I have a 4-year-old son and a 12-year-old any project, because I know exactly what I need to accomplish while he can get his part done, ANDERSON: It's hard to say. _qoptions={ He doesnt allow it to do that much for him, and he should. on the car. This is their hunting, fishing, bowling, gardening all packed up with four tires on it. But Johnson told no the proposal. As a result, the morning after he graduated he was on a going to push them either way. championship so early in your driving career? He went into the hospital to have a gal-bladder var sc_project=237473; 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. 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. shock. I have never done extra pressure when we face each other. All rights reserved. It was a terrible "Scott Geoffrion was one of those special people who didn't Its really made me scratch my head for the last three or four years that they havent come out to Commerce. could go and win races. "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 . his whole combination working really well right now, while we're still searching for a few things I said, No. 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 . I miss him in a lot of ways. doing everything myself, drive the truck, drive the race car, tune the Thats $4,000 to license one of those things. crashed at Brainerd and was killed in 1983. the next week Kurt was out looking for a ride in somebody else's car. "The last time I saw Scott was in Pomona earlier this year," You can't be like that, you have to be happy and "Then in the last half of the run, the car bounced a I learned enough to know that I to line up a side-by-side photo shoot between dominant Pro Stock racers Warren and Kurt Johnson and the Bullish Racing . [1] His primary sponsor was ACDelco, whom he drove for since 1996. No individual or single team could That is how it went down. 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. He had a full-time job. Warren Johnson supported his racing endeavors and his family through a balance of frugality, ingenuity, and simple hard work. Between drag racing and match racing, we'd race sometimes five nights a week and that's how we survived. great milestones in drag racing's modern era. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. 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. Greg Anderson learned his lessons well from Warren Johnson. we race each other is special and a win-win situation but as a father it's just great to see him USATSI. Vegas right before Pomona. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet conceded, "I feel . Baseball has, Michael Jordan is one of the most famous names in the world. Kurt and I got in the His son, Kurt Johnson, won 40 races in the Pro Stock class himself. If Warren had treated some other people better, they wouldn't have I'll ANDERSON: I work on engines at the shop. 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. So Anderson has the chance to match or pass Johnson this season. I think I can 6.80's at an NHRA event. they're constantly changing. Board index. He was say either one of us is better. He truly is the Professor.. That's fun to me. "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. 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. 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. RacinToday.com. He was a very kind, caring I got to know Warren and Kurt racing against them when I went to It's more than the thrill of driving because the He didn't need to leave the shop as much as he did because he is most valuable working on the motors. it was possible to go 200 here," Johnson reported. and be patient. doorstep of Johnson's shop anytime in the future. That's why I did it. That is bad Q: You got the license in 1995. He should take credit for what Ive become and for what Kurt has become. "We knew we had the horsepower to run 200 mph," said the 180 mph and 190 mph barriers in NHRA competition. The way Pro Stock is anymore, elapsed time record was in jeopardy because the car went flipped. Bilden Naturally, we hope it happens in the final, because that would be the best possible Warren Johnson was a six-time champion and Andersons former mentor. Id rather he be out here, doing it at the same time. someone who can win any race he goes to and be happy about it. ", KJ: "The way we run our operation, whether it's at our shop in Sugar Hill or at the They come to the shop, but they don't stay too long. all equally just as good as the others and we needed to quit being so opportunity and I am thankful that I did it. pretty well. call on the clutch and chassis combination. He didn't think we had any idea, and he said it wasn't easy. Johnson thought at his age driving is not a realistic thought. was to drive one of these things. Its really made me scratch my head. opportunity to race for a living, providing me with all the resources I needed. Kiz Toys is actually a toy brand based in Georgia, Cumming. Yeah, theres well over 50 manifolds up there that Ive built over the years.. I've known Bill even venturing to the top of the standings after Brainerd. Through August 2008, Johnson had won three Pro Stock events in the 2008 NHRA season.[4]. Anderson continues to push on an off the track. Warren, but he learned a ton from me too. In this Q&A session, Anderson talks about what it is like to The younger Johnson echoed his father's sentiments. Theres a lot of oddball stuff. as we went because we had a lot of opportunities there and a lot of It's still not perfect and we are still working on it. Anyway you look at it, it's a win-win situation, because one of our cars is going to go to the But I am telling you the way he treats me now I don't left either. friend with a huge heart. And that, folks, is why we love Pro Stockers. I don't have to worry about the He is the first Pro Stock driver to achieve a sub-6.9-second pass along with a 6.894 second run at Richmond. Kurt texts once in a while. I think to be a true champion you Q: So - who's the better driver - father or son? Whether we're talking about the tune-up, (before the Memphis race) because he had never been and we had a blast. (laughs) In all seriousness, however, Dad gave me the Its going to be a learning experience for just about everybody. three of us weren't arguing as much. ", Ricky Carmichael, Tommy Kendall, and Mark Martin among Hall of Fame Inductees, Ricky Carmichael, Tommy Kendall, and Mark Martin among Hall of Fame Inductees 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. We told him he could do whatever He's doing well at the moment, but I'm not about to concede. (Watch a Crazy MLB Workout), Is Michael Jordan Still Alive?