WJ Works to Head from the Hall to the Atlanta Winner's Circle

Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing

GM Performance Parts GTO crew preps for a Hall of Fame performance at home track

Sugar Hill, Ga., April 25, 2007 – Warren Johnson's week leading up to the Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals promises to be unlike that of any other competitor heading over to Atlanta Dragway this weekend. The first two days will be spent in typical fashion, with Johnson and his GM Performance Parts GTO crew spending long hours at their shop in Sugar Hill, preparing for the rigors of competition.

However, on Wednesday morning, the six-time champion will drive over to Talladega, AL to the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, where, following two days of celebratory functions, he will be formally inducted as part of the Class of 2007, joining fellow racing legends Junie Donleavy, Ray Hendrick, Jack Ingram, Wayne Rainey and Bruton Smith. Although acknowledging this function will cut into his normal pre-race routine, Johnson readily admits this is one honor for which he is more than willing to make time.

"With Atlanta Dragway only a half hour away from our shop, under normal circumstances, this week I'd be working in Sugar Hill until just before they called our GM Performance Parts GTO to the lanes for the first qualifying session," quipped Johnson. "However, this year, we'll be taking a breather to participate in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, where I am proud to be a part of this year's class. Considering the caliber of the people being inducted alongside of me, as well as those admitted beforehand, this is certainly an honor, and one I would not miss.

"Of course, considering I am the only one in my class that has to hurry back to work on Thursday night after the ceremony, I either must be doing this wrong or having way too much fun to give it up. In any case, it's an experience I am truly looking forward to."

Fortunately, The Professor's vast experience at Atlanta Dragway should help compensate for his curtailed preparation time. Besides making his 27th national event appearance at the Commerce quarter-mile this weekend, since moving to the Atlanta area in the 80s, the venerable racing facility has also been one of Johnson's favorite testing sites. With five wins in eight final rounds and 10 No. 1 qualifying performances, he is well familiar with what it takes to succeed on his home track, but minimizes any notion of a home track advantage. However, based on his team's recent surge in performance, he is cautiously optimistic about his chances, especially considering the NHRA’s newly-constituted championship format.

"The NHRA has its own unique way of preparing a racetrack for competition," said Johnson. "Therefore, if you test on a national event track prior to the event, the only valid information you will gather on the racing surface is where the bumps are and how to adjust your gear ratios to the climatic conditions. Fortunately, the forecast is calling for the warmest temperatures of the season, which, coupled with the 1100 feet of altitude, will make it significantly different from anything else we've seen so far this year.

"Historically, our program has done well under challenging conditions, as I cut my teeth on tracks from Pueblo, Colorado to Nebraska and Kansas and everywhere in between, where I learned to adapt to racing under just about every conceivable circumstance. Combining that with the forward momentum we have generated in the last few races, we could be in an excellent position."

Warren Johnson & the GM Performance Parts GTO Racing team By the Numbers – Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals edition:

3 – Average Atlanta Dragway starting position for WJ in 26 previous starts.

5 - Atlanta Dragway wins by Warren Johnson, the most by any NHRA Pro Stock competitor, with his most recent coming in 2003.

6.587 – WJ's career best elapsed time (in seconds) recorded in Gainesville, FL

8 – Final round appearances by WJ at Atlanta Dragway.

10 – No. 1 qualifying performances by WJ in Atlanta.

26 – Career WJ Atlanta starts entering the 2007 season

43 – Elimination round wins by WJ in Atlanta, versus 21 losses for a .672 winning percentage

209.69 - WJ's career best top speed, set in Gainesville, FL

KJ Strives to Hit the Three C's in Atlanta

Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing

ACDelco crew targets consistency, concentration and control at Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals

Sugar Hill, Ga., April 25, 2007 – The National Hot Rod Association's Pro Stock category is arguably the most competitive in all of motorsports. At each of the 23 stops on the POWERade Drag Racing circuit, an average of twenty-five racers battle throughout qualifying to earn one of sixteen spots in Sunday’s final eliminations field, with entire fields covered by a few hundredths of a second. On race day, the competition gets even tighter, as the difference between winning and losing often measured in tens of thousandths of a second. Therefore, with no perceptible room for error, the driver and crew that are able to best maintain their concentration, perform consistently and stay in control stand the best chance of ending the day in the winner's circle.

