Phoenix: Kurt Johnson Saturday summary

KJ Will Roll Off Fourth in Phoenix

Qualifying for the Checker Schuck's Kragen Nationals was completed on Saturday at Firebird Raceway with Kurt Johnson qualifying his ACDelco Cavalier in the fourth position.

Even though his 6.746-second, 204.51 mph effort from Friday evening remained his run of record, Johnson and his crew showed they were ready for Sunday's final eliminations by posting the quickest elapsed time in their lane during each of the final two sessions. After opening with a 6.753-second pass in the morning, KJ finished with a 6.768-second on his final time trial, displaying the consistency necessary to go rounds on race day.

"We're pretty pleased. We tried a few things today, as we keep gathering information about this new engine combination. We thought it might run a little quicker on that last run, but it spun the tires a bit, which cost us. Even so, we learned something.

"For the most part, we've been leaving the engine alone, and concentrated on getting the clutch right. In some cases, you have to put four or five runs in a row on a particular set-up to figure out if it works or not, which is hard to do at a national event. It's all about getting the power to the ground, and I think we're getting a handle on it.

"Most importantly, this ACDelco Cavalier is making good, consistent runs. We'll tune it up for the morning, put her right on through with a '.74 or '75, and see what we can do from there."

-j2r-