WJ Powers to No. 1 Starting Spot in Atlanta

Contact: Jon Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing, Inc.

Warren Johnson put together four extremely quick and consistent runs at Atlanta Dragway to place his GM Performance Parts Pontiac in the No. 1 qualifying position at the 25th annual Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals. It was the 133rd "pole" position for the six-time NHRA Pro Stock champion, third of 2005 and tenth in twenty-five starts at the Georgia quarter-mile.

Starting with a class-leading 6.778-second pass on Friday, WJ was out of the top position only once throughout qualifying, when Ron Krisher's 6.757-second attempt on Friday evening edged the Sugar Hill, GA resident by one thousandth of a second. However, "The Professor" came back on Saturday morning to blast through the quarter-mile in 6.749-seconds at 204.54 mph to reset both ends of the track record and cement his place atop the Pro Stock field.

"We have quite a few people in the stands cheering for us with the shop being only a half hour away, so we didn't want to disappoint them. You always want to run faster, but in the grand scheme of things, it wasn't a bad effort by the entire GM Performance Parts Pontiac team. We made four solid runs, one of which was good enough to make us the No. 1 qualifier.

"Of course, there is always room for improvement, so we'll keep pecking away, but we're obviously getting better at it. But we're certainly pleased with our performance so far."

"The forecast is calling for cooler temperatures tomorrow, which will make the conditions closer to those we tested under last week, when I ran 6.68, so we would certainly be comfortable in that situation. In any case, we'll make the best of what is given to us and see if we can take the trophy home tomorrow night."

Some quick facts on Warren Johnson and the GM Performance Parts Racing team following their No. 1 qualifying performance in Atlanta:

This is the 133rd No. 1 qualifying performance of WJ's career, which is the most by any professional driver in NHRA history (John Force is second with 124).

This is WJ's tenth No. 1 qualifying performance at Atlanta Dragway.

WJ's most recent No. 1 qualifying position came last month at the SummitRacing.com Nationals in Las Vegas, NV.

46 of WJ's 93 national event wins have come from the No. 1 starting position, including last month in Houston, TX.

This is the third No. 1 qualifying performance for the DRCE III, the third generation General Motors Drag Racing Competition Engine. Warren and his son Kurt are the only competitors in Pro Stock currently running this engine.

KJ Battles to 14th Starting Spot in Atlanta

Contact: Jon Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing, Inc.

Entering his second national event with his new ACDelco Chevrolet Cobalt, Kurt Johnson knew he would need to accelerate his learning curve in order to successfully qualify for Sunday's final eliminations of the Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals in Commerce, GA. Further complicating his assignment was the changing weather, which went from very hot and humid on Friday to drier and cooler conditions on Saturday, when the final session was delayed by over an hour by a mid-afternoon rain shower.

Through it all, Johnson's crew kept working to find the right tune-up, culminating ith a 6.789-second, 204.23 mph pass on Friday night, which would earn them the 14th starting position for Sunday's final eliminations.

"We had a heck of a day today, but we still learned something about what this car needs to run," said Johnson. "We knew this particular ACDelco Cobalt has a lot of bite in it, which is what helped it get down the questionable racing surface in Bristol two weeks ago, and we confirmed it this morning when it shook the tires. Fortunately, we were able to make a good run on Friday night to guarantee our spot in the show. Now, it's just a matter of detuning it for eliminations."

However, this did not prove to be Johnson's most memorable run in qualifying. Immediately after launching on his final attempt on Saturday afternoon, Johnson's car shot directly towards the center line, forcing him to veer to the left to avoid hitting the starting line Christmas Tree. An inspection of the car afterwards revealed that a problem in the fuel system had produced a leak, which left a small amount directly in front of the right rear tire, causing it to lose traction.

"We made a few adjustments and were all set up to make a good run this afternoon," said Johnson. "Unfortunately, we had a glitch in the fuel system where the fitting was tight, but the tubing wasn't seated, which caused it to leak. It was a pretty hairy ride for a minute, because I didn't know what was happening, except the tree was coming up fast and I needed to get out of there."

Despite the scare, Johnson remained optimistic about his chances for race day.

"I think we can do some damage tomorrow if we can get this ACDelco Cobalt to go down the race track, making clean runs from point A to point B," opined Johnson. "We're confident of being able to run with our competitors, and felt we could have been the No. 1 qualifier instead of Dad (six-time Pro Stock champion Warren Johnson, who captured his 133 No. 1 qualifying position.) We just had a bad day. Fortunately, we'll take all that information and put it together for four runs tomorrow."

STEVENS COLLECTS NO. 8 SLOT IN ATLANTA QUALIFYING

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
Contact: Judy Stropus

COMMERCE, GA. (May 14, 2005) - Richie Stevens Jr. got his wish today and qualified the Team Mopar/Valspar HEMI-powered Dodge Stratus R/T once again in the top half of the Pro Stock field, in eighth, just as he did two weeks at at Bristol Dragway. He was runner-up there, enjoying lane choice all the way.

With rain threatening, Pro Stock qualifying for the NHRA Southern Nationals was almost cut short, but a break in the weather allowed two full rounds of qualifying to be completed. At one point, it looked like Stevens would have to face his teammate Jeg Coughlin in the first round of eliminations, but that soon changed, and Stevens instead faces Larry Morgan, while Coughlin is matched against Rickie Smith.

Stevens' 6.781/203.89 pass in the last session was his quickest lap of the weekend. "It got us in the top half," said the New Orleans native. "We get to run Larry Morgan in the first round instead of Jeg. I wanted lane choice again. That's where we started in Bristol, maybe it's a good-luck slot.

"We had a problem with the line lock (a device that keeps the car from rolling forward on the starting line) yesterday, It wasn't holding pressure on the starting line and the car kept wanting to roll through the beams. We found the problem this morning and fixed it. We went out there in the first round and everything was fine (6.800/203.89), and luckily we got that little bit of rain, which I think helped the track out for this last session. It cooled it down a little bit, had a little cloud cover, which helped us out. We improved.

"I'm glad we're in the top half and hopefully tomorrow will be a good day."

Lucas, Scelzi, WJ and Hines Top Pro Qualifiers at the NHRA POWERade Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals presented by Pontiac

Morgan Lucas records his first Top Fuel #1 qualifying position in the Lucas Oil/Joe Amato car. Morgan ran a 4.541 @ 326.40 for the top spot.

Gary Scelzi is #1 in Funny Car with a 4.782 @ 326.87. Points leader Whit Bazemore is #12 (4.917 @ 318.17) and will face John Force (#2 in points) in the first round.

Warren Johnson picks up another #1 qualifying position in Pro Stock with his 6.749 @ 204.54. Kurt Johnsonis #14 with a 6.789 @ 204.23. The big surprise is that Dave Connolly failed to qualify in his new Cobalt with his 17th best 6.802 @ 203.09. He tied the 16th best ET, but lost the position on speed.

Andrew Hines leads Pro Stock Bike on his Harley V-Rod at 7.092 @ 189.87 . Chip Ellis is #5 at 7.159 @ 187.03.

Marty Thacker leads Top Alcohol Dragster at 5.435 @ 264.03. Georgian Dan Lucas (Cumming, GA) is #16 with his 6.536 @ 171.23.

Frank Manzo leads Top Alcohol Funny Car with a 5.644 @ 257.97. Mark Billington is #6 at 5.785 @ 251.58.

NHRA Recap

WJ Sits Second Midway Through Atlanta Qualifying

Contact: Jon Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing, Inc.

