NHRA

Englishtown: Kurt Johnson final summary

A Familiar Foe Edges KJ in the Englishtown Semifinals After qualifying first for Sunday's final eliminations of the NHRA SuperNationals in Englishtown, NJ, ACDelco Cobalt pilot Kurt Johnson seemed ready to score his first win at the legendary ...

Edited: Jun 20, 2005, 3:53 AM

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A Familiar Foe Edges KJ in the Englishtown Semifinals

After qualifying first for Sunday's final eliminations of the NHRA SuperNationals in Englishtown, NJ, ACDelco Cobalt pilot Kurt Johnson seemed ready to score his first win at the legendary quarter-mile. In the first two rounds, Johnson posted successive 6.6-second, 206 mph passes to defeat veterans Ron Krisher and Rickie Smith.

The final obstacle between KJ and his third Raceway Park final round was a familiar opponent -- his father, Warren Johnson. Unfortunately, the contest was over almost immediately, as shortly after launching, the younger Johnson's car suffered extreme tire shake, forcing him to shut off early and allow his father to drive on for the win.

"Throughout qualifying the ACDelco Cobalt ran as straight as a string, and we thought we had something for them today. Unfortunately, this new car is a totally different set-up from what we ran before, and, as we saw today, we still have a few things to learn.

"After spinning the tires in the first round, we made some changes and it picked up in the second round against Rickie. We then made further adjustments for the semis against Dad, but, even though the track temperature was the same as it was in the second round, with sunshine having replaced the clouds, the composition of the racing surface was completely different. As a result, it just shook and spun so hard that I had to shut off.

"The performance is there -- we just have to get a better handle on our race car. Realistically, making it to the semifinals is a good day, but we are never completely satisfied unless we win. Fortunately, we have a short week before we get the chance to get that win in St. Louis."

-j2r-

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