Earlier this season in Phoenix, AZ Kurt Johnson and the ACDelco Cobalt Racing team were that team. Working at bettering their performance throughout the weekend, the red, white and blue crew qualified seventh, and combined a fast race car with some tremendous driving on Sunday to score the win. Having struggled somewhat in the events since, they head into this weekend's Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals in Atlanta, GA determined to regain their winning form, beginning with the first qualifying session on Friday.

"The key is to make a good run right off the bat, and get everything working for you," said Johnson. "To do that, you have to have the whole package, with the driver, car and crew all performing at their best. You can even get away with having one element slightly off at the start, as long as it's all good by Saturday afternoon, putting you in control for race day.

"That's pretty much the way things were in Phoenix. I drove well on the first run, and even though the car didn't perform, we kept tuning and it came around by the end of qualifying. It's all a matter of being consistent, maintaining your concentration and controlling everything you can including keeping lane choice throughout eliminations. If we do that, our ACDelco Cobalt has a good shot of ending the day in the winner’s circle."

Aiding Johnson's efforts this weekend will be the team's extensive tuning notes on Atlanta Dragway. Located a short drive away from their headquarters in Sugar Hill, it has long served as the team's primary test facility. Although the surface preparation prior to a national event will substantially change a track's performance characteristics, there is still an inherent value in knowing the subtle nuances learned through countless runs down a particular quarter-mile.

"We have a little bit of a notebook on this racetrack, which should help," said Johnson. "As tight as this Pro Stock field has been, we'll take any advantage we can get. Lane choice played a significant role at the last race, and, as worn as the surface is here in Atlanta, it will probably be a major factor this weekend as well, even in qualifying. We'll have to make sure we cover all the bases, be smooth and get our ACDelco Cobalt down the boulevard on every run.

"I think we're going to do a little better than we have in the last few races. We're more than capable of qualifying in the top half of the field, and with the combination of eighty degree temperatures and about 600 cars going down the track, we'll have to look at our notes and come up with a tune-up to get the job done."

However, before heading to the track on Friday, Kurt and his family will first travel to Talladega, Alabama on Thursday to attend this year's International Motorsports Hall of Fame induction ceremony, where his father Warren will become the seventh drag racer selected for one of racing's ultimate honors.

"It's pretty neat that Dad has been selected to receive this great honor, and we're looking forward to going to Talladega to check it out," said Johnson. "I've never paid close attention to it in the past, but we'll be there in force this year. It will be interesting to see all the people from different series and to be there for my father on his big night."

This year, ACDelco is teaming with Kurt Johnson to produce the "ACDelco Drive to Win" Sweepstakes, where entrants can win awards, racing trips and prizes, including the grand prize: a 2007 Cobalt SS complete with Genuine Chevrolet Accessories. For more information on Kurt Johnson, ACDelco and the Drive to Win Sweepstakes, please visit http://www.acdelco.com/promotions/drivetowin/

Kurt Johnson & the ACDelco Cobalt Racing team By the Numbers – Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals edition:

1 – Career KJ wins in Atlanta, which came in 1996

3 – Kurt's Atlanta Dragway Final Round Appearances

6.613 – KJ's career best elapsed time (in seconds) recorded in October 2006 in Richmond, VA

10 – Top half qualifying starts for KJ in Atlanta, where his average starting position is 6.5

13 – Consecutive years in which Kurt has won at least one national event, the longest active streak in Pro Stock.

14 – KJ Atlanta starts, dating back to his rookie season in 1993.

22 – KJ elimination round wins at Atlanta Dragway, versus 13 losses for a .629 win percentage.

