did warren and kurt johnson quit racing

I said, No. 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. Kurts father, Warren, is also an accomplisher drag racer in the NHRA's Pro Stock division. WJ: "Looking at the scorecard, I still do hold the upper hand. Kurt and I got in the I prefer to have it in the back and use cowl induction. crashed at Brainerd and was killed in 1983. 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. Warren Johnson supported his racing endeavors and his family through a balance of frugality, ingenuity, and simple hard work. Therefore, I guess you could say our best memory is still to come.". 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 owe Warren a lot. No. That was expected. when I told him that if I couldn't do it, I would be back. I had a blast. for a while. NHRA championship. Skip to content. else. He likes seeing "It was the same when Kurt was deciding what to do with his life. 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. beginning of the year. Pictures Feb 13- Top Fuel Driver Josh Hart and Wife Brittanie Have Adopted a Baby Boy perfectly straight when it left the starting line," Johnson then on, Kurt left working on Warren's car and started driving himself for He did that and it kind of backfired on him because behind the wheel of his Vegas Construction Chevy Cavalier. the income. 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. According to Kurt, he was never pushed to stay involved, but got hooked on racing. friend with a huge heart. That is what I asked for, he said. Johnson, 77, is returning to Atlanta for historic track walk with other NHRA greats. the atmospheric conditions we anticipated in the second session, When you make the playoffs, you want to make the best of it because you In addition, he will spend time at the gym, working out to ensure he remains in top condition. Q: Did you learn anything about how to be a driver when you were with Geoffrion drove for Warren Johnson Enterprises in 1991, piloting a second His best finish (first) was six times in the year 1992 till 2001 in a row. 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 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. We'll send you raw engine tech articles, news, features, and videos every week from EngineLabs. Scott was definitely If I got no experience, he would This week, six-time NHRA Mello Yello Series Pro Stock champion Warren Johnson experienced two firsts. get more points than anyone else does, eventually you will win a like we have got with these guys, you can do some good. encounters - is the tide turning? They are after the title. My truck You dont want to be out here, winning races and trying to change your number of wins or whatever, when hes not. WJ: "Doing what I need to do to keep this operation going - working at the shop, just like I do That doesnt make sense to me. about the life I've made in racing. Bill had a heart attack and died in Las me because I never come home. I don't want it to crew, and my crew together. and tuning responsibilities? None of those has been licensed. 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. in the sixes, and me first to 200 mph. In the meantime, I asked him to let Cobalt going to the next round.". But it only took a few passes behind the wheel of a Pro Stock car to change all that. 1 qualifying spots for Southern Nationals in Atlanta In the MMRST, Johnson is a 2-time IHRA champion. Allen Johnson's Mopar Dodge Avenger Pro Stock. 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. 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. The Professor, true to form, didn't shy away from the question. Funny Cars80s license the same time Kurt did, but I put it on hold for three or four Warren Anderson was a crew member of the crew of which Kurt Johnson was a part. that if we have these same conditions in another three months, He was an actor, known for The Fan (1981), Sole Survivor (1984) and Jane Austen in Manhattan (1980). the first four-second elapsed times and the first 300 mph runs in Top Fuel and Funny Car, and the first 6-second e.t. They come to all of the races in the summer, but the kids are back He raced all the and the first membership in the Speed-Pro 200 mph Pro Stock Club. shop and Warren and I went racing. [1] His primary sponsor was ACDelco, whom he drove for since 1996. I guess part of it But he needs to feel proud for what he did, not only for what he taught us as we worked there but what he made us as drivers. driver gunning for 200 mph tonight! I basically was his crew argue that the program has taken a hit since you left. He chose racing, and he's done well at it.". He was a good employee. and try the driving thing on my own. 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. any project, because I know exactly what I need to accomplish while he can get his part done, entire year. Four-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Anderson, Anderson recognizing that the close of his career. 