Warren Johnson and the GM Performance Parts Pontiac Racing Team continued their string of strong performances during the first day of qualifying for the Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals in Commerce, GA. After opening with an impressive 6.778-second run on his first attempt, "The Professor" came back in the evening session with a stout 6.758 second, 203.52 mph pass to capture the second position entering Saturday's final two qualifying sessions.

"We made two nice, consistent runs today, runs that you can win with, so now it's a matter of fine-tuning. I'm sure we can dial a little more into this GM Performance Parts Pontiac. We were just a taste off in sixty feet, which was the only place Krisher (provisional No. 1 qualifier Ron) was quicker than we were.

"He was seven thousandths quicker there, and we were only off by a thousandth at the finish line, so we made up six thousandths somewhere along the way. We'll work on getting off the starting line a little better without jeopardizing our top end performance. We'll assess the data, and see what we can conjure up for tomorrow."

After two of four qualifying sessions, Ellis No. 4

Courtesy Jerry Battle

G SQUARED MOTORSPORTS
OWNERS: GEORGE BRYCE & GEORGE SMITH

NHRA POWERADE DRAG RACING SERIES
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE: G SQUARED S&S BUELL
RIDER: CHIP ELLIS
MEDIA CONTACT: Mickey Schultz

25TH ANNUAL NHRA SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT SOUTHERN NATIONALS
ATLANTA DRAGWAY – COMMERCE, GA.
MAY 12-15, 2005

Qualifying:
Session 1 Friday: 7.213 seconds at 187.03 mph (# 3)
Session 2 Friday: 7.159 seconds at 184.65 mph (# 4)

After two of four qualifying sessions, Ellis No. 4

COMMERCE, Ga. (May 13, 2005) – At the end of qualifying on day one, Chip Ellis, from Americus, Ga., is in the No. 4 qualifying position at the silver anniversary edition of the Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals presented by Pontiac.

Ellis, aboard the G Squared/S&S Buell, covered the Atlanta Dragway quarter-mile in 7.159 seconds. He actually tied two other riders in elapsed time (E.T.) but the Pro Stock Motorcycles rules place riders that run the same E.T. by their speed. Thus Antron Brown who ran a speed of 189.95 mph was placed No. 2, Chris Rivas (184.83 mph) was No. 3 and Ellis (184.65 mph) fourth.
"In the first session today the track was hot and slick and we spun the tire much more than we anticipated," said Ellis. "We're even happier with that last run. We improved but just didn't quite pull enough speed on the top end.

"The guys (George Smith, George Bryce and Ken Johnson) did a good job of taking the computer data from the first run and adjusting to give us the needed improvement. I did an okay job of riding today. I'm excited and looking forward to the final two runs tomorrow.

"The air will definitely be better in the morning and should be the coolest qualifying session of the four. I've got the best guys in the business working on this G Squared/S&S Buell. All I've got to do is shoot it down through there and make it go straight."

Of note is that there are currently three G Squared-built, S&S-powered Buells in the top five positions. In addition to Ellis in fourth, Chris Rivas is No. 3 and Ryan Schnitz is No. 5. Andrew Hines leads all qualifiers with a pass of 7.094 seconds at 189.87 mph.

QUALIFYING SCHEDULE: With Smith, Bryce and Johnson calling the tuning set up, qualifying for Ellis and the G Squared/S&S Buell concludes with two additional sessions on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Ellis begins his quest for the Pro Stock Motorcycle title on Sunday with eliminations for all classes beginning at 11 a.m. All times are EASTERN TIME (ET) and subject to change at anytime.

TELEVISION: Qualifying highlights for the 25th annual Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals can be seen on ESPN2 Saturday evening (May 14) from 7-9 p.m. ESPN2 will also air same-day television coverage of eliminations from 7 until 10 p.m. on Sunday evening (May 15). The elimination show repeats on ESPN2 early Monday morning, May 16, from 2 until 3:30 a.m. Television times are EASTERN TIME (ET) and subject to change at anytime. Check local listings.

G SQUARED MOTORSPORTS: When Harley Davidson accelerated their effort in NHRA, S&S Cycle decided in 2002 to join the battle. Because of his vast R&D experience, coupled with his racing background, S&S asked George Smith to head their project to field a competitive S&S V-Twin bike on the NHRA circuit. Smith immediately asked George Bryce, who had been working with S&S Cycle on a similar project, to join the new endeavor and G Squared Motorsports was formed in 2003. Both Smith and Bryce knew if they collaborated on the project, joining the resources, knowledge and talents of S&S and Star Racing, they could produce a competitive bike to race in Pro Stock Motorcycle competition on the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. The G Squared/S&S-powered V-Twin Buell debuted in 2004.

Tony Pedregon Grabs Eighth Qualifier

'Q' Racing team Testing New Combination

COMMERCE, Ga. (May 13, 2005) – Tony Pedregon drove his Q Racing Nitro Funny Car to the provisional eighth positon after the second pass of Friday’s Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway.

The 2003 NHRA Funny Car Champion was not able to take full advantage of the night's cooler conditions clicking off a 4.952-second elapsed time at 303.37 mph. The pass still placed Q Racing in the top half of the field, setting the team up nicely for tomorrow.

"The run was not as solid as we had expected," said Pedregon. "But we are in the top half of the field and still have two more (qualifying) runs tomorrow.

"We're in the process of testing a new combination for the clutch and fuel system," explained Pedregon. "It may take a couple more runs to polish it, but once its ready, the car will be more forgiving and we'll be able to race under any conditions."

-PedregonRacing.com-

Public Relations Contact:
Alti Perea, Cox Marketing Group - Media Relations Representative
David Harris, Cox Marketing Group - Account Manager

Cruz Pedregon Opens in 13th - Driver of Advance Auto Parts Nitro Funny Car Ready for Saturday

Commerce, Ga. (May 13, 2005) – Former Funny Car champion Cruz Pedregon powered the Advance Auto Parts Nitro Funny Car to 5.013-second elapsed time at 254.66 mph during the second-qualifying session of Friday’s NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway.

Pedregon's second pass put the Advance Auto Parts team in the 13th slot. Changes in the body of the car and a faulty cylinder, hampered Pedregon's efforts for a better qualifying position.

"We have a new body and it is lighter than the previous one," explained Pedregon. "We need to do some more work to it. Also, we had to run on seven cylinders, which took away about 1000 horsepower from the car. I'm glad that Friday the 13th is over and tomorrow we'll be ready for two more passes."

Pedregon will run two more qualifying session Saturday at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for Sunday, May 15, at 11 a.m. All times Eastern.

-PedregonRacing.com-

Public Relations Contact:
Alti Perea, Cox Marketing Group - Media Relations Representative
David Harris, Cox Marketing Group - Account Manager

Schumacher, Worsham, Krisher and Hines Lead Pro Quailfying at the NHRA POWERade Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals presented by Pontiac

Tony Schumacher set the pace in Top Fuel with a 4.550 @ 324.98 mph (Cory Mac is #2 at 4.559 @ 322.34), Del Worsham leads Funny Car at 4.834 @ 321.58 (team mate Phil Burkart is a tick behind at 4.838 @ 320.58 - Whit Bazemore is # 7 at 4.917 @ 318.17 ), Ron Krisher set a new track ET record in Pro Stock with his #1 Pro Stock run of 6.757 @ 203.89 (WJ is #2 at 6.758 @ 203.55 - Kurt Johnson set a new track Pro Stock speed record with his 9th best 6.789 @ 204.23 - Greg Stanfield is 13th in his PiranaZ backed Cavalier at 6.798 @ 202.58 - PiranaZ is owned by Mark & Gina Whisnant - Barry Grant is #20 with a 6.839 @ 201.76) and Andrew Hines is on top in Pro Stock Bike with a 7.094 (new track record) @ 189.87(Chip Ellis is #4 with a 7.159 @ 187.03).

