Kurt Johnson
Encyclopedia
Kurt Johnson is a professional American drag racing driver. He was born in Virginia, Minnesota
, and currently resides in Buford, Georgia
. He competes in the NHRA’s POWERade Drag Racing series, driving a Chevrolet Cobalt
in the Pro Stock category. His primary sponsor is ACDelco, for whom he has driven for since 1996.
) racing efforts from the start. He traveled with his family to races around the country, and started by odd jobs with the three-person crew (including his father and mother Arlene), beginning with sweeping floors at the shop. It was through these jobs that Kurt learned the business. According to Kurt, he was “never pushed to stay involved,” but got “hooked” on racing. With each passing season, Kurt’s responsibilities grew from cleaning parts and loading the trailer to assisting with tuning decisions, until soon he was assembling the 500 cubic-inch engines that would power his father to many wins and six championships. Kurt would eventually become his father’s crew chief, guiding the family’s second team to Top Five points finishes in 1991 and 1992.
at the 1993 NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, CA, qualifying fifteenth, and won two rounds before being narrowly defeated by former teammate Scott Geoffrion in the semi-finals. Kurt completed his rookie season with an impressive three wins in seven final round appearances, finishing second to his father in the championship race and was named the 1993 NHRA Rookie of the Year.
On May 20, 1994, he earned a permanent place in NHRA history by recording the first Pro Stock six-second pass, with his 6.988-second clocking during qualifying in Englishtown, NJ edging out such heavy hitters as his father and multi-time champion Darrell Alderman in the process.
In 1996, Kurt joined forces with his current sponsor ACDelco, which is now one of the longest continuous sponsorships in the sport.
Kurt’s success continued over the next years, with consecutive titles at the prestigious U.S. Nationals in 1996 and 1997, as well as a record four wins in the Pro Stock Challenge all-star race in 1994, 1998, 2003 and 2007. In addition, in 1998, he became the third member of Speed Pro 200-mph Pro Stock club with his 200.13 mph run in Gainesville, FL.
Kurt has also continually shown his prowess as a driver. For example, en route to winning the 2005 ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals in Las Vegas, Nevada
, Kurt not only set low elapsed time and top speed of the event, but also used a .002 reaction to eliminate arch-rival Greg Anderson on a 6.839 – 6.821-second holeshot, his second such win of the day.
Since 2005, Kurt has logged four additional wins, including the SummirRacing.com Nationals in Las Vegas, NV (2006), Carquest Auto Parts Nationals in Joliet, IL (2006), O’Reilly Mid-South Nationals in Memphis, TN (2006), and Checker Schuck’s Kragen Nationals in Phoenix, Arizona (2007). These wins extended Kurt’s fourteen-year streak of winning at least one race a year, which is the second longest streak among all NHRA professional categories. Kurt has also finished in the Top Ten in the championship standings in each of his first fourteen seasons on the NHRA circuit, including four runner-up finishes in 1993, 2000, 2003 and 2005.
Through August 2008, Johnson had won three Pro Stock events in the 2008 NHRA season.
Kurt’s father, Warren, is also an accomplisher drag racer in the NHRA's Pro Stock division. In the 2003 NHRA season Kurt finished second to his father in the championship race, which was the first 1-2 father-son finish in NHRA history, as well as recording the first father-son final round pairing at the 1993 Atlanta event.
1993 NHRA Rookie of the Year (won three events and finished second to his father, Warren, in championship)
39 NHRA national event victories (fifth among Pro Stock drivers)
66 final-round appearances (35 wins and 30 runners-up)
Third Member of Speed-Pro 200 mph Pro Stock Club (ran 200.13 mph on March 14, 1998)
27 career No. 1 qualifiers
Winning streak: Won at least one national event for fourteen consecutive years.
Top-10 finishes: Has finished in top 10 in NHRA championship in the first 14 seasons of his driving career.
Four-time runner-up in NHRA championship (1993, 2000, 2003, 2005)
Rounds won: 447 round wins, 251 losses through 3/1/07 (698 total rounds, 64% winning average)
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, and currently resides in Buford, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. He competes in the NHRA’s POWERade Drag Racing series, driving a Chevrolet Cobalt
Chevrolet Cobalt
The Chevrolet Cobalt is a compact car introduced by Chevrolet in 2004 for the 2005 model year. The Cobalt replaced both the Cavalier and the Prizm as Chevrolet's compact car....
in the Pro Stock category. His primary sponsor is ACDelco, for whom he has driven for since 1996.
Early career
Born in Virginia, Minnesota, Kurt was immersed in his father’s (Hall of Fame Pro Stock racer Warren JohnsonWarren Johnson
Warren Johnson is an NHRA drag racing driver. He is the driver with the most wins in pro stock with 97 career wins, earning himself the nickname The Professor of Pro Stock.-Career:...
