He didn't think we had any idea and he
There is no way the other guys could compete against the
Four-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Anderson, Anderson recognizing that the close of his career. And thats what Anderson was talking about. well if not better than I do, and he always gets on the wheel when he races me, so there's a little like we have got with these guys, you can do some good. He saw a lot of that in his time with us, so that probably has stuck with him. We will safeguard your e-mail and only send content you request. encounters - is the tide turning? 1 qualifying spots for Southern Nationals in Atlanta, Langdon, Hagan and Edwards earn No. But I guess hes older now.
whoever would give him a car. NHRA circuit -- more top speeds than any other Pro Stock driver In addition, he will spend time at the gym, working out to ensure he remains in top condition. Then, in 1986, I was at the Brainerd race just watching the race. the top three of the Pro Stock standings since the spring race in Chicago,
qualifying for the Pennzoil Nationals earned him a $25,000 prize Offtopic Forum. Pro Stock in Minneapolis, where Warren was at the time. else I would rather do. He used to compete in the NHRA 's POWERade Drag Racing series, driving a Chevrolet Cobalt in the Pro Stock category. 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. We were
He told us that we weren't getting along, we didn't like each other
Ultimately well be able to get the engines much more efficient. Kurt was always going to be supported by his father. Stories
I learned enough to know that I
However, thats not in the works. He was a genuinely nice guy who was taken away from First 200 mph carbs are in there. Glidden and I didnt speak 20 words to each other over the 30 years we were racing. considered a close family friend. In 1996, Kurt joined forces with sponsor ACDelco. Allen Johnson's Mopar Dodge Avenger Pro Stock. If I had gotten a couple of things I asked for, I wouldn't have
in NHRA history. We learned
The way Pro Stock is anymore,
"I'd probably do circle-track racing," Johnson said when asked what drag racing class he'd race if he were starting his career today. That was during an evening qualifying session at Virginia Motorsports Park on April 25, 1997. My dad knew John Hagen real well and I
We never went to a race that we didnt think we could win. That has
their personal relationship with the vibrant young Californian, whom they That way, when he decided to retire, he would at least consider me as the replacement driver. back to him, nothing to thank him with. Thats $4,000 to license one of those things. crashed at Brainerd and was killed in 1983. Quite honestly, I never thought Id leave there. ANDERSON: My father raced, he was a division racer from Minnesota. That doesnt make sense to me. history today at Virginia Motorsports Park when he recorded a top WJ: "It's like racing my own equipment, because I know exactly what he has, and built half of 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. I've known Bill
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. A bigger concern is the current mandate of a forward-facing throttle body and drawing air from the cars grille area. Theres no excuse. I
Pro Stock driver Warren Johnson is still smokin' at age 67. 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. Naturally, every time Some context is necessary for those who dont know the history between Anderson and Warren Johnson. It ranks alongside ", NHRA: 10 Most Recent Entries [ top ]
Q: What is your fondest or best memory of racing with your father/son? [1] His primary sponsor was ACDelco, whom he drove for since 1996. racing against (Bob) Glidden and other programs that had budgets and
The car was auctioned off at Barrett-Jackson as part of charity fund raiser for the Darrell Gwynn Foundation. 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. I made a pretty good living drag racing. Funny Cars Gasser
One day I got the itch to start driving, Anderson said. Enterprises. now be a driver, what it was like tuning for Johnson and why he doesn't
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three or four years of this, Warren decided that the three of us needed to
Every 10 degrees in a 500 inch motor is about 20 to 21 horsepower. Anderson would be back, asking for a job again. being away from the family so much so he decided to give it up and spend
I keep telling everyone that
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we do certainly strengthens all facets of our relationship. way it is going to be. Johnson's historic run at 7:27 p.m. EDT was the first 200 mph So we expect to be 80 horsepower off in the first hit. didn't want to waste the opportunity. thought I could do it. amount of knowledge he brings to the table. This is my site to document some of my findings. don't know what it means or how important it is. "He looked good and told me he felt healthy and If Warren had treated some other people better, they wouldn't have
We told him he could do whatever Q: What is it like to have your father/son as your teammate? He sent Kurt (Johnson, Warren's son) and I to Roy Hill's 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 . Funny Cars70s
Though there were rumors about Andersons and Johnsons feud but Johnson cleared the air by saying that he is happy for Anderson to surpass or equal his accomplishment and said that records are only meant to be broken.
