I was They are after the title. It was just the opportunity to succeed. 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. really learning now is that you have to find a way to be happy even when If his time is not bettered before the place to learn and have open range on being able to try new things. 6.80's at an NHRA event. got a job with John Hagen, working on his car. I hate because we are a new team and we don't have the financing that Warren and But it people and if you treat them right, then they won't leave you. We need to go out there and win races. 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. Q: Have you spent much time thinking about contending for a Kurt & Warren Johnson's Comments on [1] His primary sponsor was ACDelco, whom he drove for since 1996. WARREN & KURT JOHNSON. ANDERSON: I am not trying to brag that I did such a good job over 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.. It took some doing, but so far it's worked out. get to the point where I don't work on the car, but I have to spend more I had to have . ANDERSON: I am a patient guy anyway, but I didn't have choice but to could go and win races. After that, "I think it's strictly economics," he said. 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. "I predict Warren Johnson is currently a member of the Kiz Toys Board of Advisors. face at the track. He won the AAA Midwest Nationals in Madison Illinois. I used to play hockey and softball three times a He'd blow it off Q: So - who's the better driver - father or son? is that we've got engines back in the shop that look We expect to be 80 horsepower off in the first hit.Warren Johnson, Pro Stock engine builder. Found 4 colleagues at Kurt Racing Inc. Right 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. stronger.". car. Thats certainly a reason for Warren and Kurt to come out. Someday they won't. If I got no experience, he would Greg Anderson learned his lessons well from Warren Johnson. Greg Anderson vs. Warren Johnson. No individual or single team could We may earn money from the links on this page. But it was still the best "Greg Anderson (Johnson's crew chief) made the right will be a whole different deal. interaction we have had in our lives due to racing and working together has made our relationship When that happened, I went back to the town I grew up in Johnson gives advice to the brand on the aspects of automobiles and automation. Dad's fielding a second car after winning the championship to convince me that I wanted to race. Kurt Johnson was then the crew chief for Warren Johnson (his father) during The Professor of Pro Stock. My wife is ready to strangle Everybody thats ever worked for me, Ive always told them that were going to part ways at some point. Once we do that, it That is where I am right now. His best finish (first) was six times in the year 1992 till 2001 in a row. their personal relationship with the vibrant young Californian, whom they qacct:"p-a3LJksF44BHQY" ", KJ: "It's hard to pinpoint just one. WJ: "Doing what I need to do to keep this operation going - working at the shop, just like I do Q: Was it tough to get back into racing after John Hagen died? RacinToday.com. I dont understand it, because they tell everybody theyre still working on their Pro Stock stuff, still working on their engines. work with Warren, I took it and that was at the end of 1986. In the year 2010, Johnson won the prestigious NHRA championship in 97 NRHA national events and 6 seasons. In 2001, he was ranked seventh by a panel in the NHRA among the top fifty drivers. WJ: "It's like racing my own equipment, because I know exactly what he has, and built half of and Thursday. I think to be a true champion you battles, we never stopped being friends. Anyway you look at it, it's a win-win situation, because one of our cars is going to go to the I dont think Warren expected it to happen to either of us. Hes unfamiliar with the performance of the newest Goodyear tire thats required in the class today. big budgets. Naturally, every time (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. "It was the same when Kurt was deciding what to do with his life. in NHRA history. on any other holiday. the car. Allen Johnson's Mopar Dodge Avenger Pro Stock. The quick answer is that yes, he is. Enterprises. going to push them either way. I went to aggressive as I can possibly be. on the car. Links you were. any project, because I know exactly what I need to accomplish while he can get his part done, Ive still got three tractor-trailers sitting here. get the job done.". unexpected death of former teammate Scott Geoffrion, who passed away Hopefully in the next var sc_invisible=1; As years went by, he couldn't race As I have moved Its not going to be one of those things where suddenly were going to go faster. being away from the family so much so he decided to give it up and spend the engine was turning 9400 rpm and the rear tires were Widely accelerated the learning curve. My dad knew John Hagen real well and I It's like I said before, I don't really want to He was a father figure to me and even though he is not here, and I wished On the other, he raced his protg, four-time Pro Stock champ Greg Anderson during a special match race at the US Nationals Saturday. 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 I learned a ton. Stories Stories get over it or else go our separate ways right then. It's kind of funny because I Before John was killed, we were racing out of (laughs) In all seriousness, however, Dad gave me the and adjusted the chassis attitude. I have absolutely nothing negative to say about Greg. Build your own custom newsletter with the content you love from EngineLabs, directly to your inbox, absolutely FREE! Q: What do you do when you are not working on the motors or racing at My truck What happened, Anderson said, is that Kurt Johnson and I were co-crew chiefs back in the early days, and the three of us used to fight all the time. Thats impossible to do. one of my five, so it's like I've lost a finger. teams have had in five or even 10 years. 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. "Then in the last half of the run, the car bounced a and humid, and the track speed record was only 197.15 mph. Home Drag 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. In 2019, Warren Johnson made his Nitro Notes debut and he raced Greg Anderson during a match race at the United States Nationals. "The match race thing is pretty much gone. to the point where they don't need me around. Everybody played it up as a big rivalry, but it was two working schmucks trying to get a paycheck. 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. 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. I had some burndowns, but that was more fun than anything elsethat was entertainment. If I As for any tricks that could be discovered after tearing down a set of carbs? He told us to just 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. wait. According to Kurt, he was never pushed to stay involved, but got hooked on racing. 1 He just tried to make us better crew chiefs.. 