The Tony Bartone track record mph run I posted on Friday has apparently been ruled a timing malfunction - the speed is not listed anywhere today (Saturday). Jeff Arend had a 500+ mph time on Friday, too.

Keith Raftery is the #1 qualifier in the Top Sportsman Dart Dash with a 6.810 @ 205.72. Ronnie "The King" Davis leads four Georgians in the top 16 with his #3 6.819 @ 202.94. Billy Bridges (#4 - 6.940 @ 198.64), Jerry Barker (#9 - 7.245 @ 190.06) and Jeffrey Barker (#13 - 7.302 @ 186.82)are the other three Georgians.

NHRA Recap
Drag Race Central Recap
Photos
Keep checking the photos, I'll be updating this as time allows.

Early Qualifying Results from the NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway

Check Drag Race Central
and
NHRA.com for NHRA Southern Nationals results.
I've posted a few photos from Friday qualifying here.

Robert Burgin Article by Bob Frey

Robert Burgin Article

POWERade Extends NHRA Sponsorship Contract Through 2011

NHRA.com Details

Keith Baker in the CCT Corvette Pro Mod. Photo taken at SGMP's Tuesday test session by Marvin T. Smith.

Tuesday Testing at South Georgia Motorsports Park

by Marvin T. Smith

Pre-Southern Nationals testing continued on Tuesday at South Georgia Motorsports Park. After running a 7.08 and 7.09 on Monday evening, Chip Ellis took the S&S Buell to runs of 7.15, 7.15, 7.16, and 7.19 in the heat of the day. Watch him in Atlanta!

Keith Baker brought out his new CCT Corvette Pro Mod and put down a great series of runs. Powered by "Godzilla," a 738 inch Gene Fulton motor, Keith ran a 4.19, 4.17, 4.13, 4.127 @178.68, 4.20, and had two other aborted passes. This car is flying. Watch for it at the ADRL Dragpalooza in a little over a week at SGMP.

Lindsey Wood made a huge series of passes in her Super Comp dragster. Lindsey took advantage of the SGMP pre-Gatornationals warm-up and then went on to win the Gators. Watch for her in Atlanta.

The Wood family also brought out their Top Sportsman car raced by Jason Wood. After breaking the transmission in the morning, parts were found from local vendors and the car rebuilt at the track. In the afternoon, Jeffrey Barker, who will drive the car at the Southern Nationals, took the helm and ran a best of 7.286 at 187 before I left the track.

Testing continues on Wednesday.

Photos

POINTS LEADER BAZEMORE SET TO DEFEND HIS 2004 TITLE IN ATLANTA

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
Contact: Judy Stropus

COMMERCE, Ga. (May 11, 2005) - Whit Bazemore is enjoying the limelight as the POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car points leader, the only driver to have won twice in that class this year, and as the defending Funny Car champion coming into the Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway this weekend, the seventh of 23 national events in 2005.

The icing on the cake is that he calls this dragstrip in Commerce, Ga., his home track. Growing up in Atlanta, his dad used to drop him off at the track to watch the drag races, then pick him up at the end of the day. As a youngster he dreamed of competing here in a Funny Car. He achieved that goal and has earned two victories here, including 2004, when he beat his teammate Gary Scelzi for the trophy. He also won in 2002 and was runner-up in 1999.

"We've done well here," said the driver of the Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Stratus Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing who is seeking his first Funny Car championship crown. "We're excited. We're rolling into Atlanta in the points lead, which is a goal that I've always had and it's a track that has suited our Matco Tools Dodge and we've had good success here. (Crew chief) Lee (Beard) and the guys have a handle on it.

"This year the track prep has been a lot different than it has been in the past, so it may be a different type of race track. We'll just have to see.

"It's my home track and so we always have a lot of friends and family here, and it's always exciting to show off a little bit."

Bazemore held onto the points lead despite a first-round loss at Bristol Dragway two weekends ago, as the other two top contenders for the No. 1 spot also lost in the first round. He holds a 58-point cushion over John Force, a 60-point lead over Cruz Pedregon, is 63 points ahead of his teammate Gary Scelzi and 73 over Robert Hight in fifth.

Admittedly, Bazemore has not won two races this year with the fastest or quickest car. Strategy, driving talent and luck played a huge part. With the points spread between the top five so thin, he knows it will be tough to maintain top-dog status.

"We'll see. We tested in Bristol and we feel good about what we did there," said Bazemore. "We'll see how it goes in Atlanta. I'm not going to predict anything.

"Obviously Bristol worked in our favor a little bit, despite a first-round loss. Force and Hight going out early was key. It's great that our teammate Scelzi came up and won that race. That's a car and team that, quite honestly, should probably be where we are. They're definitely going to be a strong team that we're going to have to face for the rest of the year, I'm sure, but especially this next set of races coming up."

Atlanta begins a three-race back-to-back sweep, followed by a weekend off and another three-race sweep. Bazemore, wife Michelle and new son Dashiell will travel together cross-country in their motor coach.

"To have basically six races in seven weeks is a lot, but it's fun," said Bazemore, who calls Indianapolis his home now. "It's what we do. I love racing. We'll just get the oil changed in the Marathon coach and we'll be on the road.

"It's going to be different traveling with Dashiell, but I'm really excited about it. I'm really looking forward to it. I think it's going to be fun. It's a lot of travel, a lot of races, but it's what we want."

And these back-to-back races are good from a racing standpoint. "It gives you an opportunity, if you're on a roll a little bit, to pick up some good momentum," he added.

WHIT BAZEMORE QUICK FACTS:

* Two-time U.S. Nationals champion, 1997 and 2001
* Leads 2005 Funny Car point standings after six events
* Qualified No. 2 at 2004 Southern Nationals, winner over Gary Scelzi
* Also won here in 2002, and was runner-up in 1999
* Qualified in the top two in nine events in 2004, four times in No. 1
* No. 6 in 2004 Funny Car points, with two wins, five final rounds
* First Funny Car driver to break 325-mph barrier (U.S. Nationals 2001)
* Career quickest ET is 4.713 seconds, career fastest speed is 333.25 mph, both set at Route 66 Raceway in 2004 in what was at the time the quickest and fastest speed in Funny Car history
* Won three times in 2003, runner-up five times
* Has 19 career Funny Car event wins in 301 races
* Took the 2003 championship chase to penultimate race in Las Vegas in an exciting final round against eventual champion Tony Pedregon
* Was second twice in the Funny Car championship in 2001 and 2003, third in 1997 and '99 and has finished in the top five six times and 12 times in the top 10 since 1992
* Age 42, born in New York City, an avid cyclist, lives in Indianapolis with wife Michelle, a competitive amateur cyclist, and son Dashiell Aidan, born March 12, 2005
* 2005 is his fifth season with Don Schumacher Racing

Pro Stock Motorcycles return to action - Focus is now on Atlanta for G Squared

Courtesy Jerry Battle

G SQUARED MOTORSPORTS
OWNERS: GEORGE BRYCE & GEORGE SMITH
NHRA POWERADE DRAG RACING SERIES
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE: G SQUARED S&S BUELL
RIDER: CHIP ELLIS
MEDIA CONTACT: Mickey Schultz

COMMERCE, Ga. (May 10, 2005) – After a layoff of one month, competition resumes for the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycles as rider Chip Ellis and G Squared owners George Smith and George Bryce make ready the G Squared/S&S Buell for the silver anniversary edition of the Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Ga.