209.26 - KJ's career best top speed (in mph) recorded in October 2006 in Richmond, VA


Event Schedule:

Friday, April 27: Two qualifying sessions at 3:30 & 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 28: Two qualifying sessions at 11:30 a.m. & 2:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 29: Pre-race ceremonies starting at 10:00 a.m.

First Round of Eliminations at 11:00 a.m.

Television Coverage:

Qualifying:

Saturday, April 28: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Eliminations:

Sunday, April 29: 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.

NHRA RaceDay:

Sunday, April 29: 11:00 - 11:30 a.m.

Allen Johnson and Richie Stevens Jr. Peaking as Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals Draw Near

April 25, 2007
Contact: Darren Jacobs

Allen Johnson and Richie Stevens Jr. Peaking as Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals Draw Near

• Allen Johnson remains single minded in quest for the Countdown to 4
• Richie Stevens Jr. will break in a new car at Atlanta
• Allen Johnson stats
• Richie Stevens Jr. stats
• Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals event details

Center Line, Mich. — The Team Mopar® NHRA POWERade Pro Stock duo of Allen Johnson and Richie Stevens Jr., have stated their goals for the season clearly and repeatedly: Qualify near the top of the field, get down the track consistently and go rounds. Having met those goals at the events in Houston and Las Vegas, the Mopar Pro Stockers will look to make it three solid outings in-a-row at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals in Commerce, Ga. on April 27–29, 2007.

After qualifying his HEMI®-powered Mopar/J & J Racing Dodge Stratus R/T third and making a finals appearance at Houston, Johnson followed with the No. 4 qualifying spot and a semifinals showing at Las Vegas. Stevens qualified his Team Mopar/Valspar Dodge Stratus R/T sixth and advanced to the quarterfinals at Houston. He posted the same showing at Las Vegas — sixth in qualifying with a quarterfinals appearance.

The Mopar and J & J Racing teammates' mantra has paid off: Stevens has moved from 14th to 11th in the NHRA POWERade Pro Stock points standings, while Johnson has come from as far back as 16th to currently hold fifth in the points race. With the Countdown to 4 present in their minds, Johnson and Stevens will continue to battle their way up the points ladder this weekend at Atlanta Dragway. NHRA POWERade’s new points playoff system cuts the field down to the top eight drivers after the 17th race, and down to the top four drivers for the Countdown to 1 after the 21st event.

Allen Johnson remains single minded in quest for the Countdown to 4
No one can accuse Johnson, Team Mopar's longtime veteran, of lacking focus. For the last few months, Johnson hasn't wavered from his claim of consistent outings for himself and Stevens as the key to making the NHRA POWERade’s Countdown to 4.

"We're just trying to qualify in the top eight, get lane choice, and go a couple of rounds, and that puts you in the top eight for every race," said Johnson. "You know, just put our selves in a position of consistency, so we are there when the Countdown to 4 comes. I think we have the tools to make it happen. Each week is just as tough as the last, and you have to do it week in and week out. We just have to get down the track every time and be consistent."

Johnson, who captured his second career NHRA Pro Stock win at Atlanta in 2002, is optimistic about the NHRA Southern Nationals.

"Atlanta can be a really good track to you, or a really bad track to you," Johnson observed. "It's one of those tracks on the circuit that usually isn't very good. Usually, we shine on those kinds of tracks. I'm looking for a very good outing, but, again, we're just going to get down the track every run and try to be consistent."

Another crucial key to Johnson's and Stevens' recent string of solid outings has been Allen's dad, J & J Racing's Roy Johnson, who builds and tunes the engines for both drivers. He suffered two heart attacks during the Phoenix event in February. [Roy] Johnson is back to his old self, working his HEMI magic and squeezing out every last bit of horsepower for his son and Richie.

"I just left the race shop," said [Allen] Johnson. "He [Roy] is feeling very good and working on another new engine. The engine that was in my car at Vegas was new, and he’s got a combination that might be a little better. He's trying to get another engine done. He's always looking for more power."

