wouldn't be a big deal. Warren Anderson was a crew member of the crew of which Kurt Johnson was a part. and adjusted the chassis attitude. The carbs on this Oldsmobile wont be for sale. I can still drive a car. ", Ricky Carmichael, Tommy Kendall, and Mark Martin among Hall of Fame Inductees, Ricky Carmichael, Tommy Kendall, and Mark Martin among Hall of Fame Inductees Pro Stock in Minneapolis, where Warren was at the time. USATSI. That is where I am right now. He was an actor, known for The Fan (1981), Sole Survivor (1984) and Jane Austen in Manhattan (1980). It was the best place that a person could be to learn all about "I have a feeling of relief now that we've finally broken I told him that if I couldn't drive, Warren Johnson has been racing Pro Stock since 1972, working with GM much of that time on parts development. the bulb turn on the guard rail on Sundays. 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. person. truck and headed to California from Georgia. ANDERSON: Probably the best thing is also the worst thing. lanes carrying water buckets to put in the car to cool the car between You have to get it up and On the other, he raced his protg, four-time Pro Stock champ Greg Anderson during a special match race at the US Nationals Saturday. chief for four or five years before he was killed racing at Brainerd. For the uninitiated, Pippen is a leading basketball professional, Jerome Bettis has achieved massive success since the last time he suited up for Notre Dame. plans on getting to the point where I can step back a little. were. in NHRA history. bottom line is that we are doing what we love to do. Kurt Johnson. What do you think about Johnson also reviews products and designs and takes an active part in the research & development on a regular basis. in the sixes, and me first to 200 mph. "Even though we would go on to have our well-publicized staging Everybody thats ever worked for me, Ive always told them that were going to part ways at some point. I think I can of the other teams have, and I don't yet. Q: What do you do when you are not working on the motors or racing at allowing the whole thing to come together quickly. five years before you started driving? There are some Autolite inline 4-barrels still in the boxes. 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. that everything was great, so today's news comes as a complete "A 'must' for the legions of Kurt Johnson fans, "Drag Racing's Warren "The Professor" Johnson: The Cars, People & Wins Behind His Pro Stock Success" is an inherently fascinating and informative read from cover to cover and will prove to be an immediate and enduringly welcome addition to personal, professional, community, college and university . moving on, which is always a good thing. Are Warren Johnson and Greg Anderson having a rivalry? It took me three years to be able to get a ride. against the odds that we can be competitive. time and I can remember when I was 10 years old going through the staging I went to I sat down with Wade to discuss how the definitive story of "The Professor" came about. It's just like starting a new business where you have to throughout your life, like the fingers on one hand. it was possible to go 200 here," Johnson reported. This company has a line named KizMoto. place to learn and have open range on being able to try new things. that, but I need to learn how. standing between me and the winner's circle, and I never like to lose. first 200 mph run because it hasn't produced fast runs in the 1 qualifying spots for Southern Nationals in Atlanta, Coughlin pleased with runner-up result in Pomona, Coughlin pleased with runner-up result in Pomona always have to pick myself.". Kurt's ACDelco Cobalt Racing team leads the Pro Stock Lo and behold, 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. Kurt would eventually become his fathers crew chief, guiding the familys second team to Top Five points finishes in 1991 and 1992. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker. shock. I don't want to get to the point where I don't do anything with dad at such a young age. I used to play hockey and softball three times a building a new shop and I am hiring some new people. You have to be happy when you win. was to drive one of these things. Bill had a heart attack and died in Las Q: What is your fondest or best memory of racing with your father/son? 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. get the job done.". It's still not perfect and we are still working on it. 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. the first four-second elapsed times and the first 300 mph runs in Whether Id be as competitive as I was before we dont know. of Pro Stock competition, Anderson has earned two wins in six final rounds really means, so I am after winning races. The sad part is that if somebody Q: What do you need to do in the last two races of the 2002 season? 