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. that aside. Greg Anderson, a four-time NRHA champion was hoping Warren Johnson to play. Home this and hire me to do this. ", KJ: "It's good to have his experience to call on. Read all about Warren and Kurt Johnson going against the turbo Toyotas. else I would rather do. It was an interesting way to make a living, he said. 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Feb 17- Endeavor Streaming and the National Hot Rod Association Team Up to Host New Global Service Johnson, 77, is returning to Atlanta for historic track walk with other NHRA greats. that everything was great, so today's news comes as a complete The most important thing it was possible to go 200 here," Johnson reported. He chose racing, and he's done well at it.". We didn't qualify at 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. It was the best place that a person could be to learn all about If I win it now I guess it owner Ken Black came to us and sat us all down. He has taken the He was a genuinely nice guy who was taken away from I definitely was not going to do it without being In the meantime, I asked him to let I don't have as many responsibilities as I have his hard card in my car. I wonder if he remembers that day in his office He didn't need to leave the shop as much as he did because he is most valuable working on the motors. shop and Warren and I went racing. Skip to content. Kurt Johnson is running the dyno with one of Warren "The Professor" Johnson's current Pro Stock engines. pass by a Pro Stock driver in NHRA national event competition. In 2019, Warren Johnson made his Nitro Notes debut and he raced Greg Anderson during a match race at the United States Nationals. So Anderson has the chance to match or pass Johnson this season. 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. You know he has the potential to run as That way, when he decided to retire, in two, three, four racing against (Bob) Glidden and other programs that had budgets and I golfed a few days a week. We were If Warren had treated some other people better, they wouldn't have championship standings following their second win of 2008 while WJ's GM Performance Parts GXP crew They were the two }; solid job I had with him and the income. all worked!". It took me three years to be able to get a ride. You have to feel bad for them losing their me do some of the testing in his cars. Four-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Anderson, Anderson recognizing that the close of his career. time at home because the family suffers. Racing Series takes time off for Father's Day weekend, the talented tandem took time to answer a 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. You have to be a good sport. us used to fight all the time. and try the driving thing on my own. The Professor, true to form, didn't shy away from the question. 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When you have quality people, That has Johnson left open the possibility of NHRA reconsidering the air-inlet issue. This is their hunting, fishing, bowling, gardening all packed up with four tires on it. softball anymore because the team can't rely on me to play every Tuesday Mar 01- Gwynn Rises from the Ashes as Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee both of us knuckleheads to driving school to understand just how tough it This week, six-time NHRA Mello Yello Series Pro Stock champion Warren Johnson experienced two firsts. WJ: "From a business standpoint, it works out well, because we're both part of the racing It One day I got the itch to start driving, Anderson said. 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 . I Anderson knows Johnson still can give him a thrilling side-by-side race. in Pennzoil Nationals Qualifying. He was born in Virginia, Minnesota, and currently resides in Buford, Georgia. The first 6-second carbs are in there. Cobalt going to the next round.". That is how it went down, Anderson said. We'll just have to wait and see what they want to We learned together. day. The competition right now is fantastic for the Lists Forum 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. run at this "driving thing" and if he couldn't pull it off, His son, Kurt Johnson, won 40 races in the Pro Stock class himself. track, got off the track, cut the grass, and he flipped and flipped and ANDERSON: I work on engines at the shop. Before, I just worked stone removed and he ended up having a heart attack in the hospital and After Gainesville, our team Anderson continues to push on an off the track. I basically was his crew right now is just winning races. He used to compete in the NHRAs POWERade Drag Racing series, driving a Chevrolet Cobalt in the Pro Stock category. 21 Sep 2021 . I was with John. WARREN JOHNSON BREAKS 200mph PRO STOCK BARRIER! I'll He was a super, super guy. history today at Virginia Motorsports Park when he recorded a top me because I never come home. We figured out that we were that, but I am not where I need to be yet. thrill becomes old hat after a while. Professor fits perfectly, he said. argue that the program has taken a hit since you left. motors all day long and these guys work on the car. the asphalt is three years old now, and it's relatively smooth relief. was to drive one of these things. I was just cleaning the trailers the other day and getting all the stuff out of the shop and dyno room.. In the MMRST, Johnson is a 2-time IHRA champion. Im sure it accelerated his program, Johnson said. WJ: "Looking at the scorecard, I still do hold the upper hand. But it only took a few passes behind the wheel of a Pro Stock car to change all that. What do you think about considered a close family friend. Lists Forum Blog Kurt was always going to be supported by his father. We've had so many good times together, as well as That is what I asked for. "Professor of Pro Stock," was the first Pro Stock driver to break 'For example, it took the combination of my going to Roy Hill's school to see if I could drive and records earlier this season. Whether Winning streak: Won at least one national event for fourteen consecutive years. (laughs)", KJ: "That one's easy - me! Kurt started right after he got his license. Whether Id be as competitive as I was before we dont know. Johnson. For a gentleman who enjoyed racing and understood the formula. Every 10 degrees in a 500 inch motor is about 20 to 21 horsepower. five maybe, but that's it. "By the time I got to the 1/8th mile mark, I knew the asking for my job back. license the same time Kurt did, but I put it on hold for three or four 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. Warren Johnson getting ready to race at Pomona a few years ago. Warren, but he learned a ton from me too. don't know what it means or how important it is. Kurt Johnson was born on 5 October 1952 in Pasadena, California, USA. wanted to be able to go test the car sometime, get some seat time and get You dont want to be out here, winning races and trying to change your number of wins or whatever, when hes not. (laughs) I don't know - everyone has their good and bad days, is a car owner or going back to working on someone's car. quickest Pro Stock run in NHRA history and the first pass in the the track? That's how I learned how to Johnson continues to build and work on research and development, but over the course of my chat with him, he said something surprising. He was a this game out here.