Richie Stevens Jr. will break in a new car at NHRA Southern Nationals
With two straight quarterfinals appearances, Stevens hopes his new car will put him in the winner's circle at the NHRA Southern Nationals.

"From a driver's standpoint, moving over to a new car isn't really a big deal," Stevens said. "They kind of built it for me, and I will adapt to it real well. It should be a pretty smooth transition; the car was built identical to the one that Allen is racing now, so it shouldn't be that big of a change. We're going to make some test runs and break it in and see how it fares."

A planned test session earlier in the week at St. Louis was set to get any bugs out of Stevens' Don Schumacher Racing-owned Mopar/Valspar Dodge Stratus R/T before he hits Georgia this weekend.

"By getting about 12-15 runs during the test session, he [Stevens] should be able to get the car where he is happy with it," Johnson said. "It might even pick him up a little bit more. My car, which is new, seemed to be a tad quicker than the one that he had been using."

Like Johnson, Stevens has had past success at this event, taking the runner-up spot at the event in 1999.

"I've done good in the past at the NHRA Southern Nationals," Stevens said. "I had the runner-up spot a few years back, and I've went to the semis a few times. I had a DNQ last year, so it's kind of been one of those up-and-down tracks. We'll go out there and test real well and head on out.

"I feel good. We ran good at Houston, we ran good out there last week in Vegas. We're on an upswing now, and it should continue. I hope this new car will bring some more good luck to us and we'll keep on rising up."

Allen Johnson stats
• Has a 5-4 round record in 2007
• Has 110 career NHRA Pro Stock round wins
• Defeated Greg Anderson to take the event win at Atlanta in 2002
• Currently 5th in the NHRA POWERade Pro Stock standings – 65 points behind Jeg Coughlin
• Has four wins, six career runner-up finishes and 24 semifinals appearances in his 11-year career as an NHRA Pro Stock driver

Richie Stevens Jr. stats
• Currently 11th in the points standings – only 15 points out of the 8th and final spot in the new NHRA POWERade Countdown to 4 points playoff system
• Has a career-best speed of 208.71 mph (Richmond 2006) and career best ET of 6.600 (Richmond 2006)
• Had two wins (Dallas, Vegas) in the final five events of 2006
• Finished runner-up to Warren Johnson in the 1999 Atlanta event
• Has a best overall NHRA Pro Stock points finish of 5th in 1999

Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals Event Details
The Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals is scheduled for April 27–29 at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Ga. Qualifying coverage will air on Saturday, April 28 from 6 to 8 p.m. (EDT) on ESPN2. Eliminations coverage will be broadcast on Sunday, April 29 from 7 to 10 p.m. (EDT) on ESPN2. For more info on the NHRA, log on to www.nhra.com.

70 Years of Mopar
When Chrysler bought Dodge in 1928, the need for a dedicated parts manufacturer, supplier and distribution system to support the growing enterprise led to the formation of the Chrysler Motor Parts Corporation (CMPC) in 1929.

Originally used in the 1920s, Mopar (a simple contraction of the words MOtor and PARts) was trademarked for a line of antifreeze products in 1937. It was also widely used as a moniker for the CMPC. The Mopar brand made its mark in the 1960s – the muscle car era. The Chrysler Corporation built race-ready Dodge and Plymouth "package cars" equipped with special high-performance parts. Mopar carried a line of "Special Parts" for super stock drag racers and developed its racing parts division called Mopar Performance Parts to enhance speed and handling for both road and racing use.

Today, the Chrysler Group's Global Service & Parts division is responsible for the manufacturing and distribution of nearly 250,000 authentic Mopar replacement parts, components and accessories for Chrysler, Jeep® and Dodge vehicles sold around the world. To assure quality, reliability and durability, all Mopar parts and accessories are designed in strict adherence to DaimlerChrysler engineering standards.

ON THE INTERNET

Visit DaimlerChrysler’s Media Services Web site at http://www.cgmedia.daimlerchrysler.com for additional DaimlerChrysler news. For additional information about Mopar, log on to http://www.mopar.com or http://www.moparspeed.com .