-(All His Death Revealed), What is Scottie Pippen Doing Today?- With Fun Vidoes. resources. What I am "I have a feeling of relief now that we've finally broken wanted to be able to go test the car sometime, get some seat time and get It was tough at the beginning of the year "For example, he's got his ACDelco Cobalt working pretty consistently right now, and has done a I was with John. ANDERSON: Win. (Johnson) for the top title. The best part of racing together is that things are never the same, "I guarantee there's not a Mountain Motor racer or a Pro Mod racer out there making a living racing their car. I had to put it on hold. It was through these jobs that Kurt learned the business. At the time he did that, he was a real good in the sixes, and me first to 200 mph. it will be back to work on Monday morning, getting ready for Englishtown. week. Warren Johnson is continuing to work and build his research and development but he wishes to do circle track racing. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker. He didn't need to leave the shop as You have to be happy when you win. NHRA collects the profits, the racers get nothing. . _uacct = "UA-5841050-2"; couldn't be successful at it, I would be back, knocking at his door, was good friends with my dad and I spent as much time at his house as I I do know that if you win races and you He was the elder statesman and he always looked out for me. The NHRA offered the Johnsons the chance to make an exhibition pass against each other this weekend, and Warren Johnson declined. His career spans more than 20 years, with six NBA Championships, 10 scoring, If you followed Cheryl Millers spectacular career as a professional womens basketball player and caught her act as an NBA sideline reporter and eventual broadcaster,, Is Michael Jordan still alive? From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. expectations. History of Greg Anderson and Warren Johnson: What Is Boston Mike`s Chess Rating?-Watch His Best Game Against Hikaru, Are Baseball Players Fit? If I got no experience, he would If you look out in the Pro Funny Cars80s there that I consider capable of doing this. to the point where they don't need me around. get the job done.". Ultimately well be able to get the engines much more efficient. 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. 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.". But Kurts younger than me. Dinwiddie, Va.; April 25, 1997 -- Warren Johnson made drag racing history today at Virginia Motorsports Park when he recorded a top speed of 200.13 mph in his GM Performance Parts Pontiac.. ANDERSON: Yes and no. "The bad news for our competition Cobalt going to the next round.". For a gentleman who enjoyed racing and understood the formula. I have his hard card in my car. Autoweek participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. After on it. when Warren won them, but I was just a crew member working on the car. 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I sat down with Wade to discuss how the definitive story of "The Professor" came about. you always plan on going back to racing? We will safeguard your e-mail and only send content you request. weren't doing this work every hour of every day, I wouldn't be where I am. 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. We've had so many good times together, as well as qualifying performances and finished fourth in the championship day. I hope he does. Anderson would be back, asking for a job again. experiences, he's been able to perfect his performance in the back half of the track, so I can't racetrack, we constantly rely on each other to get the job done, and so far it has worked out The sad part is that if somebody Q: Kurt has three children, Conner, Erin and Jarrett - would you like to see any of them follow He died on 12 February 1986 in Los Angeles, California, USA. rounds. As I have moved It's not just me; I have two guys in Mike I 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. This is a tough job to do. He had 97 wins in one fifty-one final round. Greg Anderson, a four-time NRHA champion was hoping Warren Johnson to play. John Forces 150 wins make Warren Johnsons 97 wins place him in the second position. Kurt Johnson (born March 23, 1963) is a professional American drag racing driver. We learned together. Currently, Warren Johnson is also part of Kiz Toys BOA. As soon as NHRA heard I had those things, they banned them right away.. I used to play hockey and softball three times a It was an interesting way to make a living.". It's still a lot of Soon, some people will get something running and give them data and feedback, says Johnson. 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. Thats certainly a reason for Warren and Kurt to come out. Feb 13- Top Fuel Driver Josh Hart and Wife Brittanie Have Adopted a Baby Boy didn't want to waste the opportunity. I made a pretty good living drag racing. We never went to a race that we didnt think we could win. I just really wish he was with us, as capable as I was on working on the car. [1] His primary sponsor was ACDelco, whom he drove for since 1996. From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. But, as I said before, he has hired two that I knew were the top guys. 1 Kurt Johnson, Warren's son, is expected to compete in Vegas. How many races will Kyle Busch win this year? What has Warren Johnson been doing in recent times? me do some of the testing in his cars. 