Mon, May 11, 09:42 PM The Warren Report

Courtesy of Rick Voegelin Mopar Parts Edition

ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. - WARREN'S WORDS

"There's more to driving a Pro Stock than most people realize. It's like driving a passenger car at 150 mph in the rain. These cars are loose all the time."

LONE STAR REPORT

For Warren Johnson, the Lone Star Nationals, held May 1-3 at the Texas Motorplex, was a good news/bad news kind of race. The good news: W.J. qualified No. 1 for the third time this season. The bad news: He lost in the first round of eliminations to Bruce Allen on a holeshot. The better news: Warren remains atop the Winston championship standings with a 176-point lead over Jim Yates.

"The week before in Virginia, we won one race by a thousandth of a second, and won another by five thousandths," Warren recalled. "This time we lost a close one. That's why they call it racing."

PRO STOCK CHALLENGE

On Saturday, May 16, an elite field of eight drivers will race for a $76,000 purse in the Pro Stock Challenge, a special "race within a race" at the Mopar Parts Nationals. Warren Johnson is the No. 1 seed based on his qualifying performances over the last year. Kurt Johnson is the No. 3 seed.

Warren is the only driver who has competed in every Pro Stock Challenge since its inception in 1985. He's won twice (1993 and 1995) and scored three runner-up finishes (1989, 1990, and 1996).

Kurt Johnson won the Pro Stock Challenge in his first appearance in 1994. He's qualified for the special event five straight years.

TRIVIAL PURSUITS

Answers to last issue's W.J. trivia questions: When was the last time that Warren Johnson failed to qualify at an NHRA national event? Answer: 1987 Gatornationals, Gainesville, Fla. He was 19th on the qualifying list.

Extra credit question: At what event did Warren Johnson qualify but not compete in final eliminations? Answer: 1991 Winston Finals, Pomona, Calif. Johnson qualified No. 2, but did not race when final eliminations were postponed one week due to rain. Having already clinched the No. 2 spot in the championship standings, W.J. honored his previous commitment to race in Japan, where he became the first international Pro Stock champion.

ENGLISHTOWN RECORD Warren Johnson's year-by-year Mopar Parts Nationals results:

     Year          Qualified   Result
     1975          14          Second Round
     1976          5           Second Round
     1977          9           First Round
     1978          7           First Round
     1981          11          First Round
     1982          4           Winner (over Shepherd)
     1983          5           Second Round
     1984          2           Second Round
     1985          2           Second Round
     1986          2           Winner (over Coonce)
     1987          2           Second Round
     1988          2           Second Round
     1989          7           First Round
     1990          2           Second Round
     1991          1           Second Round
     1992          1           Winner (over Smith)
     1993          1           Winner (over K. Johnson)
     1994          7           Second Round
     1995          1           First Round
     1996          2           Runner-up (to Yates)
     1997          2           First Round

     Total Races   21
     Wins          4
     Runners-up    1
     Semi-Finals   0
     Second Round  10
     First Round   6