After ending last season on a strong note, the G Squared team has been plagued by frustrating problems in the first two races that have not allowed the G Squared/S&S Buell to show its full potential.

"Whatever advantage the G Squared team and Chip Ellis had at the end of last season has been evened out by improvements in the other teams. It's obvious from the first two races that the Pro Stock Motorcycle class is very competitive and a consistent solid performance by any of the qualifiers could win the race," said Smith.

Smith is pleased with the performance of the teams that are now campaigning G Squared-built, S&S-powered Buells. He indicated that "the good news is that Muzzy, Mohegan Sun and Guidera's teams are on track…"

The veteran Bryce is certainly familiar with Atlanta Dragway and wants to do a good job at what he calls "his home track."

"Typically we do really well at Atlanta Dragway and we are looking forward to proving it," said Bryce. "Chip has been going to the gym and working out to be as physically ready as possible. He has been making mental runs and he is the most prepared he's been since I have known him."

Ellis, who pilots the G Squared/S&S Buell, is the rider who must out duel his competition.

Said Ellis, "I think my main competition this weekend is everybody who qualifies. The field is tight, all of the bikes are running good, and I'm not going to take anyone lightly. I'm feeling confident, the bike is running well, and I'm going to do my best to get it down the track."

Entering the Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals, the third of 15 Pro Stock Motorcycle races, Ellis is tied for ninth in the NHRA POWERade point standing, just 27 points out of the top five and 97 points behind the point leader.

"The run for the championship will be a fight right to the finish. Although there are many talented drivers out here in Pro Stock Motorcycle, with 13 races remaining on the 2005 schedule, we still have time to cut the point deficit and work our way to the top. To start upward, we need a good outing this weekend," said Ellis, as he reflected on the point standings.

QUALIFYING SCHEDULE: With Smith, Bryce and Ken Johnson calling the tuning set up, qualifying for Ellis and the G Squared/S&S Buell begins with two sessions on Friday, scheduled for 2:30 and 6:30 p.m., and concludes with two additional sessions on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Ellis begins his quest for the Pro Stock Bike title on Sunday with eliminations for all classes beginning at 11 a.m. All times are EASTERN TIME (ET) and subject to change at anytime.

TELEVISION: Qualifying highlights for the 25th annual Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals can be seen on ESPN2 on Saturday evening (May 14) from 7-9 p.m. ESPN2 will also air same-day television coverage of eliminations from 7 until 10 p.m. on Sunday evening (May 15). The elimination show repeats on ESPN2 early Monday morning, May 16, from 2 until 3:30 a.m. Television times are EASTERN TIME (ET) and subject to change at anytime. Check local listings.

G SQUARED MOTORSPORTS: When Harley Davidson accelerated their effort in NHRA, S&S Cycle decided in 2002 to join the battle. Because of his vast R&D experience, coupled with his racing background, S&S asked George Smith to head their project to field a competitive S&S V-Twin bike on the NHRA circuit. Smith immediately asked George Bryce, who had been working with S&S Cycle on a similar project, to join the new endeavor and G Squared Motorsports, headquartered in Americus, Ga., was formed in 2003. Both Smith and Bryce knew if they collaborated on the project, joining the resources, knowledge and talents of S&S and Star Racing, they could produce a competitive bike to race in Pro Stock Motorcycle competition on the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. The G Squared/S&S-powered V-Twin Buell debuted in 2004.

STEVENS HAS MOMENTUM ON HIS SIDE HEADING INTO ATLANTA

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
Contact: Judy Stropus

COMMERCE, Ga. (May 11, 2005) - Richie Stevens Jr. has momentum on his side as he and the Team Mopar/Valspar HEMI-powered Dodge Stratus Pro Stock team, led by legendary Bob Glidden, head to the NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway for the seventh round of the 2005 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series this weekend.

Fresh from a runner-up finish at Bristol Dragway two weekends ago, where he enjoyed lane choice throughout race day in a new Jerry Haas-built Dodge, Stevens is over the fact that he fouled out in the final against Warren Johnson and is ready to roll.

He'd like the opportunity to face the Pro Stock veteran again at WJ's home track and where Stevens was also runner-up to him in 1999.

"That would be nice, to have a rematch at his home track," said Stevens, a New Orleans native who joined Don Schumacher Racing this season after a two-year hiatus to take care of family business while dad Richie Sr. underwent successful open-heart surgery. "I'm feeling good. We did good in Bristol, we had a real good showing there and that boosts up the momentum of the team a little bit. I've had nothing but positive phone calls this past week congratulating me on how good we did.

"It also feels good to have gone some rounds," he said after winning just two rounds in the first five races. "It would have been nice to win, but hopefully we can turn that runner-up into a win in Atlanta. We have good power now, we have a really good car that seems to be working pretty well, so we have everything lined up. We just have to take home the pot of gold.

"I think everybody on the team is pretty happy. That gave (crew chief) Glidden some momentum. Not that he didn't have it already, because Bob's got plenty of momentum as far as finding the power for us. He went back to the shop and found us some more. Hopefully we can use it in Atlanta and get in the top half of the field and be good for Sunday."

RICHIE STEVENS JR. QUICK FACTS:
* Eighth in Pro Stock points after six races
* Joined Don Schumacher Racing after sending in an application for 2005 season
* Cut short driving career in 2002 to run family business while dad Richie Sr. underwent open-heart surgery
* With dad Richie Stevens Sr. owns Stevens Collision Center in New Orleans
* Born and raised in New Orleans, is 26 years old
* His career-best ET and speed so far: 6.696 ET at 207.08 mph in Gainesville, Fla., 2005
* Has longtime relationship with associate sponsor Valspar
* Capped off rookie season in 1998 with a victory in his first final-round appearance (Pomona 2)
* Is youngest Pro Stock driver to win a national event, at 20-one month, in 1998
* Has four wins in seven final rounds, two No. 1 qualifiers to his credit
* In 1999 he became the eighth member of the Speed Pro 200-mph Pro Stock Club with a 200.08 mph run in Richmond, Va.
* Competed in Roy Hill's Pro Mod car in 2004, with a semifinal finish at the U.S. Nationals his best result

SCELZI TARGETS POINTS LEAD IN THREE-RACE SWING

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
Contact: Judy Stropus

COMMERCE, Ga. (May 11, 2005) - There's little question among the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car competitors that the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Stratus R/T that Gary Scelzi drives has been the car to beat this year. On paper, it didn't always look that way, but following Scelzi's first win at Bristol Dragway two weekends ago, the team tuned by young Mike Neff is back on the radar screen.

This weekend's NHRA Southern Nationals begins a three-race swing in Atlanta, Columbus, Ohio, and Topeka, Kans., which is followed by a weekend off and another three-race swing before a two-weekend "vacation."

"We feel really good about coming off a win at Bristol because we feel we've had the car to beat all year long," said the Fresno, Calif., native, who is fourth in the points rankings, just 63 out of first place, "and for whatever reason (including three holeshot losses) we just haven't been able to win. And we finally got that handled and we're looking forward to going into this next three-race swing.

"If all of us can stay on our game, we're hoping we can come out of this thing in the POWERade points lead by the time we leave Topeka.

"Hopefully the weather will hold here at Atlanta Dragway and we'll get more than one qualifying run," he said, alluding to qualifying at Bristol in only one session because of rain. "But, even if we don't, we proved we could win with one qualifying run. We think we're good enough on slick tracks, and good race tracks and this is a tricky race track.

"The conditions would have to be at their optimum to set any records here, and I don't know whether they will be or not."

