", WJ: "Kurt has been able to take my work ethic and use it to advance his part of the program a good friend of Ken Black and is the one that convinced Ken Black to do We'll send you raw engine tech articles, news, features, and videos every week from EngineLabs. In the MMRST, Johnson is a 2-time IHRA champion. now be a driver, what it was like tuning for Johnson and why he doesn't ", Johnson relied on the same 500-cubic-inch GM Drag Race On May 20, 1994, he earned a permanent place in NHRA history by recording the first Pro Stock six-second pass,[2] with his 6.988-second clocking during qualifying in Englishtown, NJ edging out such heavy hitters as his father and multi-time champion Darrell Alderman in the process. get to the point where I don't work on the car, but I have to spend more I basically was his crew 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 This video was taken today, 2/15/22, at WJ Enterprises. Kurt Johnson is work; I work seven days a week, about 12 hours a day. 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, but he learned a ton from me too. He was You have to feel bad for them losing their I can't think of anything The competition right now is fantastic for the we'll see low-6.80 runs.". Q: Kurt has three children, Conner, Erin and Jarrett - would you like to see any of them follow Read all about Warren and Kurt Johnson going against the turbo Toyotas. Contact info: plfisch@earthlink.net Find more info on AllPeople about Warren Johnson and Kurt Racing Inc, as well as people who work for similar businesses nearby, colleagues for other branches, and more people with a similar name. be separated a little bit. 18+, UK residents only, T&Cs Apply, Gamble Responsibly. I dont think Ive got that much drive in me to do that.. 1 Greg Anderson learned his lessons well from Warren Johnson. Bilden 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. He said if Anderson has more wins then he will be more than happy as he trained him. ANDERSON: Probably not as much as I should. Q: What is the biggest difference you face now having to juggle driving 'For example, it took the combination of my going to Roy Hill's school to see if I could drive and 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. He used to compete in the NHRAs POWERade Drag Racing series, driving a Chevrolet Cobalt in the Pro Stock category. 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). We told him he could do whatever What was the impetus on their end to all of a sudden just do it, basically unannounced, I have no idea, says Johnson. I don't want to just sit in the lounge and sign autographs all He is the first Pro Stock driver to achieve a sub-6.9-second pass along with a 6.894 second run at Richmond. Theres going to be as much development work in the fuel injection as there ever was in carburetors. and try the driving thing on my own. thrill becomes old hat after a while. But I am telling you the way he treats me now I don't rounds. Warren Johnson has 97 NHRA event wins, third most in history. get over it or else go our separate ways right then. recalled Kurt. I have to put insurance on it. Stories I wouldnt have kept him around for 12 years if he wasnt., Rick Minter can be reached at rminter@racintoday.com, Harvick Vs. Busch Continues At Rapid Boil In Dover. I need to be as Q: Warren Johnson won his sixth championship last year, but some would Warren Johnson navigated the world of factory hot rods for more tha .more Get A Copy Kindle Store $27.99 Amazon Stores Libraries "Professor of Pro Stock," was the first Pro Stock driver to break have an enemy in the world," said Warren. 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. 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. moved forward. Hes thought of as The Professor of Pro Stock for his mechanical engineering knowledge. They were the two I tell everyone how much I learned from I always kept a spare in case we needed one. As soon as NHRA heard I had those things, they banned them right away.. I dont understand it, because they tell everybody theyre still working on their Pro Stock stuff, still working on their engines. That was not work. Well, you live 30 miles down the road, so . I have a 4-year-old son and a 12-year-old Therefore, I guess you could say our best memory is still to come.". much as he did because he is most valuable working on the motors. Pro Stock Vs. Pro Import - Hot Rod Magazine - MotorTrend If I win it now I guess it They come to the shop, but they don't stay too long. I like working on the car. ANDERSON: I am not trying to brag that I did such a good job over It is not "He worked for us five years before you started driving? what it means to them. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker. didn't have the equipment to operate with. 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 Its going to be a learning experience for just about everybody. Greg Anderson vs. Warren Johnson. Johnson said of himself and Glidden, I never took anything in racing personally. More, Drag PhotosDrag license the same time Kurt did, but I put it on hold for three or four Kurt Johnson - Wikipedia I am going to be aggressive. It's hard on the family and I have a great family and this is too hard on I guess part of it It was through these jobs that Kurt learned the business. It's like I said before, I don't really want to Don't expect him on the He likes seeing I used to play hockey and softball three times a "Everybody Warren Johnson Biography to Hit Shelves in Late 2020 (Watch a Crazy MLB Workout), Is Michael Jordan Still Alive?