[coverattach=1]PHOENIX, Feb. 22, 2009 – ACDelco's Kurt Johnson jumped right back into the thick of the NHRA Full Throttle Pro Stock standings today by advancing to the final round at the 25th annual Lucas Oil Slick Mist NHRA Nationals at Firebird International Raceway. Johnson faced defending series champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. in the championship heat, and for the first time in eight final-round battles between the two on-track rivals (dating back to 1998), Johnson came away on the losing end.
"That was good racing in the finals," Johnson said. "We've run him seven other times in a final round and he had never beaten us – until today. He’s (Coughlin) a great competitor. He's consistent, he has a great program over there and when you beat him you beat the best. Today wasn't our day but that's only going to make us meaner for the ACDelco Gatornationals."
Johnson entered the Sunday eliminator at FIR with his ACDelco Chevrolet qualified in the No. 6 position, and throughout the weekend, the red white and blue Cobalt improved with every run it made down the race track, adapting to changes in both air and track conditions.
Johnson defeated Larry Morgan in round one with a 6.626 second run at 208.75, his best e.t. and speed of the weekend. Johnson's starting line advantage in round two made his 6.646 second e.t. a holeshot winner over Allen Johnson, and in round three he defeated Greg Stanfield with a 6.647 e.t. at 208.23 mph. In the championship round, Coughlin's yellow and black Chevrolet took the win light with a 6.643 e.t. at 208.01 mph to Johnson's 6.647-second run at 208.41 mph. The margin of victory at the stripe was .023 of a second.
"Our car has been really good since we brought it out last year," Johnson said. "To come in here, with the limited testing we did over the winter, the dismal weather conditions at Pomona, and not making any legitimate runs there, it felt good to go some rounds today."
It was the 74th final-round appearance for the 45-year-old resident of Lawrenceville, Ga., and the fourth time he has reached the championship round at FIR ( to go along with his three wins at this venue). From a points perspective, it was a solid all around weekend for the ACDelco driver, especially coming off of his disappointing opening race at the NHRA Winternationals. With his three round wins today, and his 127 total points, Johnson moves from 10th to sixth place in the Full Throttle Pro Stock standings, a slim five points out of fifth place.
"We have a super program – a good, consistent program with great people working for us and the support of everyone at ACDelco," Johnson said. "It's a matter of paying attention to the details. We know we have the power, even though we only qualified sixth. Some other cars ran quicker than us, and a little bit faster, so we know we have work to do, but that's what it's all about and we're still having fun."
The next stop on the schedule is the 40th annual ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals on March 12 -15 at Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Fla.
"We'll have to make some runs beforehand," Johnson said. "We're going to go back and take a good look at the information we got form the weekend and see how we can get this ACDelco Cobalt to go faster. We know we're lacking in 60-foot, and 330-foot when it's down low, and a little bit in speed up high. We have a lot of areas to work on so we'll burn some midnight oil working on the dyno, burn up some Goodyear tires on the race track and go to work."
NHRA Pro Stock Top 10 After Two Races: 1. Jason Line, 171; 2. Jeg Coughlin Jr.. 169; 3. Greg Anderson, 155; 4. Mike Edwards, 153; 5. Allen Johnson, 132; 6. Kurt Johnson, 127; 7. Greg Stanfield, 104; 8. Ron Krisher, 103; 9. Jim Yates, 84; 10. Johnny Gray, 83.
ACDelco is a global leader in high-quality automotive replacement parts and related services and offers quality aftermarket products for all makes and models, plus GM original equipment replacement parts.
"That was good racing in the finals," Johnson said. "We've run him seven other times in a final round and he had never beaten us – until today. He’s (Coughlin) a great competitor. He's consistent, he has a great program over there and when you beat him you beat the best. Today wasn't our day but that's only going to make us meaner for the ACDelco Gatornationals."
Johnson entered the Sunday eliminator at FIR with his ACDelco Chevrolet qualified in the No. 6 position, and throughout the weekend, the red white and blue Cobalt improved with every run it made down the race track, adapting to changes in both air and track conditions.
Johnson defeated Larry Morgan in round one with a 6.626 second run at 208.75, his best e.t. and speed of the weekend. Johnson's starting line advantage in round two made his 6.646 second e.t. a holeshot winner over Allen Johnson, and in round three he defeated Greg Stanfield with a 6.647 e.t. at 208.23 mph. In the championship round, Coughlin's yellow and black Chevrolet took the win light with a 6.643 e.t. at 208.01 mph to Johnson's 6.647-second run at 208.41 mph. The margin of victory at the stripe was .023 of a second.
"Our car has been really good since we brought it out last year," Johnson said. "To come in here, with the limited testing we did over the winter, the dismal weather conditions at Pomona, and not making any legitimate runs there, it felt good to go some rounds today."
It was the 74th final-round appearance for the 45-year-old resident of Lawrenceville, Ga., and the fourth time he has reached the championship round at FIR ( to go along with his three wins at this venue). From a points perspective, it was a solid all around weekend for the ACDelco driver, especially coming off of his disappointing opening race at the NHRA Winternationals. With his three round wins today, and his 127 total points, Johnson moves from 10th to sixth place in the Full Throttle Pro Stock standings, a slim five points out of fifth place.
"We have a super program – a good, consistent program with great people working for us and the support of everyone at ACDelco," Johnson said. "It's a matter of paying attention to the details. We know we have the power, even though we only qualified sixth. Some other cars ran quicker than us, and a little bit faster, so we know we have work to do, but that's what it's all about and we're still having fun."
The next stop on the schedule is the 40th annual ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals on March 12 -15 at Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Fla.
"We'll have to make some runs beforehand," Johnson said. "We're going to go back and take a good look at the information we got form the weekend and see how we can get this ACDelco Cobalt to go faster. We know we're lacking in 60-foot, and 330-foot when it's down low, and a little bit in speed up high. We have a lot of areas to work on so we'll burn some midnight oil working on the dyno, burn up some Goodyear tires on the race track and go to work."
NHRA Pro Stock Top 10 After Two Races: 1. Jason Line, 171; 2. Jeg Coughlin Jr.. 169; 3. Greg Anderson, 155; 4. Mike Edwards, 153; 5. Allen Johnson, 132; 6. Kurt Johnson, 127; 7. Greg Stanfield, 104; 8. Ron Krisher, 103; 9. Jim Yates, 84; 10. Johnny Gray, 83.
ACDelco is a global leader in high-quality automotive replacement parts and related services and offers quality aftermarket products for all makes and models, plus GM original equipment replacement parts.