The three-time Top Fuel champion, who has 30 national-event wins in his nine-year pro NHRA career, including five in Funny Car, recalls last year's race here, where he lost to his teammate (and current points leader) Whit Bazemore in the final round.

"Last year we made it into the final round. We ran very well, but we were dealing with warped floaters. In between each clutch disc is a floater and we were fighting warped floaters last year. And when we warmed the car up I had lost all my clutch pedal and we made some adjustments. In the final round we went to race Bazemore. I could tell my pedal was going away, going away, going away, and the clutch was starting to drag and drag and get hotter and hotter. By the time Bazemore staged his car, it was over.

"It's one of those things. You knew it was over. It was just a matter of when it was going to be over because the clutch was just getting hotter and hotter and hotter. Clutch dust was starting to come inside of the car. It was unfortunate. Bazemore only ran a 5.05. We should have been able to handle that. That's one that got away."

Atlanta Dragway has served Don Schumacher Racing well. Team drivers and crew chiefs account for seven wins here: Bazemore twice, Scelzi two times in Top Fuel, and Ron Capps' crew chief Ed McCulloch three times as a Funny Car driver. "It's a race track that Neff runs well at, Alan (Johnson, Tony Schumacher's crew chief) runs well, Lee Beard (Bazemore's crew chief)runs well at it, and I'm sure Capps is going to run well here too," said Scelzi.

"We're all sharing information so hopefully the Schumacher Funny Cars will be at the top of the heap. That's what we're hoping for."

The man who first broke the 330-mph barrier and set fastest speed13 times, looks to be back in old form. "And not a minute too soon," he said. "We're right in the thick of this points chase. After these three races we will then re-evaluate. I feel good about our chances of coming out here on top. That's the expectations that we have. We're not cocky, it's just that our expectations are high."

GARY SCELZI QUICK FACTS:
* At the 2004 NHRA Southern Nationals, he qualified fifth, was runner-up to Whit Bazemore
* Fourth in 2005 Funny Car points after six races; has one win (Bristol); was low qualifier once (Las Vegas)
* Has never won Funny Car in Atlanta, but has two Top Fuel wins here
* Is first Funny Car driver to break the 330-mph barrier (330.15 mph at Route 66 Raceway in 2004)
* Career Funny Car bests: 4.717-second ET (Pomona '05), 331.53 mph (Pomona '05)
* Third in 2004 Funny Car points, with three wins in six final rounds
* Qualified in top five nine times in 2004, No. 1 once
* Age 44, born and raised in Fresno, Calif., where he lives with wife Julianne and sons Dominic and Giovanni
* Runs Scelzi Enterprises, a custom truck body design and manufacturing business in Fresno with his two brothers
* Is a three-time Top Fuel Dragster champion
* Won his first Top Fuel crown as a rookie
* Has five Funny Car wins, 25 Top Fuel wins
* Sixth in 2003 Funny Car points, his first full season in that class
* 2005 is his third straight season racing for Don Schumacher Racing
* Is the only NHRA driver to have won in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car. He accomplished this feat at Infineon Raceway in 2003
* Is one of the few Funny Car drivers who has a winning record against the 13-time Funny Car champion John Force: 9-7.

CAPPS LOOKS TO PARLAY THREE ATLANTA RUNNER-UP FINISHES INTO A WIN

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
Contact: Judy Stropus

COMMERCE, Ga. (May 10, 2005) - Ron Capps' Atlanta Dragway racing record includes three runner-up finishes: in 1995 (Top Fuel), 2000 and 2001 (Funny Car). He'd like to parlay those results into his first victory here in this weekend's NHRA Southern Nationals, the seventh round of the 23-event 2005 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.

The Southern Nationals event is also the start of a six-race countrywide sweep in seven weeks for the driver of the Brut Dodge Stratus R/T Funny Car and his competitors. The NHRA teams will travel to Columbus, Ohio, Topeka, Kans., Chicago, Englishtown, N.J., and St. Louis, Mo., with one weekend off in between before they're rewarded with two off weekends.

"For whatever reason a win has always eluded us here," said Capps. "Two of those runner-up finishes were with Ace (Ed McCulloch, Capps' crew chief this year) as my crew chief, so I'm excited about returning here again with Ace. Of note is the fact that, as a former Funny Car driver, McCulloch is second only to John Force in the number of wins at the Southern Nationals. He's won three times - in 1986, 1988 and 1990.

"It's a track where we've seen everything from national records being set to it's being so hot and so humid that nobody could get down the track without having to pedal the car," Capps remarked. "The weather right now looks like it's going to be pretty warm. However, I think with the current NHRA rules in place (tires, rev limiter and 85 percent nitromethane), it's going to make for really good racing.

"We're really impressed by the lack of oildowns recently - not to jinx anybody - but the shows have really gone well the last two races. So going to Atlanta where it could be really tricky and really humid, it will be hard on the crew chiefs and the crews as far as setting the car up and very difficult for a driver to be in the mindset to be ready for anything.

"Friday night is going to be a very, very important qualifying run. Our plan, as always, after Ace, (co-crew chief Dan) Olson and I talked, is to make a great run on Friday afternoon, which will put us near the back of the pack on Friday night so we could go after a good qualifying spot. We don't need to have another nail-biter like in Bristol last week," he said, referring to making the field on points after not qualifying in the one round held because of rain. "Getting into the Skoal Showdown this year is also one of our goals."

Only the top eight in Skoal Showdown points, which are based on qualifying results, are eligible for the special money event, and Capps is 10th at this stage of the season.

"This weekend is going to be the beginning of our sixth race in seven weeks," he added. "In the blink of an eye we'll be in St. Louis and we'll be about to have six races under our belt. This could make or break a team as far as a points run. You could be in St. Louis on Sunday night saying, Well, we sure had a great six weeks, moved way up in the points, or vice versa. You really have to have everything lined up, just have to have your act together for these next six races."

SCHEDULE:
On Friday, May 13, professional qualifying sessions are scheduled for 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. On Saturday, May 14, pro qualifying sessions continue at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. On Sunday, May 15, pre-race ceremonies are at 10 a.m. Final eliminations begin at 11 a.m.

TELEVISION:
On Saturday, May 14, ESPN2 will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 7 p.m. (ET). On Sunday May 15, ESPN2 will broadcast NHRA 2Day, a 30-minute weekly news magazine show, at 11:30 a.m. (ET). Also on Sunday, May 15, ESPN2 will televise three hours of final eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET).

RON CAPPS QUICK FACTS:
* Eighth in 2005 Funny Car point standings, after six events
* At the 2004 NHRA Southern Nationals, Capps qualified 15th, lost first round to Whit Bazemore
* Runner-up three times in Atlanta: 1995, 2000, 2001; has never won here
* A perennial fan favorite, Capps has driven and won in both Top Fuel and Funny Cars since he began his pro NHRA career in 1995.
* His best season points finishes were seconds in Funny Car in 1998 and 2000
* He has 14 event wins in 31 final rounds to his credit
* In 2003 he finished in the top 10 in the Funny Car class for the seventh consecutive season.
* His career best elapsed time is 4.753 seconds, set in 2003 at Chicago 1
* His career best speed (established during an event) is 324.75 mph (Las Vegas 1 '04)
* Lives in Carlsbad, with wife Shelley and daughter Taylor (8) and son Caden (3)
* Daughter Taylor competes in NHRA's Junior Dragster class.
* Is the subject, along with son Caden and the Brut racing crew, of a number of Brut ads appearing this year in mainstream magazines, such as People, Sports Illustrated, etc.
* New to Don Schumacher Racing this year after eight years with Don Prudhomme.