) racing efforts from the start. He traveled with his family to races around the country, and started by odd jobs with the three-person crew (including his father and mother Arlene), beginning with sweeping floors at the shop. It was through these jobs that Kurt learned the business. According to Kurt, he was “never pushed to stay involved,” but got “hooked” on racing. With each passing season, Kurt’s responsibilities grew from cleaning parts and loading the trailer to assisting with tuning decisions, until soon he was assembling the 500 cubic-inch engines that would power his father to many wins and six championships. Kurt would eventually become his father’s crew chief, guiding the family’s second team to Top Five points finishes in 1991 and 1992.
Racing career
Originally sent by Warren to Roy Hill’s racing school to improve the dialogue between driver and crew chief, the move led Kurt to consider getting behind the wheel. He made his competitive driving debut in a Pro Stock Oldsmobile CutlassOldsmobile Cutlass
The Oldsmobile Cutlass is a line of automobiles made by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors. The Cutlass began as a unibody compact car, but saw its greatest success as a body-on-frame intermediate car....
at the 1993 NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, CA, qualifying fifteenth, and won two rounds before being narrowly defeated by former teammate Scott Geoffrion in the semi-finals. Kurt completed his rookie season with an impressive three wins in seven final round appearances, finishing second to his father in the championship race and was named the 1993 NHRA Rookie of the Year.
On May 20, 1994, he earned a permanent place in NHRA history by recording the first Pro Stock six-second pass, with his 6.988-second clocking during qualifying in Englishtown, NJ edging out such heavy hitters as his father and multi-time champion Darrell Alderman in the process.
In 1996, Kurt joined forces with his current sponsor ACDelco, which is now one of the longest continuous sponsorships in the sport.
Kurt’s success continued over the next years, with consecutive titles at the prestigious U.S. Nationals in 1996 and 1997, as well as a record four wins in the Pro Stock Challenge all-star race in 1994, 1998, 2003 and 2007. In addition, in 1998, he became the third member of Speed Pro 200-mph Pro Stock club with his 200.13 mph run in Gainesville, FL.
Kurt has also continually shown his prowess as a driver. For example, en route to winning the 2005 ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, Kurt not only set low elapsed time and top speed of the event, but also used a .002 reaction to eliminate arch-rival Greg Anderson on a 6.839 – 6.821-second holeshot, his second such win of the day.
Since 2005, Kurt has logged four additional wins, including the SummirRacing.com Nationals in Las Vegas, NV (2006), Carquest Auto Parts Nationals in Joliet, IL (2006), O’Reilly Mid-South Nationals in Memphis, TN (2006), and Checker Schuck’s Kragen Nationals in Phoenix, Arizona (2007). These wins extended Kurt’s fourteen-year streak of winning at least one race a year, which is the second longest streak among all NHRA professional categories. Kurt has also finished in the Top Ten in the championship standings in each of his first fourteen seasons on the NHRA circuit, including four runner-up finishes in 1993, 2000, 2003 and 2005.
Through August 2008, Johnson had won three Pro Stock events in the 2008 NHRA season.
Personal life
Away from the track, Kurt enjoys spending time with his wife Kathy and their three children, Conner, Erin and Jarrett at their home in Buford, Georgia. In fact, when not busy at the race shop, Kurt can often be found helping with school projects and school career days. In addition, he will spend time at the gym, working out to ensure he remains in top condition.Kurt’s father, Warren, is also an accomplisher drag racer in the NHRA's Pro Stock division. In the 2003 NHRA season Kurt finished second to his father in the championship race, which was the first 1-2 father-son finish in NHRA history, as well as recording the first father-son final round pairing at the 1993 Atlanta event.
Career highlights
First Pro Stock driver in NHRA history to run a 6-second elapsed time (6.988 seconds, Englishtown, N.J. on May 20, 1994); first member of Holley 6-Second Pro Stock Club.1993 NHRA Rookie of the Year (won three events and finished second to his father, Warren, in championship)
39 NHRA national event victories (fifth among Pro Stock drivers)
66 final-round appearances (35 wins and 30 runners-up)
Third Member of Speed-Pro 200 mph Pro Stock Club (ran 200.13 mph on March 14, 1998)
27 career No. 1 qualifiers
Winning streak: Won at least one national event for fourteen consecutive years.
Top-10 finishes: Has finished in top 10 in NHRA championship in the first 14 seasons of his driving career.
Four-time runner-up in NHRA championship (1993, 2000, 2003, 2005)
Rounds won: 447 round wins, 251 losses through 3/1/07 (698 total rounds, 64% winning average)