Career comparison: Greg Anderson vs. Warren Johnson | NHRA with Warren he would win and it wouldn't be a big deal. "Then in the last half of the run, the car bounced a We didn't qualify at
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. get more points than anyone else does, eventually you will win a
You have to feel bad for them losing their Cmon, Anderson said. Kids don't want to be around the greasy shops long. unexpected death of former teammate Scott Geoffrion, who passed away When we were with Warren, it was the end of the world when he
We'll send you raw engine tech articles, news, features, and videos every week from EngineLabs. lost. I went to
he never got a kick out of driving the car. On the one hand, he made his Nitro Notes debut, which went great. I was
That "driving
Q: What do you need to do in the last two races of the 2002 season? This is a tough job to do. could do it and I just needed to stick it out and find a full-time deal. 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. Kurt has won 39 national events, giving the Johnson shop a total of 146 Wallys for the trophy case. Q: Have you spent much time thinking about contending for a
have achieved this alone. If his time is not bettered before the you always plan on going back to racing? On the other, he raced his protg, four-time Pro Stock champ Greg Anderson during a special match race at the US Nationals Saturday. What happened is that (Warren's son) Kurt
and most importantly, we weren't working well together. great milestones in drag racing's modern era. on any other holiday. . (laughs) I don't know - everyone has their good and bad days, Q: How did you get involved with drag racing in the first place? Johnson, with 97 Pro Stock wins and six class titles, last won at what is now World Wide Technology Raceway near St. Louis in 2010, but continues to work in doorslammer research and development. ", WJ: "Kurt has been able to take my work ethic and use it to advance his part of the program a Conner, my oldest, is only 11, so they have some time.". Q: What is the best thing about the 2002 season so far? marks Johnson has already backed up both the new speed and e.t. ANDERSON: I work on engines at the shop. simply a matter of being in the right place at the right time. "He worked for us have an enemy in the world," said Warren. We are ahead of schedule. I just held out as long as I could, until I got a driving job with someone
Whatever theyre doing, theyre happy with it., So no, Warren Johnson wont melt with sentiment at the notion of a final Southern Nationals. 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. Fortunately, EFI is much more tunable on a per-cylinder basis than multiple carburetors on an open plenum ever was. That way, when he decided to retire, in two, three, four
I wish they come out, just for old times sake, especially this being the last year of Atlanta. Maybe that is
within one percent as required by NHRA rules. 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. If we were out here, not doing well, then I would have nothing to offer
Cobalt going to the next round.". You know he has the potential to run as When we had good atmospheric conditions, it was He was awarded to the Hall of Fame for the International Motorsports in the year 2007. were. Greg Anderson, a four-time NRHA champion was hoping Warren Johnson to play. Q: Warren Johnson won his sixth championship last year, but some would
His son Kurt Johnson himself won 40 races in the Pro Stock class. Feb 17- Endeavor Streaming and the National Hot Rod Association Team Up to Host New Global Service
doing everything myself, drive the truck, drive the race car, tune the
KJ: "If it makes them happy, and they can be financially successful doing it, but I'm not
wanted to be able to go test the car sometime, get some seat time and get
Jimmie Johnson to retire from full-time NASCAR Cup Racing after 2020 season After the 2020 finale in Phoenix, however, the driver of the No. I do miss that, but I still know that if I wasn't working
ANDERSON: I want to do it as long as I can. "We changed RacinToday.com.
The Day Kurt Johnson Solidified His Place in Drag Racing History There are too many good drivers
Greg Anderson and Warren Johnson: Head to head on the way to 97 - NHRA
five maybe, but that's it. In fact, when not busy at the race shop, Kurt can often be found helping with school projects and school career days. In the sixteen years since Kurt first joined his father on the quarter-mile at the 1993 Winternationals in Pomona, CA, the Georgia-based tandem have . Johnson covered the quarter-mile in just 6.894 seconds, the Im sure it accelerated his program, Johnson said. else. Q: Was it tough to get back into racing after John Hagen died? Copyright 1996-2022 by
6.80's at an NHRA event. Thats not a problem, Johnson, wholl turn 78 in July, said. I sat down with Wade to discuss how the definitive story of "The Professor" came about. that if we have these same conditions in another three months, I learned a ton. It's good to see
doorstep of Johnson's shop anytime in the future. 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 You were always expected to win. living at it, but whatever they want to do when they grow up will be just fine with me. I have absolutely nothing negative to say about Greg. It
Dinwiddie, Va.; April 25, 1997 -- Warren Johnson made drag racing Bilden
Entering next weekend's Lucas Oil Supernationals in Englishtown, NJ, the Johnsons continue their I thought I could go out
Quick links. In 2019, Warren Johnson made his Nitro Notes debut and he raced Greg Anderson during a match race at the United States Nationals. that, but I am not where I need to be yet. It
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. on the car. Everyone thought they were smarter than the others
He is now a retired American NHRA grad racing driver. Warren Johnson navigated the world of factory hot rods for more tha .more Get A Copy Kindle Store $27.99 Amazon Stores Libraries "I have a feeling of relief now that we've finally broken shock. In 2021 news was that Warren Johnson is returning for a history track walk in Atlanta with other NRHA guests. 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. Home
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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. I tell everyone how much I learned from
Anderson continues to push on an off the track. Between drag racing and match racing, we'd race sometimes five nights a week and that's how we survived. I wonder if he remembers that day in his office
Anderson hoped he to return to the final edition of the Southern Nationals at the Camping World Drag Racing. All Anderson could do was accept the reality. Enterprises. He was the crew chief of four among the total six championship runs. He told Johnson that he was going to make a
He has taken the Q: What is the biggest difference you face now having to juggle driving
place to learn and have open range on being able to try new things.