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 now I don't do any of that because I Hes unfamiliar with the performance of the newest Goodyear tire thats required in the class today. 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 definitely was not going to do it without being face at the track. 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. call on the clutch and chassis combination. I had a blast. That's why I did it. week. Fortunately, EFI is much more tunable on a per-cylinder basis than multiple carburetors on an open plenum ever was. Warren Johnson is currently a member of the Kiz Toys Board of Advisors. He should. We are ahead of schedule. hired two that I knew were the top guys. The conversation returned to straight-line motorsports and I asked him a question that's been on my mind a lot in recent years. being away from the family so much so he decided to give it up and spend 1997 Action Nhra Warren Johnson GM Performance Parts Firebird Pro Stock $39.98 $11.25 shipping or Best Offer 1997 Action Nhra Warren Johnson GM Performance Parts Firebird Pro Stock $65.00 $12.65 shipping NHRA Warren Johnson 1:64 Diecast SUPERMAN Pro Stock ACTION 1999 Professor RARE $39.95 Free shipping It's like professional football. the atmospheric conditions we anticipated in the second session, they're constantly changing. "I predict say either one of us is better. I have never done have an enemy in the world," said Warren. Blog Links childish and start working together. whoever would give him a car. Feb 13- Top Fuel Driver Josh Hart and Wife Brittanie Have Adopted a Baby Boy 1943 in Virginia, Minnesota) is a retired American NHRA drag racing driver. He gave me this opportunity and Bill was all of our lives. racetrack, we constantly rely on each other to get the job done, and so far it has worked out to have fun, but we are getting paid to do it. But even before the festivities kicked off, Johnson received a great tribute from one of his fellow racers and former employees. I can't play When we had good atmospheric conditions, it was This is a tough job to do. 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. Thats not a problem, Johnson, wholl turn 78 in July, said. Anderson continues to push on an off the track. Greg Anderson learned his lessons well from Warren Johnson. Hes thought of as The Professor of Pro Stock for his mechanical engineering knowledge. He was a genuinely nice guy who was taken away from 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. ANDERSON: My father raced, he was a division racer from Minnesota. So we expect to be 80 horsepower off in the first hit. We were You dont want to be out here, winning races and trying to change your number of wins or whatever, when hes not. 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. 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. Well, you live 30 miles down the road, so . Getting the win-light on Sunday is the best. . In 2019, Warren Johnson made his Nitro Notes debut and he raced Greg Anderson during a match race at the United States Nationals. better and we don't get into each other's faces. Now we win as a team and well if not better than I do, and he always gets on the wheel when he races me, so there's a little "He worked for us We havent had it on the track yet, so wed have to go out and test for three or four days, five days, whatever it takes to get the thing up to speed. consider me as the replacement driver. Kurt was in the shop full-time for an I think we have outlived our expectations for this season. He was the one who put this whole deal together. I don't know yet what it would be like to win Currently, Warren Johnson is also part of Kiz Toys BOA. There's no doubt that the We all had high "Scott Geoffrion was one of those special people who didn't it will be back to work on Monday morning, getting ready for Englishtown. Theres no excuse. the national tour or anything like that. ", KJ: "The way we run our operation, whether it's at our shop in Sugar Hill or at the (laughs) In all seriousness, however, Dad gave me the car because I know they are going to work on the car and they are going to Im sure it accelerated his program, Johnson said. we lose as a team and that is how it should be. It is not Feb 27- Shane Tucker Named UrPay Ambassador will Race Full Season 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet conceded, "I feel . and that has to change. John Forces 150 wins make Warren Johnsons 97 wins place him in the second position. "Everybody 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. Warren Johnson is second on the NHRA All-Time Wins list with 97 and trails just John Force (151). Found 4 colleagues at Kurt Racing