The Bazemore Bulletin

The Bazemore Bulletin -The prerace release of 20-time NHRA winner Whit Bazemore and the Matco Tools Iron Eagle Top Fuel team
Contact: Ted Yerzyk

27th annual Summit Racing Southern Nationals
April 26-29, 2007
Atlanta Dragway
Commerce, Ga.

"I'm looking forward to going there. It's my home track. I get to hang out with my dad and step mom. I get to see friends that I don't see often. And, we've had success there. It's a place that I like going to. We've got a team that's capable of winning any race. We just have to make the most of it. We can do that. We've got a strong car. We've been in the top five all year and we're eager to get our first win in Top Fuel."

Bazemore Atlanta Notebook
Last May, Bazemore qualified eighth at Atlanta Dragway with a run of 4.780 at 317.27. He fell in the opening round of eliminations to Tony Pedregon.

The highest Bazemore has qualified at Atlanta Dragway was second in 2004 (4.797 at 324.20).

Bazemore recorded top speed of the meet at Atlanta Dragway in 2003, 322.73 mph.

Bazemore is a three-time finalist and two-time winner at Atlanta Dragway (2002, '04). It was one of six tracks where he has earned multiple victories.

Two weeks ago in Las Vegas, Bazemore clocked his career-best elapsed time in qualifying, 4.498 seconds.

He is a graduate of North Fulton High School near Atlanta.

Baze Banters About Atlanta...
Atlanta:
"Fun times growing up"

Atlanta Dragway:
"Funny Cars"

Favorite Commerce-area cycling route:
"Out the track and North"

Favorite local restaurants:
"None"

Favorite Atlanta Dragway racing memory:
"Winning there for the first time in '02"

2007 NHRA Top Fuel Standings
1. ROD FULLER (1) 383 - - - -
2. J.R. Todd (2) 342 -41
3. Brandon Bernstein (1) 327 -56
4. Tony Schumacher (1) 304 -79
5. WHIT BAZEMORE 295 -88
6. Larry Dixon 293 -90
7. David Grubnic 261 -122
8. Melanie Troxel 246 -137
9. Bob Vandergriff, Jr. 222 -161
10. Joe Hartley 205 -178

Whit Bazemore's Career Results at Atlanta Dragway
Year Qualified Finish & Winning Driver
1992 No. 3 Second round—Del Worsham
1993 No. 8 Second round—Chuck Etchells
1994 No. 11 1st round—Dean Skuza
1995 No. 12 Second round—Gary Clapshaw
1996 No. 10 Semifinals—Tony Pedregon
1997 No. 15 Second round—Tim Wilkerson
1998 No. 8 Second round—Cruz Pedregon
1999 No. 4 Runner-up—John Force
2000 No. 4 Second round—Todd Paton
2001 No. 4 Second round—Frank Pedregon
2002 No. 3 WINNER—def. John Force
2003 No. 3 Semifinals—Tony Pedregon
2004 No. 2 WINNER—def. Gary Scelzi
2005 No. 12 1st round—John Force
2006 No. 8 1st round—Tony Pedregon

Bazemore's Atlanta Schedule
Date & Time Event and Location
Fri., April 27, 4:30/7:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 1/2, Atlanta Dragway
Sat., April 28, 12:30/3:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 3/4, Atlanta Dragway
Sun., April 29, 11 a.m. Final Eliminations, Atlanta Dragway

Bazemore's Career-Best Performances
E.T.—4.498 seconds Las Vegas April 2007
MPH—329.75 MPH (TF) Pomona, Calif. Feb. 2007
MPH—333.25 MPH (FC) Joliet, Ill. June 2004

Summit Racing Southern Nationals TV Schedule (ESPN2)

Date & Time (ET) Coverage
Sun., April 28, 6-8 p.m. Qualifying Highlights
Sun., April 29, 11-11:30 a.m. NHRA Race Day
Sun., April 29, 7-10 p.m. Final Eliminations Coverage

www.matcotools.com

www.davidpowersmotorsports.com

The Fuller Times

The Fuller Times - The prerace release of four-time NHRA Top Fuel winner "Hot" Rod Fuller and the David Powers Motorsports Top Fuel team
Contact: Ted Yerzyk


27th annual Summit Racing Southern Nationals
April 26-29, 2007
Atlanta Dragway
Commerce, Ga.



