ACDelco's Kurt Johnson continues to stay on the steady pace he set last weekend in Charlotte, and
today's strong first-day showing during time trials at the 24th annual O'Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals
at Texas Motorplex has the veteran Pro Stock competitor qualified in the No. 6 position.
Johnson's ACDelco Chevrolet laid down a 6.642 e.t. at 208.42 mph during round one of Friday
qualifying and then came back in the evening session with an improved 6.639-second run at 208.42
mph.
"Both runs were definitely smooth but we still have work to do," Johnson said. "We're not the
fastest but we're in the top six and the consistency is there. It's good to not worry about the
car. We can let the clutch out and it goes straight down the track. That's what we have right now;
we just have to tune on it and see if we can get the ACDelco Chevrolet set up for tomorrow
morning."
Johnson and the rest of the Pro Stock class are now looking ahead to Saturday's morning session
which many feel may be the best qualifying opportunity of the weekend.
"It will be a little bit better," Johnson said. "If we make a good hit there's no reason why we
can't be in the top three or four. We'll try to make a move and gain some more points."
Johnson has three wins and has competed in five final rounds at the Texas Motorplex. He defeated
Warren Johnson in the finals of the 1993 event, Robert Patrick in the championship round in 1995
and Jeg Coughlin in 2000. He was runner-up to Jim Yates in 1996 and to Mike Edwards at the
discontinued spring contest in 1998. He was No. 1 qualifier at the Fall Nationals in '97 and at the
spring race in 2000. Johnson enters this year's Fall Nationals in seventh place in the Full
Throttle standings.
"I'm excited about racing in Dallas," Johnson said. "It makes it a lot easier when you're not
making major changes on the race car. All you have to do is make sure you get the gearing and the
clutch right, and make sure it goes straight. I'm definitely fired up about the fact we're running
fast again."
The No. 1 qualifier tonight is Mike Edwards in a Pontiac. Edwards took the top spot with a 6.597
second run at 209.88 mph
The O'Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Tex., on Sept. 24 - 27, is the
second race on the six-event NHRA Countdown to 1 for the 2009 Full Throttle Championship.
Qualifying coverage can be seen on ESPN2 on Sunday, Sept. 27, beginning at 12:15 a.m. Eastern.
Final eliminations coverage gets underway on Sunday, Sept. 27, with NHRA Race Day starting at 11
a.m., and a repeat broadcast of qualifying gets underway at 11:30 a.m. A three-hour telecast of
final eliminations kicks off at 7 p.m. Eastern.
