KJ's Brainerd Title Defense Will Start from Seventh

Contact: Jon Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing, Inc.

Kurt Johnson completed a very consistent qualifying effort on Saturday at the Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd, MN, capturing the seventh starting position for Sunday's final eliminations. Racing his new ACDelco Cobalt for the first time, three of Johnson's four attempts at Brainerd International Raceway were within four thousandths of a second of each other, with his quickest attempt of 6.767 seconds at 203.31 mph coming in the third session on Saturday morning. Heading into race day, the Minnesota native will hope to repeat this high level of performance as they look to defend their win at this event from one year ago.

"Coming here with a completely new and untested race car, our first goal was simply to qualify. Having accomplished that, we will now concentrate on making our ACDelco Cobalt go faster. We know what areas we have to work on, which makes it somewhat easier. It's really quick in the first sixty feet, which we are extremely pleased with, but now we have to work on getting it better in second and third gear.

"Fortunately, it appears to be pretty happy. It made two straight runs today and I had four good lights (reaction times), so if I can keep that up, we can go some rounds tomorrow. We'll go up there and throw everything we have at it, with everyone from the team, the car and the driver doing what they can to be perfect, leaving no stone unturned, looking to be on the good end of that four-inch run at the finish line late tomorrow afternoon. We were able to get the job done one year ago and had a great time celebrating in the winner's circle with our family and friends here in our home state, and we'd like nothing more than to do it again tomorrow."

'Iron Ranger" WJ Will Roll Off Eleventh in Brainerd

Contact: Jon Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing, Inc.

On the strength of a 6.771-second, 203.61 mph pass made on Friday afternoon, Virginia, MN native (an area of the state known as the Iron Range) Warren Johnson qualified his GM Performance Parts GTO in the eleventh position for Sunday's final eliminations of the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, in Brainerd, MN. As he heads into his 24th NHRA national event start in his home state, Johnson’s outlook is buoyed by the consistency show by his race car in the last three qualifying sessions, where his elapsed times were all within seven thousandths of a second. In addition, his 203.49 mph top speed in the final session on Saturday was the fastest among the 24 Pro Stock cars making an attempt.

"Although we would certainly prefer to be higher on the ladder, we're fairly pleased with our GM Performance Parts GTO’s performance. We made it down the track on all four attempts, including the first, where we had a mechanical issue that caused us to roll the (starting line) beams. We took what it would give us and made adjustments throughout qualifying trying to make it better, including making an engine change for the last session and I believe it's coming around.

"We made a decent run this morning, showing that we could run with the competition, and then came back this afternoon with one of the quickest runs in that lane, as well as posting the top speed for the session.

"We're getting to the point of being able to adapt the power to the ground just a little bit better, and what we've learned we'll be able to use comfortably in the new car, which we will. For tomorrow, it's given us something to work with, and it's up to us to make the best of it."

BAZEMORE FAILS TO QUALIFY IN BRAINERD

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
Contact: Judy Stropus

BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 12, 2006) - Whit Bazemore missed the Funny Car field today for the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway when a mechanical problem surfaced in the fourth and final qualifying session, causing the team to abort the run at the starting line.

The driver of the Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car entered that final qualifying round on the bump spot, in No. 16, and by the time his pairing reached the starting line, he was already off the roster.

Following the burnout, an oil leak was discovered as the team prepared for the final pass, and NHRA asked the crew to shut down the engine.

Prior to that attempt, Bazemore had produced a 4.925-second pass at 309.13 mph (No. 7 at the time), a 4.924/268.01 (No. 11), and a problematic 5.217/203.12 (No. 16).

"It's a huge disappointment," said Bazemore, whose last DNQ was in the first Chicago race in 2005. "The biggest reason for the disappointment is that the run this morning we were really on par to be low qualifier for the whole weekend, but in this sport if you don't go to the finish line nothing matters. We had a parts breakage this morning and that ended up putting us in a position where things had to be perfect for the last run.

"We are very, very confident about the tune-up. There was a pinched O-ring in the car, which resulted in an oil leak and that was it. So we didn't get to run in the final session. It's a huge disappointment.

"I'm more frustrated for the guys on the Matco Tools team because they give 110 percent every day for this team and for them not to get to race tomorrow is hard to take. And also for all the Matco Tools distributors who support us through thick and thin. They're used to having a car that wins races and we are a team that can win races. We had a bad weekend and we can easily
come back in Memphis (next weekend), Our goal is to test well at Indy, go win Indy (U.S. Nationals on Labor Day) and win a lot at the last seven races.

"We're capable of doing that. The challenge is for everybody to keep their heads up, and stay very, very positive and believe in themselves and everyone else. I know I do and I certainly hope they do. You hate to say 'it's racing,' but you're going to have bad days.

Next up for Bazemore is the O'Reilly NHRA Mid-South Nationals in Memphis, Tenn., Aug. 18-20.

Schumacher, Force, Anderson and Ellis Lead Pro Qualifying at the NHRA POWERade Lucas Oil Nationals

NHRA Qualifying Recap

Blast From the Past Photo 1 - Hubert Platt

Hubert Platt and his Super Stock Fairlane at Southeastern International Dragway (Dallas, GA) in 1967. Ernie Scott photo.

Blast From the Past Photo 2 - Arnie Beswick

Arnie "The Farmer" Beswick at Yellow River Drag Strip. Ernie Scott Photo.

DragRaceResults Sunshine Drags at SGMP - Saturday Results

Racers battled 140 degree track temperature and each other at South Georgia Motorsports Park on Saturday. BTE Super Pro: Ricky "Booger"Williams over marty Nichols. Williams was driving his red roadster. Jegs Sportsman went to Kenny Bevins in his mustang over Frankie Bishop. Allen Rouse won Jr. Dragster both Friday and Saturday. John Boyer won the Jegs Sprotsman Run for the Trailer.

Marvin T. Smith
Photos