Tue, May 26, 09:17 AM The Warren Report:

Courtesy of Rick Voegelin Route 66 Nationals Edition

JOLIET, Ill. -

WARREN'S WORDS

"When the tracks were cool, nobody could touch us. Now with the warmer weather, we're having trouble applying the power to the pavement. That's the challenge -- to calm down the car to the point that we can get down the track successfully on every run. The fuel cars are trying to accomplish the same thing, but their failures are more spectacular because they go up in smoke instantly. A Pro Stock just turns the tires and hits the gear changes too hard. It's one of those subtle things that causes a car to slow down, but from a spectator's standpoint, you can't see what's happening."

ENGLISHTOWN REPORT

W.J. recorded the first 200 mph Pro Stock run at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J., during qualifying for the Mopar Parts Nationals on May 15. He hit the double-century mark dead-on at 200.00 mph to set the track speed record. Warren has now recorded 15 of the 18 NHRA Pro Stock passes over 200 mph. He has also turned in the Top Speed at every national event in 1998 -- eight straight races.

Johnson defeated a red-lighting George Marnell in the first round of eliminations, but lost lane choice for his second-round match with Jeg Coughlin, Jr. That proved to be his undoing. Coughlin defeated Johnson, 6.957/198.90 to 6.974/199.29.

"If you were in the right lane, you had a better-than-even chance of winning," Warren reported. "If you were in the left, your chances were pretty slim."

"I've had better days, and I've had worse ones," W.J. added. "You take your best guess, and sometimes it doesn't work out. We only lost 19 points to Yates [second to Johnson in the Winston points standings]. Realistically, that's not too bad."

UNCHARTED TERRITORY

Championship drag racing will finally come to Chicago when the new Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill., hosts the inaugural Fram Route 66 Nationals on May 28-31. Warren Johnson's record at new races is formidable: He won the inaugural Pennzoil Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park, the inaugural Sears Craftsman Nationals in Madison, Ill., and the inaugural Lone Star Nationals in Dallas.

"We're going to Chicago with the intention of winning that one, too," Warren said. "I've raced on every kind of track in the country -- I've raced at tracks that don't even have names! That experience probably helps when we go to a new facility because I've driven on all types of surfaces. I tend to do better on a slick track because I can drive a loose race car better than a lot of guys. That may be an advantage on a 'green' track. On the other hand, the place could be a mineshaft. We just don't know. It's a brand-new track and no one will have any data until we make our first pass."