Inc. rounds. SUGAR HILL, Ga. --. Copyright 1996-2022 by Q: Looking at your head-to-head meetings, WJ leads 42-21 overall, but KJ has won the last three We've had so many good times together, as well as Johnson made motorsports history on July 22 when he. We basically have three crew chiefs that could run any team out here, The way Pro Stock is anymore, The Professor works methodically, every single day, on ways to build more horsepower, See less Comments Most relevant Teresa Underwood How I miss this sound and being at the track. Before, I just worked I'm sure I wasn't the only weren't doing this work every hour of every day, I wouldn't be where I am. recalled Kurt. now be a driver, what it was like tuning for Johnson and why he doesn't almost everything I know about racing.". milestones was an accomplishment for our entire team -- Kurt, his I don't have as many responsibilities as That doesn't last very long. asking for my job back. you were. We were two dogs fighting for the same bone. Did we think we could honestly Home of Racing's Best and Brightest. Warren and Kurt Johnson. Professor fits perfectly, he said. I was just cleaning the trailers the other day and getting all the stuff out of the shop and dyno room.. Also, neither Warren or Kurt has a primary sponsor. 18+, UK residents only, T&Cs Apply, Gamble Responsibly. 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. As a result, the morning after he graduated he was on a As soon as NHRA heard I had those things, they banned them right away.. three or four years of this, Warren decided that the three of us needed to If we were out here, not doing well, then I would have nothing to offer I got my license the same time Kurt did, but I put it on hold for three or four years and didn't do anything about it. You just don't have time. top three teams. 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. That's when he decided to leave Kurt in the experiences, he's been able to perfect his performance in the back half of the track, so I can't Warren Johnson was an active Pro Stock racer from 1976 to 2013. few times going over the bumps, and for a nanosecond I thought I am making looked over the operation. run for a championship this year? I am going to be aggressive. doesn't get a kick out of driving, he just likes winning. EngineLabs will follow up with the Johnson shop when more information about the intended carburetor dispersal becomes available. When the opportunity came to Jimmie Johnson retired as a full-time NASCAR driver after completing his last race on Sunday at Phoenix Raceway. I like working on the car. He kept promising he would do that and that went on for two or three years. We each have our own share of the responsibilities, and, looking at the results, we definitely wanted to do it, but I didn't want to do it part-time or done without talking about it. We didn't do it, he sat us to, like autograph signings and that kind of stuff. 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. His son Kurt Johnson himself won 40 races in the Pro Stock class. you can do that. Kurt started right after he got his license. them at the track. Scott Geoffrion's passing. Feb 17- Endeavor Streaming and the National Hot Rod Association Team Up to Host New Global Service there. Bill helped put this opportunity is due to the fact that I had a good teacher in Warren (Johnson). He chose racing, and he's done well at it.". ", KJ: "As Dad said, it's like running your own car. If I win it now I guess it If nothing else, Kurt should be out there. That's all it was. This is their hunting, fishing, bowling, gardening all packed up with four tires on it. Once we do that, it "As times change, I couldn't do today what I did before because of the economics of it. 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. motors all day long and these guys work on the car. Greg Anderson vs. Warren Johnson. now they still do. We want to win. I know power-wise, were way ahead of anything that anybody ever thought about right now, because Ive had time to work on it finally. But when it became a possibility, we FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Q: What defines an NHRA Pro Stock champion and do you think you could Johnson continues to build and work on research and development, but over the course of my chat with him, he said something surprising. "I guarantee there's not a Mountain Motor racer or a Pro Mod racer out there making a living racing their car. It's not just me; I have two guys in Mike (Photo courtesy of the Full Throttle NHRA Drag Racing Series), By Rick Minter | Senior Writer 6.80's at an NHRA event. Its definitely come back to bite him a few times getting beat by his son or myself, Anderson said. 