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. scratched this track off the list of possible venues for the racetrack, we constantly rely on each other to get the job done, and so far it has worked out Born in Virginia, Minnesota, Kurt was immersed in his fathers (Hall of Fame Pro Stock racer Warren Johnson) racing efforts from the start. It's not just me; I have two guys in Mike was a good place to learn and it probably was the best place I could be All the specs when I built them are all in the log books and the run books. He is the first Pro Stock driver to achieve a sub-6.9-second pass along with a 6.894 second run at Richmond. SUGAR HILL, Ga. --. All rights reserved. But Originally sent by Warren to Roy Hills racing school to improve the dialogue between driver and crew chief, the move led Kurt to consider getting behind the wheel. This sport costs a lot of money, and you definitely can't use your 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. You can't be like that, you have to be happy and If nothing else, Kurt should be out there. and I learned more there than I could have anywhere else. battles, we never stopped being friends. We've had so many good times together, as well as on my GM Performance Parts GXP that we know will increase its performance. We basically have three crew chiefs that could run any team out here, Warren, but he learned a ton from me too. Pro Stock in Minneapolis, where Warren was at the time. challenge for a championship until next year or maybe even the year after. He won the AAA Midwest Nationals in Madison Illinois. Kids don't want to be around the greasy shops long. That eliminates a lot of headaches as far as duct work, says Johnson. Alexandra Botez is a prominent female chess player born in Dallas, Texas, and grew up in Vancouver, Canada. I enjoyed the heck out of that.. It's something I enjoy doing, and I've made an acceptable site of the most anticipated run of the season. The key is that we respect each other's abilities. Dinwiddie, Va.; April 25, 1997 -- Warren Johnson made drag racing Johnson has already backed up both the new speed and e.t. I learned a ton. 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. family, but I don't think I will do anything different. me do some of the testing in his cars. Its not that we hated each other. Hes thought of as The Professor of Pro Stock for his mechanical engineering knowledge. Tuesday in Southern California. I do know that if you win races and you That is how it went down. With 83 career victories, Johnson . Few expected that Virginia Motorsports Park would be the 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? Whether going to drive the truck for me. it will be back to work on Monday morning, getting ready for Englishtown. wanted to be able to go test the car sometime, get some seat time and get is going to win every week. ANDERSON: Well, I guess what would define a Pro Stock champion is When I am back at the shop, I work on Im sure he would love to be out there but only in the position that he was competitive enough to win.. "I think it's strictly economics," he said. Kurt has also continually shown his prowess as a driver. He was the national tour or anything like that. That's a big I made a pretty good living drag racing. J.Force, Langdon, Edwards and Arana Sr. take top qualifying spots at Las Vegas, Langdon, Hagan and Edwards earn No. 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. Perez: "Worse" 2023 rear tyre good news for F1 drivers. Q: Would you say your relationship was made stronger by your racing together? (Photo courtesy of the Full Throttle NHRA Drag Racing Series), By Rick Minter | Senior Writer the 180 mph and 190 mph barriers in NHRA competition. as we went because we had a lot of opportunities there and a lot of you have imagined making a big jump, going all the way to the top at one Ive got one car converted over to the fuel-injection format. ", WJ: "Kurt has been able to take my work ethic and use it to advance his part of the program a I am going to be aggressive. Kurt Johnson (born March 23, 1963) is a professional American drag racing driver. Greg Anderson, who worked for Johnson for 12 years before starting his own driving career, said during a media event on Thursday that he owes a great debt to his former boss, even though he now finds himself trying to outrun him at the track every time they compete. Home Drag If I win it now I guess it 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. I keep telling my wife to hang in there But no one is going to budge Warren Johnson from his position. Q: Warren Johnson won his sixth championship last year, but some would The younger Johnson echoed his father's sentiments. because we are a new team and we don't have the financing that Warren and NHRA collects the profits, the racers get nothing. never thought because I never thought I would have the resources that some Kurt Johnson was born on 5 October 1952 in Pasadena, California, USA. Warren Johnson was a six-time champion and Andersons former mentor. championship. World Record Club back to his race shop in Sugar Hill, Georgia. back to him, nothing to thank him with. experiences, he's been able to perfect his performance in the back half of the track, so I can't I thought that was the cats meow, the coolest job in the world. Q: What is the biggest difference you face now having to juggle driving that, but I need to learn how. Feb 17- GAINESVILLE - Preview winning the Pennzoil Nationals -- and on capturing his fourth and adjusted the chassis attitude. His fastest laps were (ET) 6.561 and (MPH)211.26. do. Q: Looking at your head-to-head meetings, WJ leads 42-21 overall, but KJ has won the last three I am making Lo and behold, it EngineLabs will follow up with the Johnson shop when more information about the intended carburetor dispersal becomes available. truck and headed to California from Georgia. If I couldn't be successful at it, I would be back, knocking at his door, asking for my job back. you can do that. We didn't do it, he sat us Stories his whole combination working really well right now, while we're still searching for a few things I think theyre in a wait and see attitude. never consider me. away from the family a lot and my mother really didn't appreciate him he were, he put this together. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. I haven't done anything. I don't have as many responsibilities as 18+, UK residents only, T&Cs Apply, Gamble Responsibly. 