[coverattach=1]GAINESVILLE, Fla., March 14, 2009 – Kurt Johnson saved his best qualifying effort for the last day of time trials with a nearly flawless run on Saturday at the 40th annual ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway. Johnson's 6.603-second e.t. at 208.46 mph in the ACDelco Chevrolet enabled the 17-year Pro Stock veteran to jump to the No. 4 position for Sunday's eliminator, his best starting spot of the young 2009 season.
"We came here from Valdosta (Ga.) the other day and we were suffering yesterday," Johnson said immediately following his qualifying time of record. "We were off four of five hundredths on correction and we put our heads together, looked at what was going on, and that run was absolutely flawless. It was absolutely sweet."
Johnson entered today's final two qualifying sessions with the ACDelco Chevrolet parked in the No. 7 position, but nearly five hundredths of-a-second off the class leaders. Johnson's run today during the first session was the second quickest of the round, and it puts him within striking distance of pole setter Mike Edwards' 6.582 e.t effort.
"You concentrate on the highs, and that first run today was huge," Johnson said. "To go from seventh to fourth, and pick up like we did, and be within striking range of the guys who are running a little bit faster, it's very encouraging. They've been working on their stuff and are ahead of the game right now. We've been in that position before, and when you get within a hundredth or two, you know there's always the tree – I was 30 (reaction time) on that last hit. I'm pretty pumped up.
"As long as we make the right calls on the car, because we know it's going to be a tricky race track tomorrow, and our ACDelco Cobalt goes A to B, I'm pretty confident. There wouldn't be anything better than to win the ACDelco Gatornationals. To get in the show solid, though, as tricky as that track is going to be, anybody can win this thing tomorrow."
The 45-year-old Johnson is coming off a runner-up performance at Phoenix where he advanced to his 74th career final-round. Johnson has been competing at the ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals since 1993. He won this event in 2003 and was runner-up in 1999. Johnson will race Steve Spiess in round one of Sunday's eliminator.
"When you're not running that number it makes you work harder and look at things and say, 'hey, we need to try this,' or 'we need to do that.' It's what a challenge is all about and we love challenges. The ACDelco Gatornationals would be a good one for us to win."
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"We came here from Valdosta (Ga.) the other day and we were suffering yesterday," Johnson said immediately following his qualifying time of record. "We were off four of five hundredths on correction and we put our heads together, looked at what was going on, and that run was absolutely flawless. It was absolutely sweet."
Johnson entered today's final two qualifying sessions with the ACDelco Chevrolet parked in the No. 7 position, but nearly five hundredths of-a-second off the class leaders. Johnson's run today during the first session was the second quickest of the round, and it puts him within striking distance of pole setter Mike Edwards' 6.582 e.t effort.
"You concentrate on the highs, and that first run today was huge," Johnson said. "To go from seventh to fourth, and pick up like we did, and be within striking range of the guys who are running a little bit faster, it's very encouraging. They've been working on their stuff and are ahead of the game right now. We've been in that position before, and when you get within a hundredth or two, you know there's always the tree – I was 30 (reaction time) on that last hit. I'm pretty pumped up.
"As long as we make the right calls on the car, because we know it's going to be a tricky race track tomorrow, and our ACDelco Cobalt goes A to B, I'm pretty confident. There wouldn't be anything better than to win the ACDelco Gatornationals. To get in the show solid, though, as tricky as that track is going to be, anybody can win this thing tomorrow."
The 45-year-old Johnson is coming off a runner-up performance at Phoenix where he advanced to his 74th career final-round. Johnson has been competing at the ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals since 1993. He won this event in 2003 and was runner-up in 1999. Johnson will race Steve Spiess in round one of Sunday's eliminator.
"When you're not running that number it makes you work harder and look at things and say, 'hey, we need to try this,' or 'we need to do that.' It's what a challenge is all about and we love challenges. The ACDelco Gatornationals would be a good one for us to win."
Visit the ACDelco Racing/Kurt Johnson Facebook Fan Page at: Login | Facebook
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.
