Memphis: Kurt Johnson Saturday notes

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Oct. 3, 2009 -- Kurt Johnson finished qualifying for the 22nd annual O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals in the No. 12 position after driving the ACDelco Chevrolet to a 6.621-second run at 209.49 mph.

"We're really having an issue with that starting line," Johnson said. "The car's not making smooth runs for the first three gears and that's where all the e.t. is. It's running fine the back-half of the racetrack, but we're a solid five hundredths behind where we should be. If we can hit it right tomorrow morning we can go out and make some runs, but it's just a matter of hitting it right.

"I think it was a tire issue to start with (on Friday); the thing was just spinning and the tires went away. They were tires that have been acting good in the last couple of races we've been to, but we took them off and then burnt the clutch out on that last run. Going forward, that's one variable that we can eliminate, and then we can work on the rest of the race car."

Johnson won the Mid-South Nationals in 2006, and was runner-up to Warren Johnson in 1998 and Greg Anderson in 2005. A victory on Sunday would mark his 40th career trip to the winner's circle. Johnson will race No. 5 qualifier Ron Krisher in round one of eliminations on Sunday.

"I think the right lane seems to be a little bit faster out there, but we're probably going to be in the left lane in the first round," Johnson said. "We've been down the left lane straight twice so far, and we've actually made our better runs in the left lane. We'll regroup and hopefully get a good light and move on."

-credit: jjr