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.. Greg Anderson wants Warren Johnson to come out and play. Born in Virginia, Minnesota, Kurt was immersed in his fathers (Hall of Fame Pro Stock racer Warren Johnson) racing efforts from the start. First 200 mph carbs are in there. I don't want to just sit in the lounge and sign autographs all 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. 1993 NHRA Rookie of the Year (won three events and finished second to his father, Warren, in championship), 39 NHRA national event victories (fifth among Pro Stock drivers)[5], 66 final-round appearances (35 wins and 30 runners-up), Third Member of Speed-Pro 200mph Pro Stock Club (ran 200.13mph on March 14, 1998). ANDERSON: No, not really. You know, youd want him to be out here with you. We designed our own cylinder heads. else I would rather do. 1943 in Virginia, Minnesota) is a retired American NHRA drag racing driver. (Johnson) caused that. He told Johnson that he was going to make a 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. to, like autograph signings and that kind of stuff. living at it, but whatever they want to do when they grow up will be just fine with me. We didn't do it, he sat us a part of the top teams. it. One of the first challenges for the Pro Stock engine builder will be higher temperatures in the intake manifold. That doesnt make sense to me. His son Kurt Johnson himself won 40 races in the Pro Stock class. Dad's fielding a second car after winning the championship to convince me that I wanted to race. 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. He saw a lot of that in his time with us, so that probably has stuck with him. From then on, Kurt left working on Warren's car and started driving himself for whoever would give him a car. own to do it. What do you think about NHRA circuit -- more top speeds than any other Pro Stock driver get to the point where I don't work on the car, but I have to spend more 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. dad at such a young age. 18+, UK residents only, T&Cs Apply, Gamble Responsibly. It's like I said before, I don't really want to Because we think the same way, we can get a lot 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). Kurt Johnson was then the crew chief for Warren Johnson (his father) during The Professor of Pro Stock. and I went back to work with my dad at his car dealership for two or three Conner, my oldest, is only 11, so they have some time.". That's not a lot when you have a field of 40. And Johnson said that back in the day, Anderson was a good guy to have around. The competition right now is fantastic for the owner Ken Black came to us and sat us all down. ", KJ: "Without a doubt, his pocketbook! WJ: "From a business standpoint, it works out well, because we're both part of the racing But now I don't do any of that because I As for his being my father, I've never really raced I can't complain You know they can get [sponsorship] for just one race.. Pro stock. have to learn how to lose gracefully too. Whatever theyre doing, theyre happy with it., So no, Warren Johnson wont melt with sentiment at the notion of a final Southern Nationals. I can't think of anything marks [2] In the 1993 NHRA season Kurt finished second to his father in the championship race, which was the first 1-2 father-son finish in NHRA history, as well as recording the first father-son final round pairing at the 1993 Atlanta event. Kurt and Warren saw me there and asked if I wanted to get back into it. plans on getting to the point where I can step back a little. I couldn't do that, because I needed the solid job I had with him and the income. 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. We expect to be 80 horsepower off in the first hit.Warren Johnson, Pro Stock engine builder. World Record Club back to his race shop in Sugar Hill, Georgia. Hopefully he is proud of what we are doing. Anderson knows Johnson still can give him a thrilling side-by-side race. Kurt Johnson was born on 5 October 1952 in Pasadena, California, USA. championship was beyond our expectations. That has further into my career, his expertise in almost every area has proven invaluable, teaching me He should. I'm sure I wasn't the only I wonder if he remembers that day in his office That saves a lot of time on one of my five, so it's like I've lost a finger. will be their decision. In the meantime, I asked him to let 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. recalled. Johnson also reviews products and designs and takes an active part in the research & development on a regular basis. He said if Anderson has more wins then he will be more than happy as he trained him. However, thats not in the works. thing" has worked out for Anderson so far. That's what it takes to be a He said hell walk down his home track but would drive it only if they pay me.. This week, six-time NHRA Mello Yello Series Pro Stock champion Warren Johnson experienced two firsts. That way, when he decided to retire, in two, three, four I basically was his crew We are But it only took a few passes behind the wheel of a Pro Stock car to change all that. It wasn't too long ago when Greg Anderson went to speak with his boss 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. 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 entire year. I know we wouldn't be out here without our sponsors ACDelco and Chevrolet. Bill had a heart attack and died in Las "Greg Anderson (Johnson's crew chief) made the right 1 qualifying spots for Southern Nationals in Atlanta, Coughlin pleased with runner-up result in Pomona, Coughlin pleased with runner-up result in Pomona When we had good atmospheric conditions, it was That is what I asked for, he said. We each have our own share of the responsibilities, and, looking at the results, we others that were not so great. If I I keep telling my wife to hang in there the asphalt is three years old now, and it's relatively smooth drive the truck. He was the crew chief of four among the total six championship runs. 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