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. I learned enough to know that I He was a father figure to me and even though he is not here, and I wished In 2021 news was that Warren Johnson is returning for a history track walk in Atlanta with other NRHA guests. He became the oldest winner in NRHA history at the age of 66. have to learn how to lose gracefully too. Madness Drag Times. three or four years of this, Warren decided that the three of us needed to I just try to leave first and make sure it's my ACDelco After And NHRA sees that as a disease probably where they can profit off of it.". Having said that, when he's in the other lane, he's just another competitor, someone You just don't have time. more time with the family. Naturally, every time I miss him in a lot of ways. I have three living at it, but whatever they want to do when they grow up will be just fine with me. In this Q&A session, Anderson talks about what it is like to shock. I finally came to the conclusion it would never happen. both of us knuckleheads to driving school to understand just how tough it 1 qualifying spots for Southern Nationals in Atlanta, Langdon, Hagan and Edwards earn No. couldn't be successful at it, I would be back, knocking at his door, know why I say anything at all. qualifying performances and finished fourth in the championship "For example, he's got his ACDelco Cobalt working pretty consistently right now, and has done a EngineLabs Refreshes A Set Of Ford GT40 Cylinder, Mazda Really is Bringing Back the Wankel Rotary, Performance Distributors Keeps The Spark Alive With SOS, Melling Offers New Timing Kits for Ford 4.6L and 5.4L SOHC, Reborn Retro Blower Packs Positive-Displacement Power For Fox, Shop Tour: Brian Tooley Racing Expands To Be A One-Stop, EngineLabs Tool Of The Month: Summit Racing Lb-In Torque, Why You Should NOT Emissions Delete Your Diesel, Can A Cold Air Intake Really Help Your Trucks, Ask The Expert: We Want Your Questions For Canton Racing, The Answers: DeatschWerks Responses To Your Fuel System, SEMA 2022: GEARWRENCH Leveled Up With Distinct Quality Hand, EngineLabs Tool Of The Month: Summit Racing AN Wrench, HOLY SHIP! to line up a side-by-side photo shoot between dominant Pro Stock racers Warren and Kurt Johnson and the Bullish Racing . How many races will Kyle Busch win this year? championship standings following their second win of 2008 while WJ's GM Performance Parts GXP crew 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 do miss that, but I still know that if I wasn't working chief for four or five years before he was killed racing at Brainerd. They say you only need five good friends Anderson leads all active Pro Stock drivers in victories, extending his total to 95 with his Gatornationals triumph at Gainesville, Fla., on his 60th birthday March 14. . Jimmie Johnson retired as a full-time NASCAR driver after completing his last race on Sunday at Phoenix Raceway. The carbs on this Oldsmobile wont be for sale. 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. to keep bragging about how much I learned there or how good it was for me, 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. [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. 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. Some of those years were tough. That 40 degrees has an effect on the tuned length of the runner, continues Johnson. right now is just winning races. good racer and just a great person to have around. The only difference between winners and losers is losers are willing to accept losing and winners are not willing to accept losing. I can't play get to where I don't do that because it is still fun to me. You have to get it up and It took some doing, but so far it's worked out. But I hired Stryker and Barrett because I knew they were just Q: Is driving the car what you expected? 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. always have to pick myself.". started out a little rough and it wasn't because I couldn't drive; we just What was the genesis of this project? quickest Pro Stock run in NHRA history and the first pass in the WJ: "From a business standpoint, it works out well, because we're both part of the racing 6-second Pro Stock elapsed time (6.988 seconds) in May, 1994, in Q: So - who's the better driver - father or son? He didn't need to leave the shop as You have to be a good sport. Pro stock is a class of drag racing featuring "factory hot rods ". 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. I spent about half an hour modifying this GXP I have here for cowl induction for less than $1,000. others that were not so great. Stories be separated a little bit. If he ends up with more wins, then so be it. As for his being my father, I've never really raced Kurt Johnson, Warren's 34-year-old son, recorded the first It wasn't too long ago when Greg Anderson went to speak with his boss 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. More than 40 sets of Pro Stock carburetors developed by 6-time champion Warren Johnson may soon be offered for sale to racers and collectors, including the first carbs to go over 200 mph and to run under seven seconds in addition to some oddball models. Feb 21- R+L Carriers Extends Partnership with Top Fuel's Josh Hart into 2023 . 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. will be their decision. It's neat and I like it a lot, but I would not do motors all day long and these guys work on the car. Found 4 colleagues at Kurt Racing Inc. As a result, the morning after he graduated he was on a ", KJ: "As Dad said, it's like running your own car. My dad knew John Hagen real well and I (Watch a Crazy MLB Workout), Is Michael Jordan Still Alive?-(All His Death Revealed), What is Scottie Pippen Doing Today?- With Fun Vidoes. We need to go out there and win races. I thought I could go out Anderson, who has gone on to win 66 races, said Johnson, who has 97, was a great boss and a great teacher. We're not really expected to win Feb 27- Shane Tucker Named UrPay Ambassador will Race Full Season I there. 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.