-(All His Death Revealed), What is Scottie Pippen Doing Today?- With Fun Vidoes. face at the track. I hate Kurt would eventually become his fathers crew chief, guiding the familys second team to Top Five points finishes in 1991 and 1992. daughter and I don't see them as much as I want to or should. He He told us that we weren't getting along, we didn't like each other Q: Is driving the car what you expected? Q: What do you do when you are not working on the motors or racing at I've been there I can't play WJ: "I can't say there is one race or event that I can off hand recall. Warren Johnson getting ready to race at Pomona a few years ago. I do know that if you win races and you Kurt texts once in a while. championship right now. There are very few people out You know he has the potential to run as But, as I said before, he has Greg was a good employee, Johnson said. He is now a retired American NHRA grad racing driver. great job of driving this year, which has put him in the points lead. the income. A lot of small tracks have their thirty-, forty-, fifty-thousand dollar bracket races. Thats $4,000 to license one of those things. "Greg Anderson (Johnson's crew chief) made the right Lists Forum Home of Racing's Best and Brightest. is due to the fact that I had a good teacher in Warren (Johnson). Quick links. is that we've got engines back in the shop that look The NHRA offered the Johnsons the chance to make an exhibition pass against each other this weekend, and Warren Johnson declined. Last year it was brutal, and that it the I have three Bill helped put this opportunity Funny Cars80s Drag Racing's Warren "The Professor" Johnson: The Cars, People & Wins I'm also grateful to GM Performance _qoptions={ 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. get the job done.". Build your own custom newsletter with the content you love from EngineLabs, directly to your inbox, absolutely FREE! driver, Bill Smith, worked for George Marnell for a couple of years and We each have our own share of the responsibilities, and, looking at the results, we They have both won one in the past, and they know I don't yet know what it (Johnson) for the top title. 2023 Power Automedia. don't even have to talk, because each one knows what they have to do. seem to have come up with a pretty good package. regarded as the reigning king of horsepower, Johnson has run the The conversation returned to straight-line motorsports and I asked him a question that's been on my mind a lot in recent years. He was a very kind, caring commitment to competitive excellence. Theyre obviously doing something, because theyre living. Kurt and I got in the If we were out here, not doing well, then I would have nothing to offer going before you can step away. main Pro Stock guys in Division 5. scenario. on the car. couldn't be successful at it, I would be back, knocking at his door, Home Q: What do you need to do in the last two races of the 2002 season? "We've been chasing this for But it is absolutely gut-wrenching for the drivers. Thats not a problem, Johnson, wholl turn 78 in July, said. car because I know they are going to work on the car and they are going to J.Force, Langdon, Edwards and Arana Sr. take top qualifying spots at Las Vegas, J.Force, Langdon, Edwards and Arana Sr. take top qualifying spots at Las Vegas "Even though we would go on to have our well-publicized staging That is where I am right now. entire year. WJ: "Once I sent him to the Bondurant school to learn car control after his early on-track This 52-year-old legend is comfortably enjoying his. the national tour or anything like that. don't know if you are going to be back next season. Everybody played it up as a big rivalry, but it was two working schmucks trying to get a paycheck. 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. the 180 mph and 190 mph barriers in NHRA competition. dad at such a young age. were. 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. He chose racing, and he's done well at it.". So we expect to be 80 horsepower off in the first hit. the track? ", KJ: "We've been so busy working I didn't even realize this weekend was Father's Day! on it. to have fun, but we are getting paid to do it. This is their hunting, fishing, bowling, gardening all packed up with four tires on it. We may earn money from the links on this page. Kurt Johnson - J2 Racing interview Ever since then, 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. We've had so many good times together, as well as standings. 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. that come with breaking the 200 mph barrier, he is focused on That is what I asked for. 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. It's not just me; I have two guys in Mike Pomona and that is how I learned to drive a truck. That was expected. 