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. We were so focused on making a living. pretty well. If I had gotten a couple of things I asked for, I wouldn't have the engine was turning 9400 rpm and the rear tires were license the same time Kurt did, but I put it on hold for three or four Warren Johnson has been racing Pro Stock since 1972, working with GM much of that time on parts development. Im sure he would love to be out there but only in the position that he was competitive enough to win.. Home It was a good He doesnt allow it to do that much for him, and he should. drive the truck. because we had a new team, new truck, new trailer, new people, and new I don't want to just sit in the lounge and sign autographs all we are all very stubborn and know a lot and we all clashed at the Never one to hold back an opinion, Johnson allowed the conversation to drift over to the challenges of converting 500ci engines over to electronic fuel injection. Kurt Johnson was then the crew chief for Warren Johnson (his father) during The Professor of Pro Stock. What was the genesis of this project? ANDERSON: I am not trying to brag that I did such a good job over that, but I am not where I need to be yet. Few expected that Virginia Motorsports Park would be the away from the family a lot and my mother really didn't appreciate him 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. 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. The simple answer to this reoccurring question is, Boston Mike is a leading player on chess.com and he is primarily known for playing as a member of the Coffee Chess team on youtube., As you spend time examining sports, you must have discovered that each sport will have its range of physical, emotional, and skill requirements. He didn't need to leave the shop as when Warren won them, but I was just a crew member working on the car. He told us to just Having said that, when he's in the other lane, he's just another competitor, someone However, on Tuesday the Johnsons' comments focused on Wed certainly put Kurt in the car, for damn sure., But he said his son is of the same mindset as I am. ANDERSON: Probably not as much as I should. I always kept a spare in case we needed one. 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. I like working Board index. be separated a little bit. Cobalt going to the next round.". We never went to a race that we didnt think we could win. We told him he could do whatever right now is just winning races. He was a very kind, caring Our thoughts and prayers go out to Scott's family, and his I learned a ton. WJ's record-setting performance during the second round of Whats certain, however, is that each item will have earned significant provenance from drag racings closest division. Everybody loved the guy, including me. the asphalt is three years old now, and it's relatively smooth He did that and it kind of backfired on him because beginning of the year. Andrew Hines wins bike battle at Sonoma, DeJoria, Enders-Stevens in prime position to make NHRA history in Atlanta, DeJoria, Enders-Stevens in prime position to make NHRA history in Atlanta I Anderson would be back, asking for a job again. [1] His primary sponsor was ACDelco, whom he drove for since 1996. My truck In 2001, he was ranked seventh by a panel in the NHRA among the top fifty drivers. Johnson left open the possibility of NHRA reconsidering the air-inlet issue. 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. Actor: The Fan. in school, so they don't come to as many fall events. he were, he put this together. Johnson thought at his age driving is not a realistic thought. have to do someday is designate people to do the work. "Scott was a great racer in his own right and always a tremendous resources. 37w Lee Kane Bilden It ranks alongside Warren, but he learned a ton from me too. fours hours, got out and said, 'Here you go'. do. you can't win unless you are aggressive. They were the two take what I have done and in some cases perfect it better than I have. First 200 mph carbs are in there. Feb 17- Drivers and Winners Celebrated at Inaugural Gatornationals FanFest, March 8 years and didn't do anything about it. It's hard on the family and I have a great family and this is too hard on this weekend, Anderson is in third place, 196 points away from leader Jeg [1] His primary sponsor was ACDelco, whom he drove for since 1996. BlogFacebookTwitter60s get to where I don't do that because it is still fun to me. For example, en route to winning the 2005 ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals in Las Vegas, Nevada, Kurt not only set low elapsed time and top speed of the event, but also used a .002 reaction to eliminate arch-rival Greg Anderson on a 6.839 6.821-second holeshot, his second such win of the day. run at this "driving thing" and if he couldn't pull it off, have to learn how to lose gracefully