Tony Pedregon NHRA Southern Nationals Notebook

Commerce, Ga. (May 10, 2005) –

Tony Pedregon, the 2003 Funny Car champion, heads to Atlanta Dragway this weekend for the seventh race of the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series schedule. Pedregon will drive his 'Q' Racing Monte Carlo Nitro Funny Car during the 25th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals.

It was 1996 at Atlanta Dragway, Pedregon won his first race in his first final round. His adversary in that final round was none other than Pedregon's car owner at the time, John Force. Since then, Pedregon won again in 2003 (against Johnny Gray), this time as team owner as well.

Also in Atlanta, a year ago, Pedregon grabbed the number one slot with a track record elapsed time of 4.765 seconds and track speed record of 329.83 mph. "It was one of those runs that everything just went right," explained Pedregon. "It was a combination of Dickie (Venables) and Kurt (Elliott) reading the conditions right. Two other teams nabbed the pole from us in that last session and Dickie made a last minute adjustment and we had a great run. I could tell by the way the engine was revving up that it was a good pass. Afterwards I got on the radio and said that it at least felt like a 4.78 and they told me it was a 4.76 and went 325 mph, and I am thinking 'alright that's great.' Then I was told 329 mph and got a little loud after that."

So far this year, Pedregon has qualified in the number one position in Pomona, Calif. and Phoenix. He also broke the elapsed-time record at Pomona Raceway with a 4.681-second pass at 323.35mph. And in Chandler, Ariz., Pedregon broke Firebird International Raceway's elapsed time record at 4.703 seconds. Pedregon heads to Atlanta 11th in POWERade Funny Car points with 266.
-PedregonRacing.com-

Public Relations Contact:
Alti Perea, Cox Marketing Group
Media Relations Representative
David Harris, Cox Marketing Group
Account Manager

Cruz Pedregon in Battle for Second Points Slot

Commerce, Ga. (May 10, 2005) –Cruz Pedregon, the Advance Auto Parts Monte Carlo Nitro Funny Car driver, heads to Atlanta to compete in the Silver Anniversary running of the NHRA Southern Nationals. Pedregon moved to third place in NHRA Nitro Funny Car points after his semifinal round appearance at Bristol Dragway.

In this battle for points, Pedregon sits two behind second-place and long-time rival John Force. It has been a few years, back in 1998, since Pedregon was in the thick of a point’s race, when he finished third.

"At this stage of the championship, points are very important," said Pedregon. "It has been about seven years since I’ve been in the midst of one of these close battles. But I feel the Advance Auto Parts team has a great car and crew, that is when everything aligns right and good things happen.

"We're excited this is our best start in a long time," added Pedregon. "There are a few things we want to polish, but we’re getting better as we go along. The competition is much tougher now than the last time we were in one of these fights for points. There are are a lot of capable teams that can win any round."

Pedregon and Force have been around the track long enough, that they are not foreign to the stress and excitement of coming face to face. Since 1992, these two formidable drivers have raced each other 23 times in final-round competition.

ATLANTA RECAP

Pedregon won at Atlanta Dragway in 1998 and was runner up in 1995. He also run low ET in 1992, '95 and '98 and had top speed in 1996, and '98.

"We've had great success at this facility and I feel we’re in a position to have another great outing. We’re starting to build some momentum and we're going to work hard to put this car in position to win the race this weekend and move up in NHRA Nitro Funny Car points," concluded Pedregon.

Advance Auto Parts, Inc. is based in Roanoke, Va., and is the second largest auto parts chain in the nation. With over 2600 stores in 39 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, the company serves both the do-it-yourself and professional installer markets. Additional information about the company, employment opportunities, services, as well as on-line purchase of parts and accessories can be found on the company's web site at www.advanceautoparts.com -PedregonRacing.com
Public Relations Contact:Alti Perea
Cox Marketing GroupMedia Relations Representative
David Harris
Cox Marketing GroupAccount Manager

NHRA to Celebrate 25 Years at Atlanta Dragway - Don Garlits to be Grand Marshal, Hubert Platt to Appear

During this weekend's NHRA POWERade Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway, NHRA will celebrate 25 years of racing at the Commerce, GA facility. Don "Big Daddy" Garlits will be the official Grand Marshal for the event and other drag racing celebrities will be on hand to sign autographs.

Georgia drag racing legend, Hubert "the Georgia Shaker" Platt will be among the guests.

There will even be two AA/FAs making exhibition runs during the Southern Nationals!
Details

Testing At South Georgia Motorsports Park

by Marvin T. Smith

South Georgia Motorsports Park held a pre-Southern Nationals test session on Monday. Highlights include a nice 4.22 169 by Johnny Pilcher. Pilcher's run was the first out on the track. Running only one stage of nitrous in his Sonny Leonard hemi chevy, he ran the 4.22 after a small nitrous fire. The team reported that the traction was unreal and the newly ground track was "smooth as silk." Subsequent runs by Pilcher failed to get down the track as the afternoon grew hotter.

Several Pro Stock motorcycle teams made test runs. In 85 degree heat at 4:00 PM with a corrected altitude of 2140 feet, Chip Ellis, riding the S&S Beull, ripped off an outstanding 7.151 at 189.26. He appears ready for Atlanta.

Testing to continue Tuesday and Wednesday.

Photos

WJ's Wrap Sheet - Atlanta Dragway Edition

Courtesy Jon Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing, Inc.

1. WJ's First NHRA Atlanta Dragway Race - 1981
Race Car: 1981 Oldsmobile Starfire
Performance: WJ Qualified Seventh, 8.583 seconds, 157.34 mph - Lost to Bob Glidden

In Warren's Words:
"The only reason I attended that race was because it was right in our back yard. At the time, I was concentrating more on my IHRA program, coming off consecutive championships. However, I had already developed a small-block Olds program, so I decided to go out there and see how it fared. Obviously, it wasn't that far off.

"That Starfire was a pretty good little car. In fact, that was the car I used to make the first 180-mph Pro Stock run in NHRA history. I ran the heck out of it for a number of years."

Notes of the time:
- The 1981 race was the first year of the NHRA's Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway.
- This was WJ's first race with his new Olds Starfire, which featured a small-block 340-cubic inch V-8.
- This was Warren's first NHRA race of the season, and only the 34th of his NHRA Pro Stock career, as at the time he was also competing in the IHRA, where he won the Pro Stock championship in 1979 & 1980.
- The field for final eliminations was only eight cars, with 17 making a qualifying attempt, and featured legendary names such as Lee Shepherd, Bob Glidden and "Dyno" Don Nicholson, as well as current Mike Edwards engine builder Frank Iaconio.
- Shepherd was the No. 1 qualifier with an 8.403-second pass in his '81 Camaro, one of four Camaros in the starting line-up. In addition, there was WJ's Starfire, Glidden' Ford Fairmont, Nicholson's Mustang and fellow Minnesotan John Hagen's Plymouth Arrow, which qualified on the "bump" with an 8.602-second e.t.
- Professional winners that day included Lee Shepherd, who defeated Iaconio in Pro Stock, Tripp Shumake, who edged Kenny Bernstein in the Funny Car final, and Shirley Muldowney over Terry Capp in Top Fuel.

2. WJ's First NHRA Atlanta Dragway Win - 1986
Race Car: 1986 GM Goodwrench Performance Parts Oldsmobile Firenza
Performance: WJ Qualified No. 1, 7.533 seconds, 184.80 mph- Defeated Don Beverly, Don Coonce, Bruce Allen and Bob Glidden

In Warren's Words:

"Much like this year, there were a lot of competitive racers in Pro Stock back then, so to win was a real accomplishment. At the same time, it was a win at our home track, and our first with GM Performance Parts, both of which made it that much sweeter.