Its definitely come back to bite him a few times getting beat by his son or myself, Anderson said. We didn't do it, he sat us
gig, I never thought I could win a championship. few times going over the bumps, and for a nanosecond I thought J.Force, Langdon, Edwards and Arana Sr. take top qualifying spots at Las Vegas, Langdon, Hagan and Edwards earn No. I dont understand it, because they tell everybody theyre still working on their Pro Stock stuff, still working on their engines. much as he did because he is most valuable working on the motors. and we really don't want anything less. You know they can get [sponsorship] for just one race.. championship right now. Q: You only went to half of the events in 2001. That eliminates a lot of headaches as far as duct work, says Johnson. It was an interesting way to make a living, he said. We may earn money from the links on this page. Theyre renting something or selling something to somebody. Then with a chuckle, he said, Theyre definitely not helping me.. We will miss seeing his smiling wouldn't win races. I had to put it on hold. When I crossed the finish line, Scott Geoffrion's passing. ANDERSON: Well, I guess what would define a Pro Stock champion is
Are Warren Johnson and Greg Anderson having a rivalry? (laughs)", KJ: "That one's easy - me! I can't think of anything
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. I was just cleaning the trailers the other day and getting all the stuff out of the shop and dyno room.. car because I know they are going to work on the car and they are going to
you can't win unless you are aggressive. I will always be in drag racing whether it
and seasoned. This 52-year-old legend is comfortably enjoying his. we race each other is special and a win-win situation but as a father it's just great to see him with that? That is, until we get things balanced out, which will involve a lot of development workport sizes and theres a lot of cam work that has to be done. For a gentleman who enjoyed racing and understood the formula. (Photo courtesy of the Full Throttle NHRA Drag Racing Series), By Rick Minter | Senior Writer Home of Racing's Best and Brightest. work with Warren, I took it and that was at the end of 1986. He was a good employee. Q: What do you do when you are not working on the motors or racing at
Before John was killed, we were racing out of
No individual or single team could aggressive as I can possibly be. big budgets. But now I don't do any of that because I
battles, we never stopped being friends. That is what I asked for. I finally came to the
died. If you can get any knowledge here that helps you in whatever you want to do, my mission is accomplished.. Warren Johnson won five Pro Stock titles in the 90s. Johnson suggests improvisations on the future and current products that are associated with the KizMoto. [NASCAR] Cup cars dont seem to have any problem running 200 mph drawing air through the cowl.. one of my five, so it's like I've lost a finger. even venturing to the top of the standings after Brainerd. But when you do something for roughly 40 years, seven days a week, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, you just get kind of burned out. "Scott was a great racer in his own right and always a tremendous Q: Kurt has three children, Conner, Erin and Jarrett - would you like to see any of them follow We designed our own cylinder heads. He was
I can see someone buying them and making man-cave trophies, adds Johnson. His fastest laps were (ET) 6.561 and (MPH)211.26. That 40 degrees has an effect on the tuned length of the runner, continues Johnson. Q: Looking at your head-to-head meetings, WJ leads 42-21 overall, but KJ has won the last three Sometimes
I think we have outlived our expectations for this season. going before you can step away. I couldn't do that, because I needed the solid job I had with him and the income. We all had high
The
We are
Professor fits perfectly, he said. 18+, UK residents only, T&Cs Apply, Gamble Responsibly. Warren Johnson Motorsports: Wins: 97 in 151 final rounds: Poles: 138: Fastest laps: 6.561 (ET) 211.26 (MPH) Best finish . Theres going to be as much development work in the fuel injection as there ever was in carburetors. You have to be happy when you win. 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 It took me three years to be able to get a ride. He became the oldest winner in NRHA history at the age of 66. Reaching these two 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.". Naturally, we hope it happens in the final, because that would be the best possible he wanted, as long as he did it right. They were the two
years, or whenever he decides to get out of the chair, he would at least
Nov 9, 2020 at 1:51 pm ET 1 min read. WJ: "Doing what I need to do to keep this operation going - working at the shop, just like I do Well, I dont need them anymore, quips Johnson, who is third on the NHRA all-time win list behind John Force and Frank Manzo with 97 victories. past," Johnson noted. That did not go as well, so we'll focus on his appearance on my show. I dont think Ive got that much drive in me to do that.. We did everything in-house. and I am not a fool, I would know if I wasn't cut out for driving. That's why I did it. It is very time consuming and it is tough on the
Feb 17- Drivers and Winners Celebrated at Inaugural Gatornationals FanFest, March 8
his whole combination working really well right now, while we're still searching for a few things Whether well exceed the power level were at right now, that remains to be seen.. Johnson left open the possibility of NHRA reconsidering the air-inlet issue.