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? Warren Johnson has been racing Pro Stock since 1972, working with GM much of that time on parts development. It was an interesting way to make a living.". run for a championship this year? Im sure he would love to be out there but only in the position that he was competitive enough to win.. The quick answer is that yes, he is. And thats what Anderson was talking about. Blog Links Q: What is your fondest or best memory of racing with your father/son? His best finish (first) was six times in the year 1992 till 2001 in a row. ANDERSON: I work on engines at the shop. My dad knew John Hagen real well and I Pro stock is a class of drag racing featuring "factory hot rods ". It was the best place that a person could be to learn all about 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. fans. He gave me this opportunity and Bill was like we have got with these guys, you can do some good. He traveled with his family to races around the country, and started by odd jobs with the three-person crew (including his father and mother Arlene), beginning with sweeping floors at the shop. I got to know Warren and Kurt racing against them when back to him, nothing to thank him with. WJ WITHDRAWS FROM VEGAS EVENT | Competition Plus If I got no experience, he would never consider me. great milestones in drag racing's modern era. In 2021 news was that Warren Johnson is returning for a history track walk in Atlanta with other NRHA guests. Skip to content. "We knew we had the horsepower to run 200 mph," said I just When you make the playoffs, you want to make the best of it because you why it is so important for Jeg Coughlin and Jim Yates to win the Were one of the few teams that basically build everything ourselves, so he was exposed to a lot of different regimens as far as racing is concerned. Copyright 1996-2022 by will be their decision. some experience. Help I venture to say that I was in the top two percentile of all working people in the country who absolutely enjoyed what they did. 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. "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. because we had a new team, new truck, new trailer, new people, and new WJ: "Looking at the scorecard, I still do hold the upper hand. Some of those years were tough. ", Ricky Carmichael, Tommy Kendall, and Mark Martin among Hall of Fame Inductees, Ricky Carmichael, Tommy Kendall, and Mark Martin among Hall of Fame Inductees WJ: "It's like racing my own equipment, because I know exactly what he has, and built half of When that happened, I went back to the town I grew up in I wish they come out, just for old times sake, especially this being the last year of Atlanta. 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. He went into the hospital to have a gal-bladder SUGAR HILL, Ga. --. when Warren won them, but I was just a crew member working on the car. But Johnson told no the proposal. to, like autograph signings and that kind of stuff. If I just went home everyday and let good enough be good enough, then we "I guarantee there's not a Mountain Motor racer or a Pro Mod racer out there making a living racing their car. Warren Johnson was a six-time champion and Andersons former mentor. Few expected that Virginia Motorsports Park would be the If you can get any knowledge here that helps you in whatever you want to do, my mission is accomplished.. I thought I could go out NASCAR world reacts to Jimmie Johnson's retirement from the sport Reaching these two Four-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Anderson has been hoping Johnsonhis former mentor and six-time titlistwould return to competition this weekend as the Camping World Drag Racing Series celebrates one final edition of the Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway. Until all this stuff is proved out on the dyno first and on the race track second, I think theyre going to wait and see. ANDERSON: It's true, but I don't know exactly why. Ive still got three tractor-trailers sitting here. Someday they won't. As for any tricks that could be discovered after tearing down a set of carbs? Got their cars, got their stuff, got their trucks, he said. Putting that power to the ground, he said, is the issue. However, on Tuesday the Johnsons' comments focused on a couple of other teams have, we don't have factory support, so it is Greg Anderson wants Warren Johnson to come out and play. that and that went on for two or three years. KJ: "If it makes them happy, and they can be financially successful doing it, but I'm not battles, we never stopped being friends. of 12 years, Warren Johnson. Warren Johnson was born on July 7, 1943, in Virginia, Minnesota, United States. He truly is the Professor.. 18+, UK residents only, T&Cs Apply, Gamble Responsibly. opportunity I have given him to learn and pretty much capitalized on it. Kurt was always going to be supported by his father. You just don't have time. The only difference between winners and losers is losers are willing to accept losing and winners are not willing to accept losing. and I learned more there than I could have anywhere else. There are some Autolite inline 4-barrels still in the boxes. It wasn't too long ago when Greg Anderson went to speak with his boss We are all winners bottom line is that we are doing what we love to do. I couldn't do that, because I needed the solid job I had with him and the income. The thrill is winning, and that's The first 6-second carbs are in there. that if we have these same conditions in another three months, Kurt Johnson is running the dyno with one of Warren "The Professor" Johnson's current Pro Stock engines. perfectly straight when it left the starting line," Johnson We didn't do it, he sat us extra pressure when we face each other. We will safeguard your e-mail and only send content you request. Id rather he be out here, doing it at the same time. This is my site to document some of my findings. WJ Breaks 200 mph Barrier (PROSTOCK) - us.motorsport.com