"Of course, I had a single in the final, because Bob (Glidden) had decided to do barrel rolls and cartwheels over the top of the guardrails in the semis reminiscent of Allen Johnson's deal in Gainesville a few years ago. That's when we had the steel guardrails, so he was very lucky to get out unhurt.

"We started videotaping our runs in 1986, because we wanted to verify what the computer was telling us. We had also installed the first Pro Stock computer data acquisition system in 1986, and there was a difference of opinion over what the computer was telling us versus what I felt versus what people were seeing on the outside.

"This occasionally produced three different opinions, and the videotape allowed us to come to some sort of conclusion. It was just a means to verify what was going on out on the racetrack."

Notes of the time:

- This was the 13th win of Warren's career, which came in his 19th final round appearance (and first in Atlanta).
- WJ's No. 1 qualifying effort was the 11th of his career, and third straight at Atlanta Dragway.
- Warren's 7.533-second, 184.80 mph pass in qualifying earned him low elapsed time and top speed of the race in Pro Stock.
- Although the record books show WJ defeating Glidden, he actually had a single run in the final, as Bob had crashed and heavily damaged his Thunderbird after defeating Butch Leal in the semi-finals, preventing him from returning for the championship round.
- This was the first year that General Motors Service and Parts Operations (GM SPO) began their sponsorship of WJ, who carried the GM Goodwrench Performance Parts colors and logos on his Firenza, and this was their first win together.
- WJ was one of the first to install a computer in his race transporter, which he did in 1986, allowing him to enter the data following each run, along with current weather and track conditions. In addition, his wife Arlene started taping every run with a video camera, a practice that is common among all teams today.
- The only other current Pro Stock racer to compete in this race was Bruce Allen, who qualified third and lost to WJ in the semis. Mark Pawuk had attempted to qualify, but did not make the 16-car field.
- The Pro Stock field was comprised of Oldsmobile Firenzas and a Calais, Chevrolet Camaros, Pontiac Firebirds and Ford Thunderbirds.
- Pro Stock was the only professional category to be completed on Sunday, as rain delayed the final rounds in both Funny Car and Top Fuel until Monday. When racing resumed, former NFL quarterback Dan Pastorini defeated veteran Gene Snow for the Top Fuel crown, and current Ron Capps crew chief Ed "The Ace" McCulloch in Funny Car, who defeated Jim Head in the final.
- A notable entry in the Funny Car field was John Force behind the wheel of his Castrol GTX Chevy Cavalier Funny Car.

3. WJ's Most Recent Atlanta Dragway Win - 2003
Race Car: 2003 GM Performance Parts Pontiac Grand Am
Performance: WJ Qualified Sixth, 6.849 seconds, 201.85 mph - Defeated Terry Adams, Kurt Johnson, Jeg Coughlin and Greg Anderson

In Warren's Words:

"That was a good day at the office. It was one of those rare days where everything worked in our favor. The car, the crew and the driver all did their jobs, and we ended up winning the race, capping it with that holeshot in the final.

"Greg had been quite outspoken in the local papers in the week before the race, telling anyone who would listen how he was coming to our home track to beat us. Naturally, those remarks only served to make us elevate our game even further. Although we didn't hear it until after the race, he even repeated this statement on ESPN after the semis. All in all, it just made for a very good win."

Notes of the time:

- This was the 90th win of WJ's career, and fifth at Atlanta Dragway.
- This was the second of what would be four wins for Warren in 2003.
- After being the beneficiary of a Terry Adams red-light in the first round, Warren used a combination of excellent driving and a fast race car to advance to the 140th final round of his career. In the second round, WJ used a starting-line advantage to score the hole-shot win over his son Kurt, while his 6.867-second pass in the semi-finals proved more than enough to defeat a slowing Jeg Coughlin.
- In three of the four elimination rounds, Warren had reaction times in the .01 zone, culminating with his .018 in the final, which allowed him to trailer Greg Anderson with a 6.853-second, 201.46 mph pass, despite Anderson's quicker, but losing 6.839 sec., 202.94 mph run.
- Anderson was the No. 1 qualifier with a 6.821-second pass, while Mark Whisnant anchored the field with a 6.872-second pass. Among the notable DNQs were Ron Krisher, Troy Coughlin and Larry Morgan.
- The Pro Stock category now included Pontiac Grand Ams, Chevrolet Cavaliers, Dodge Neons and Stratus, and a Ford Escort ZX2.
- Other professional winners included Larry Dixon in Top Fuel, who defeated Darrell Russell in the final, and Tony Pedregon, who edged Johnny Gray for the Funny Car crown.

4. WJ's Atlanta Dragway in a Nutshell -

"The track surface at Atlanta Dragway which was reworked about three years ago, is pretty good. It's smooth enough and not that old that if it's properly prepared, which I expect it will be, it should be pretty good to race on. Given the altitude and proper atmospheric conditions, you could see some fast times.

"We've been fortunate to do well there over the years, but, contrary to public opinion, I don't feel we have an advantage in Atlanta, even with the amount of testing we have done there. Over the last three years or so, the track really hasn't changed. It's been there over thirty years and doesn't develop any new bumps like other tracks we run on because it's built on such stable soil.

"With the concrete having been installed about three years ago, and the new asphalt a year later, there really shouldn't be any surprises. Once you get a decent amount of notes on it, which everybody has, you're in good shape. Basically, everybody's in the same boat.

"Over the years it's been a pretty decent facility, but it's in dire need of some maintenance. For example, there could be better and more extensive paving in the pits. We seem to have a pretty good record on the better racetracks that we run on, so our success at Atlanta follows suit."

WJ's Atlanta Dragway Box Score

Races------Starts-----Wins-----Finals-----#1----Avg. Qual.------W------L--------Pct.
24-----------24---------5---------8--------9---------2.92--------41-----19-------.683

-cont-
Did You Know?

- WJ has qualified in the top half of the field in Atlanta in every start except last year, when he started from the ninth position. In 19 of the previous 23 starts before then, "The Professor" was never lower than third.
- Warren also won at Atlanta Dragway in IHRA competition, defeating Roy Hill in the final of the 1979 Winston Nationals.

WJ Works to Ensure Successful Homecoming at Adopted Track

Courtesy Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing

GM Performance Parts Crew Preps to Score Sixth NHRA Win at Atlanta Dragway

Sugar Hill, Ga., May 9, 2005 - Warren Johnson was born and raised in northern Minnesota, and in the early stages of his drag racing career, never strayed too far from his home state, taking only occasional trips to NHRA national events across the country. However, once he made the decision to earn a living solely by driving a race car, Johnson relocated his family to the suburbs of Atlanta, GA. As he and his crew prepared his GM Performance Parts Pontiac for this weekend's Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals in Atlanta, Johnson took time to look back on the reasoning behind his southern migration of twenty-five years ago.

"I moved to Atlanta simply because you could race almost all year round, and it was centrally located for the drag racing circuit," explained Johnson. "It was a decision based purely on logistics. In Minnesota, you have a five-month season, and you would be on the road for seven.

"I also chose Atlanta over other locations because it offered the best balance of the weather. I enjoy the change of the seasons, but without the severity we saw in Minnesota, where you can see temperatures of up to 108 degrees in the summer and 30 to 40 below in the winter. It's been the home of the GM Performance Parts team since 1980, and I'd say it's worked out to be a good choice."