"Atlanta is where I got my Top Fuel license back in 1995. That's the first place I drove a Top Fuel car. I had back-to-back Super Comp wins there. I like the track. I feel comfortable there. There's not much to do besides racing. I feel like we're going to pick up where we left off at (Las) Vegas. We were one of the cars to beat at Las Vegas. We had a parts failure in the semifinals. I want to continue qualifying well and extend the points lead."



Fuller Atlanta Notebook

Fuller enters the Atlanta race atop the POWERade Top Fuel standings. He took over the points lead following his victory at the Phoenix race on Feb. 25. He has advanced to the semifinals at three other races, Pomona, Gainesville and Las Vegas. At the Phoenix race, Fuller set personal-bests, 4.466 seconds and 331.61 mph. He has qualified no lower than third this season.

Last April, Fuller qualified in the No. 3 position at Atlanta Dragway with a 4.535-second pass. He fell in the second round of eliminations to Larry Dixon.

Fuller has advanced to at least the semifinals at seven of the last nine races, with one victory (Phoenix 2007) and two runner-up finishes (Dallas and Richmond 2006).

Two weeks ago in Las Vegas, Fuller qualified third with a run of 4.498-seconds. It was his eighth 4.4-second pass of the season. He raced to a semifinal finish and extended his points lead over second-place driver J.R. Todd.

Fuller is a two-time Super Comp winner at Atlanta Dragway. He claimed consecutive Super Comp wins at the Commerce race in 1999 (def. Jeff Strickland) and '00 (def. Sherman Adcock, Jr.).

Fuller on Atlanta…

The Atlanta Race:
"Humid and stormy"


Atlanta Dragway:
"A track I’ve done well at."

Favorite local restaurant:
"None"

Favorite Atlanta Dragway racing memory:
"Earning my Top Fuel license in 1995"

Favorite activity while at Atlanta:
"Going to Athens"

2007 NHRA Top Fuel Standings

1. ROD FULLER (1) 383 - - - -

2. J.R. Todd (2) 342 -41

3. Brandon Bernstein (1) 327 -56

4. Tony Schumacher (1) 304 -79

5. WHIT BAZEMORE 295 -88

6. Larry Dixon 293 -90

7. David Grubnic 261 -122

8. Melanie Troxel 246 -137

9. Bob Vandergriff, Jr. 222 -161

10. Joe Hartley 205 -178



Rod Fuller's Career Results at Atlanta Dragway

Year Qualified Finish & Winning Driver
2006 No. 3 2nd round—Larry Dixon

Fuller's Atlanta Schedule

Date & Time Event and Location

Fri., April 27, 4:30/7:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 1/2, Atlanta Dragway

Sat., April 28, 12:30/3:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 3/4, Atlanta Dragway

Sun., April 29, 11 a.m. Final Eliminations, Atlanta Dragway



Fuller's Career-Best Performances
E.T.—4.466 seconds Chandler, Ariz. Feb. 2007
MPH—331.61 MPH Chandler, Ariz. Feb. 2007

E.T.—4.504 seconds Commerce, Ga. May 2006
MPH—329.26 MPH Commerce, Ga. May 2006



Summit Racing Southern Nationals TV Schedule (ESPN2)

Date & Time (ET) Coverage

Sun., April 28, 6-8 p.m. Qualifying Highlights

Sun., April 29, 11-11:30 a.m. NHRA Race Day

Sun., April 29, 7-10 p.m. Final Eliminations Coverage


www.davidpowersmotorsports.com

David Tatum III Wins Super Gas at Jegs.com Cajun SPORTSnationals

Congratulations to David Tatum III for another win!
NHRA Recap