shop and Warren and I went racing.
Drag Racing's Warren "the Professor" Johnson: The Cars, People & Wins almost everything I know about racing.". Kurt Johnson was born on 5 October 1952 in Pasadena, California, USA. 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. entire year.
Kurt Johnson - Wikipedia could go and win races. Ever since then, Warren started doing so well, because the
It was through these jobs that Kurt learned the business. probably hang around the house with my family and let them bring me breakfast in bed. But no one is going to budge Warren Johnson from his position.
his pocket. Baseball has, Michael Jordan is one of the most famous names in the world. He was born in Virginia, Minnesota, and currently resides in Buford, Georgia. 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. race car. Greg was a good employee, Johnson said. But Johnson told no the proposal. he were, he put this together. He's doing well at the moment, but I'm not about to concede. a championship or what that would be for me and the team.
Drag Racing's Warren "The Professor" Johnson: The Cars, People & Wins I guess Id have to say I was part of it, because I trained him.. why it is so important for Jeg Coughlin and Jim Yates to win the
Offtopic forums. If nothing else, Kurt should be out there. didn't have the equipment to operate with. It's not just me; I have two guys in Mike
Kurt would eventually become his fathers crew chief, guiding the familys second team to Top Five points finishes in 1991 and 1992. ANDERSON: It's hard to say. and try the driving thing on my own. down. Warren Johnson was born on July 7, 1943, in Virginia, Minnesota, United States. time and I can remember when I was 10 years old going through the staging
NHRA collects the profits, the racers get nothing. It was an interesting way to make a living.". I enjoyed the heck out of that.. The best thing about this year is somehow, I know Bill is watching.
Kurt and Warren Johnson Father's Day Q&A - Drag Race Central In the first full 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 We were all like night and day, the three of us. Warren Johnson's program? that come with breaking the 200 mph barrier, he is focused on got a job with John Hagen, working on his car. of 12 years, Warren Johnson. One of the first challenges for the Pro Stock engine builder will be higher temperatures in the intake manifold. ANDERSON: Yes and no. The only difference between winners and losers is losers are willing to accept losing and winners are not willing to accept losing. scratched this track off the list of possible venues for the because he sure doesn't treat me nicely. (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. If I got no experience, he would
Feb 13- Top Fuel Driver Josh Hart and Wife Brittanie Have Adopted a Baby Boy
I keep telling my wife to hang in there
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. If he ends up with more wins, then so be it. 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 it. 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 currently a member of the Kiz Toys Board of Advisors. that and that went on for two or three years. Media Contact: Rick Voegelin/408-761-2201. That's all it was. Therefore, I guess you could say our best memory is still to come.". Tuesday in Southern California. Don't expect him on the
Our car experts choose every product we feature. He was a very kind, caring
All rights reserved. champion, winning and losing with grace. ANDERSON: I am not trying to brag that I did such a good job over
Its really made me scratch my head for the last three or four years that they havent come out to Commerce. I always kept a spare in case we needed one. What I am
necessarily him that taught me everything. racetrack, we constantly rely on each other to get the job done, and so far it has worked out Racing Junk Movies
him was devastating. week. Englishtown, New Jersey. I knew
any project, because I know exactly what I need to accomplish while he can get his part done, Oldsmobile in 18 races, scoring two runner-up finishes, two No. It's more than the thrill of driving because the
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