NHRA: Warren Report: Richmond
24 April 1998
NEWS AND NOTES for the NHRA Pennzoil NationalsVirginia Motorsports Park, Dinwiddie, Virginia, April 23-26
* WARREN'S WORDS
"If the rest of these guys want to catch up, they'll have to work harder
than us -- and I can't imagine that! We're always working to improve our
performance. In this
business, if you slow down, you're going to get run over."
* PERFECT RICHMOND RECORD
Warren Johnson is the undefeated, untied champion at the Pennzoil
Nationals. In the event's three-year history, Warren has never lost a
round -- he's won the
Pennzoil Nationals three straight times and scored 12 consecutive round
wins. Johnson has also been the No. 1 qualifier and run the quickest
elapsed time at
Virginia Motorsports Park three straight years.
"The first time we went to Virginia, the track was pretty green and our experience on new tracks was an advantage," Warren explained. "Then as the track cured, we discovered that we could use our horsepower advantage. It played right into our hands."
* RETURNING TO THE SCENE OF FAST TIMES
At 7:27 p.m. on April 25, 1997, Warren Johnson recorded a top speed of
200.13 mph at Virginia Motorsports Park -- the first 200 mph Pro Stock run
in NHRA
history. W.J.'s record-setting performance during the second round of
qualifying for the Pennzoil Nationals earned him a $25,000 prize and a
charter membership in
the Speed-Pro 200 mph Pro Stock Club. Johnson subsequently raised the mark
to 200.53 mph before rain forced postponement of the event.
"I had a feeling of relief after we finally ran 200 mph," Warren recalled. "We knew we had the horsepower to do it. It was just a matter of waiting for the right conditions. It happened just the way I envisioned it -- Kurt was first in the sixes, and I was the first to run 200 mph. Reaching these two milestones was an accomplishment for our entire team."
* A TIME TO REMEMBER
The euphoria over the first 200 mph run overshadowed Johnson's
record-setting 6.894-second elapsed time -- the first Pro Stock pass in
the 6.80's at an NHRA
event. In less than seven seconds, Warren also pocketed a $15,000 bonus
from the MBNA World Record Club. Not a bad night's work for a man who
professes
that money is his primary motivation for racing!
* THE FINAL FRONTIER
Warren Johnson has posted 14 of the 17 runs over 200 mph recorded to date
in Pro Stock. He is the only driver to run 201 mph -- a feat he's achieved
four times
in 1998. He currently holds the NHRA national speed record at 201.20 mph.
"After I ran 200 mph, people asked me what I was going to do next," Warren reported. "Obviously our next goal was to run 201. The next barrier is 202. It never ends. When everyone else is running 200, we want to run 202. It becomes a personal challenge. We're making a statement that we're going to keep going faster."
* HOME SWEET HOME -- NOT!
Although Atlanta Dragway is W.J.'s "home track," the Fram Nationals did
not treat the GM Goodwrench Service Plus team kindly when racing resumed
on
Monday after rain washed out Sunday's final eliminations. W.J. suffered a
first-round loss -- his earliest exit since he lost in the first round of
the Pennzoil Nationals
in Memphis in October, 1997. Kurt Johnson's string of final-round
appearances in the Fram Nationals came to an abrupt end when his ACDelco
Camaro lost on a
holeshot to Rickie Smith in the second round.
* POINTS RACE UPDATE
Although W.J. bowed out in the first round at the Fram Nationals, he
actually increased his lead in the Winston championship race over Jim
Yates by qualifying 12
positions ahead of his rival. Johnson now leads Yates by 103 points (480
to 377) after five rounds of the 22-race series.
* 600 WINS . . . STILL WAITING
Warren Johnson's surprising loss to No. 15 qualifier Steve Schmidt in the
first round at the Fram Nationals also postponed the celebration of W.J.'s
600th career
round win. Johnson's won-lost record in national event competition now
stands at 599-225 (.726) -- the most wins among active NHRA drivers. John
Force is
second with 544 round wins.
* RICHMOND RECORD
Warren Johnson's year-by-year results at the Pennzoil Nationals:
Year Qualified Result
1995 1 Winner (over Yates)
1996 1 Winner (over Edwards)
1997 1 Winner (over Kurt Johnson)
Kurt Johnson's year-by-year results at the Fram Nationals:
Year Qualified Result
1995 6 Semi-final
1996 14 First round
1997 2 Runner-up (to Warren Johnson)
* WARREN JOHNSON 200 MPH RUNS (NATIONAL EVENTS)
1. 200.13 Dinwiddie, VA 4/25/97
2. 200.53 Dinwiddie, VA 4/27/97
3. 201.11 Gainesville, FL 3/13/98
4. 200.62 Gainesville, FL 3/13/98
5. 201.20 Gainesville, FL 3/14/98
6. 200.40 Gainesville, FL 3/14/98
7. 200.66 Gainesville, FL 3/14/98
8. 200.66 Gainesville, FL 3/14/98
9. 200.04 Baytown, TX 3/20/98
10. 200.80 Baytown, TX 3/21/98
11. 200.44 Baytown, TX 3/21/98
12. 201.11 Baytown, TX 3/22/98
13. 200.08 Baytown, TX 3/22/98
14. 201.02 Baytown, TX 3/22/98
* KURT JOHNSON 200 MPH RUNS (NATIONAL EVENTS)
1. 200.13 Gainesville, FL 3/14/98