This weekend's race will mark Johnson's 25th NHRA national event at venerable Atlanta Dragway, located a short drive from the team's headquarters in Sugar Hill, GA. Ironically, the sanctioning body will also celebrate its silver anniversary of racing in Commerce in 2005. It has been a good racetrack for "WJ", as his five wins in eight final round appearances lead all Pro Stock competitors. In addition, Johnson achieved success at the Georgia quarter-mile prior to the NHRA's arrival, using a win there to catapult him to his first IHRA championship in 1979.

"I came into that race needing to qualify No. 1, win the race and get some help," recalled Johnson. "Well, Lee Edwards went out in the first round and John Brumley in the second, and I beat Roy Hill in the final to win the championship by 38 points. From that point on, Atlanta Dragway has treated me well."

Johnson comes to his "home" track as the leader in the POWERade Championship points, with two wins in the last three races. Despite the success that his year-long performance has brought him to date, "The Professor" knows his work is far from done, and the veteran team heads into Atlanta hungrier than ever.

"It took us an entire year to put the plan together, but so far this year, things have fortunately gone our way," said Johnson. "In essence, we are reaping the rewards of our efforts from the last year and a half. However, we're not about to stand still. Our program is constantly in flux, searching for ways to hopefully improve our program, while simultaneously shoring up our equipment to maintain our current pace.

"We were able to test immediately after Bristol, and it went well. We learned a few things that could help our GM Performance Parts Pontiac in the future. Since then, we've been back at the shop, freshening up what we have and building up our DRCE III inventory to prepare for these next three races, which are run on consecutive weekends. Certainly, we've gotten off to a good start, but that's all it is - a start. I've never gone forward by looking back, so our focus right now is on winning Atlanta in front of our home crowd."

Notes on Warren Johnson and the GM Performance Parts Pontiac Racing team entering the Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals presented by Pontiac:

WJ is the Top Dawg in Georgia: This will be Warren's twenty-fifth NHRA appearance at Atlanta Dragway, where he has five wins in eight final round appearances, the most by any Pro Stock driver. Overall WJ has an elimination round record of 41-19 in his previous twenty-four races for a .683 win percentage.

WJ is a Front-Line Starter in Commerce: In twenty-four previous races in Atlanta, Warren has nine No. 1 qualifiers, 19 starts in the Top Four and only one start outside the top half of the field. WJ's average starting spot at the Georgia quarter-mile is 2.917.

One year ago: Warren qualified ninth with an elapsed time of 6.828 seconds and a top speed of 203.12 mph, but fell in the first round.

Warren hoping to go back-to-back: WJ will be looking to score consecutive wins for the 19th time in his career (including winning three in a row five times and four in a row once), having last done so in 2001, when he won the Columbus, Ohio and Madison, IL races.

No. 1 in National event wins: WJ's 94 national event victories are the most ever in the history of the Pro Stock division and place him second on the all-time NHRA win list. His most recent win came two weeks ago at the O'Reilly Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, TN.

Career Best Elapsed Time: 6.679 seconds, Gainesville, FL, 3/20/05
Career best top speed: 206.70 mph, Gainesville, FL, 3/20/05

KJ Looks for Familiarity to Breed Competitiveness in Atlanta

Courtesy Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing

Knowledge and experience will be ACDelco crew's primary weapons in Georgia

Sugar Hill, Ga., May 9, 2005 - At the NHRA's most recent race in Bristol, TN, Pro Stock standout Kurt Johnson and his crew faced a variety of challenges. They had completed their revolutionary new ACDelco Cobalt only days before the event, resulting in minimal testing time beforehand, conditions that had forced other competitors to miss the new Chevrolet model's scheduled debut. In addition, rains limited qualifying to only one session on Saturday.

However, even with the limited experience with their race car and a tricky racetrack, Johnson's team responded, finishing third in qualifying and on race day, outperforming even those who had elected to us their older, proven race cars. Having put this stern test behind them, the ACDelco crew turned their attention towards preparing for this weekend's Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals in Atlanta, GA, starting with a two-day test session at Atlanta Dragway immediately following the last race.

"Our goal in testing was rather simple - to gain additional knowledge on this ACDelco Cobalt," said Johnson. "We made quite a few runs, some good and some bad, and tried a variety of things. It's hard to say just how successful we were, because we had to deal with a few issues that cropped up during the test.

"The good part is that with every pass we accumulated more data on this new car. It's all part of the process of sorting out a new race car. We really won't know how effective we were until we let the clutch out on Friday, but I suspect we'll be just fine."

With only a handful of runs in their notebook, Johnson's close-knit crew will have to rely on their years of experience under varying conditions to make the necessary adjustments to their still unfamiliar chassis. Aiding in their cause will be the location of this weekend's race. Located just over a half-hour's drive from their shop in Sugar Hill, Atlanta Dragway has been the team's primary test facility for many years, although its proximity remains its prime advantage.

"As often as everyone else tests in Commerce, I wouldn't say we have a home field advantage, other than some extra fans in the stands," stated Johnson. "Besides, Atlanta Dragway is not a good track to test on, because it is prepared so differently for a national event. This past week, however, the track was pretty good, so hopefully we gathered some valuable information. The cooler temperatures we had made for ideal conditions. Of course, the forecast is calling for much warmer temperatures this weekend, reducing the effectiveness of the data collected.

"At this point, we will use anything we can get. This ACDelco Cobalt is radically different from its predecessor, so we are limited in the tuning information we can use from the last car, using it more as a guideline. Fortunately, after one race, the new car has already shown the potential of being very fast, so it's up to us to quickly determine its tuning window, which will allow us to adapt to the conditions. Right now, our main concern will be making sure the car goes straight, and until we get that trophy, it will be just another tool we need to keep working on.

"As always, it's just a matter of having enough bodies in the shop and hours in the day to get it all done. That's the biggest benefit of having a home race. We're able to spend more time at the shop getting ready, and by staying at home, you're more refreshed. It definitely helps.

"We feel that we'll be putting this ACDelco Cobalt in the winner's circle pretty soon. It's also been a long time since I last won in Atlanta in 1996, so taking care of both this weekend works just fine for me."

Notes on Kurt Johnson and the ACDelco Cobalt Racing team entering The Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals:

KJ feels right at home in Atlanta: This will be Kurt's thirteenth appearance at Atlanta Dragway, where he has one win (in 1996) in three final round appearances, and a 191 elimination round record for a .633 round win percentage.

ACDelco Cobalt, Take Two: This will be KJ's second race with his radically new ACDelco Cobalt. In his first race two weeks ago in Bristol, he made NHRA history by making the first start and elimination round wins for the new Chevy Pro Stocker.

One year ago: Kurt qualified thirteenth with an elapsed time of 6.832 seconds and a top speed of 202.18 mph and defeated former champions Jeg Coughlin and Darrell Alderman in advancing to the semi-finals.

Career Best Elapsed Time: 6.671 sec., Gainesville, FL, 3/20/05
Career best top speed: 207.13 mph, Gainesville, FL, 3/20/05

Event Schedule:

Friday May 13 - Two qualifying sessions at 3:30 & 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 14 - Two qualifying sessions at 11:30 a.m. & 2:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 15 - Pre-race ceremonies begin at 10:00 a.m. followed by the first round of eliminations at 11:00 a.m.

Television Schedule:
Qualifying: Saturday, May 14 - 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Eliminations: Sunday, May 15 - 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.
(Repeat) Monday, May 16 - 2:00 - 3:30 a.m.
NHRA2Day: Sunday, May 15 - 11:30 a.m. - 12 noon
(Please consult your local listings for exact times, as the schedule is subject to change.)