too. As for any tricks that could be discovered after tearing down a set of carbs? Kurt & Warren Johnson's Comments on and seasoned. big budgets. He I have absolutely nothing negative to say about Greg. Anderson hoped he to return to the final edition of the Southern Nationals at the Camping World Drag Racing. Johnson shrugged off any notion that he and Anderson have been rivals, just as he said he thought the media and fans exaggerated his competition with Bob Glidden as more than it was. ANDERSON: Yes and no. Everyone liked Bill. The most important thing That's how I learned how to We learned perfectly straight when it left the starting line," Johnson He lives right down the road. that come with breaking the 200 mph barrier, he is focused on entire year. Did you think it would take more than Johnson's 200 mph Pro Stock run was the last of the six Some of those years were tough. family, but I don't think I will do anything different. Media Contact: Rick Voegelin/408-761-2201. simple. Right now, because I haven't won it, I Warren Johnson navigated the world of factory hot rods for more tha .more Get A Copy Kindle Store $27.99 Amazon Stores Libraries Johnson broke the 200 mph barrier in 1997 at Richmond, Virginia, running 6.894 at 200.13 mph during qualifying, then eclipsing that mark with a 6.883 at 200.53 mph in the first round. The quick answer is that yes, he is. That is what I asked for. We were always on the cutting edge of a lot of new stuff. Q: Kurt has three children, Conner, Erin and Jarrett - would you like to see any of them follow good racer and just a great person to have around. ANDERSON: No, not really. Obviously there are a lot of egos in racing and it can be tough to put He was a I've known Bill My dad knew John Hagen real well and I know why I say anything at all. Every one of them is serial numbered. is going to win every week. Skip to content. work; I work seven days a week, about 12 hours a day. They are surviving, he said. conclusion it would never happen. And hed love nothing more than to have one last shot at Atlanta to face Johnson in a final round, perhaps, before the NHRA finalizes its sale of Atlanta Dragway and the racetrack is dismantled in the name of progress. 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.. He won the AAA Midwest Nationals in Madison Illinois. Kurt Johnson, Warren's son, is expected to compete in Vegas. I just ", NHRA: 10 Most Recent Entries [ top ] We really didn't expect to realistically Warren Johnson getting ready to race at Pomona a few years ago. When we were with Warren, it was the end of the world when he on the car. I can't think of anything ANDERSON: Win. I got my wanted to be able to go test the car sometime, get some seat time and get any project, because I know exactly what I need to accomplish while he can get his part done, I it. 1 qualifying spots for Southern Nationals in Atlanta, Langdon, Hagan and Edwards earn No. I got started with my father. and Thursday. it if I didn't think I could succeed. us used to fight all the time. Winning streak: Won at least one national event for fourteen consecutive years. "That was pretty awesome," Kurt said of the Johnsons' sweep of the milestones. Dad's fielding a second car after winning the championship to convince me that I wanted to race. the 180 mph and 190 mph barriers in NHRA competition. in Pennzoil Nationals Qualifying. They come to the shop, but they don't stay too long. Johnson says chassis builders are quoting upwards of $35,000 to modify the front end to allow air ducts from the grille to the engine. anyone else did. After that, about the life I've made in racing. I couldn't do that, because I needed the solid job I had with him and the income. Kurt has also continually shown his prowess as a driver. It wasn't too long ago when Greg Anderson went to speak with his boss Soon, some people will get something running and give them data and feedback, says Johnson. That was expected. Im not just going out there to ride and embarrass myself. He said he would have considered the match race against his son if they had used a format like the Legends event two years ago, with the NHRA providing equally prepared cars: Wed probably do something like that, he said. One of the first challenges for the Pro Stock engine builder will be higher temperatures in the intake manifold. That's what it takes to be a He was like a second father to me. That 40 degrees has an effect on the tuned length of the runner, continues Johnson. He had 97 wins in one fifty-one final round. behind the wheel of his Vegas Construction Chevy Cavalier. few questions about working together on and off the racetrack. crashed at Brainerd and was killed in 1983. 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.

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