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David Dilbeck
david@GeorgiaDragRacing.com
http://GeorgiaDragRacing.com
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Georgia Drag Racing News
Sometimes, David may have some additional photos he'd like to share that don't get linked into the main site. If you'd like to see them, check out his Photos on Imagestation.com or in our new Photo Album.
February 2002
The Google search box
Posted Wednesday, February 27, 2002 by johndilbeck
On every page of this site, in the left-hand column, is a special Google search box. Searching the web, DavidDilbeck.com, or JohnDilbeck.com works as expected. Searching this site still isn't working. We're still less than a month old and Google hasn't added us to their database, yet. They have spidered the site on a couple of occasions, so we should be added to their database in March or April, after which the search box should work as expected. Thanks for pointing this situation out to me.
Formatting changes
Posted Wednesday, February 27, 2002 by johndilbeck
I create this site on a Macintosh and I recently became aware that it looks very different when viewed on a Windows PC system. The vertical spacing problem seems to be solved, but there are still several issues related to the sizes of fonts and horizontal spacing. I've modified the CSS files in an attempt to alleviate these problems. If you're seeing weird spacing or font problems, please feel free to point them out to David or me. Thanks.
More photos added
Posted Wednesday, February 27, 2002 by johndilbeck
24 new photos were added today (GDR-00057 through GDR-00080). A number of the photo thumbnail pages were updated, too.
Warren Johnson Press Release
Posted Tuesday, February 26, 2002 by DavidDilbeck
Mon, 25 Feb 2002, 07:37 PM
Johnson Advances to 136th Career Final in Phoenix
Courtesy of Rick Voegelin
CHANDLER, Ariz. -- Warren Johnson came within one round of defending his Pro Stock title at the CSK Nationals on Sunday at Firebird International Raceway. Johnson advanced to the final round of eliminations for the 136th time in his career where he faced No. 2 qualifier Bruce Allen. Allen took the victory, 6.904 at 199.02 mph, while Johnson slowed to a 7.470-second elapsed time. It was W.J.'s 49th runner-up finish in NHRA competition.
"The way I see it, only one guy felt better than I did after the race," Johnson joked. "The conditions were hot, but the car responded well. We were just a little too greedy in the final round.
"In the semifinal round, we backed the car off too far," he explained. "Then in the final round, we went too far the other way. We spun the tires hard in first gear and shook them in second, so at that point the race was over."
Johnson's GM Performance Parts Pontiac set the track elapsed time record at 6.865 seconds in his first-round victory over J.R. Carr. Warren's 201.52 mph clocking on that run was the fastest speed in eliminations.
Johnson took out former NBA star Tom Hammonds in the second round, 6.897 to 6.916. He then faced his son Kurt in the semifinal round, the 44th time the pair has raced in national event competition. Warren improved his won/lost record to 32-12 over K.J. as he edged his son, 6.910 at 200.00 mph to Kurt's close 6.918 at 199.73 mph.
The Johnsons are now tied for fourth place in the NHRA POWERade championship with 147 points. They trail points leader Bruce Allen by 24 markers after two of 23 events.
"When you look at the big picture, our two-car program is producing excellent results," Warren noted. "Based on our performances in Pomona and Phoenix, I think we're in good shape for the rest of the year."
The GM Performance Parts team will have a three-week break before the championship chase resumes at the Mac Tools Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. on March 14-17. W.J. virtually owns the fast Florida track where he has won nine times overall and scored victories in three of the last four years.
"I've rented a track for a week for a closed test session before we go to Gainesville," Johnson revealed. "We have some test equipment that has never been available to us before, so we're going to utilize it to our advantage."
WARREN JOHNSON RACE RESULTS
Qualified: No. 5 at 6.890/201.52 mph
First Round: Warren Johnson (6.865/201.52) defeated J.R. Carr (6.893/200.17)
Second Round: Johnson (6.897/200.86) defeated Tom Hammonds (6.916/200.26)
Semifinal: Johnson (6.910/200.00) defeated Kurt Johnson (6.918/199.73)
Final Round: Bruce Allen (6.904/199.02) defeated Johnson (7.470/148.76)
Low ET: Warren Johnson, 6.865 seconds (track record)
Top Speed: Ron Krisher, 201.97 mph (track record)
http://www.summitracing.com/stories/PR-DRAG/20020225-193703-1.htm
Kurt Johnson Press Release
Posted Tuesday, February 26, 2002 by DavidDilbeck
Mon, 25 Feb 2002, 07:37 PM
Kurt Climbs to Fourth in Championship Standings with Semifinal Finish
Courtesy of Rick Voegelin
CHANDLER, Ariz. -- Kurt Johnson continued to show the consistency that eluded him last season as he posted a semifinal finish for the second race in a row. Johnson advanced his ACDelco Cavalier to the third round of eliminations Sunday at the CSK Nationals, where he lost a close decision to his father, six-time champion Warren Johnson, 6.910 at 200.00 mph to 6.918 at 199.73 mph.
"The Old Man beat me again -- what can I say?" Johnson said. "I chose the right lane, which had been good to me all day. I picked up a hundredth of a second in the first 60 feet, and I thought I was looking good, but he got the win light.
"I came to this race 37 points out of the lead, and I'm leaving here just 24 points behind, so we're going the right direction," Kurt noted.
Johnson emerged as the winner of a virtual dead heat in the first round when he defeated Larry Morgan. The pair's combined reaction times and elapsed times were identical, indicating a .000-second margin of victory.
"I knew Larry would put up a good fight," K.J. recalled. "He was making good, straight runs. My ACDelco teammates and I put our heads together and came up with a combination for the first round that really hauled."
Kurt knocked off No. 1 qualifier Ron Krisher in the second round, 6.893 to 6.926. Johnson's winning time was the quickest e.t. of the round.
"This Cavalier just keeps going faster and faster," Johnson observed. "We had the hottest conditions we've seen this year, combined with the lowest humidity and a track surface that was constantly changing. We were conservative in qualifying, and then really stepped up on race day.
"This car is telling us what it wants, and we're listening," Kurt declared. "I'm excited about going to the Gatornationals in three weeks."
KURT JOHNSON RACE RESULTS
Qualified: No. 8 at 6.903/200.71 mph
First Round: Kurt Johnson (6.887/200.80) defeated Larry Morgan(6.911/200.08)
Second Round: Johnson (6.893/200.62) defeated Ron Krisher (6.926/200.83)
Semifinal Round: Warren Johnson (6.910/200.00) defeated Kurt Johnson (6.918/199.73)
Final Round: Bruce Allen (6.904/199.02) defeated Warren Johnson (7.470/148.76)
Low ET: Warren Johnson, 6.865 seconds (track record)
Top Speed: Ron Krisher, 201.97 mph (track record)
http://www.summitracing.com/stories/PR-DRAG/20020225-193703-2.htm
Kurt Johnson Press Release
Posted Wednesday, February 20, 2002 by DavidDilbeck
Wed, 20 Feb 2002, 08:28 AM
Kurt Johnson Primed for Phoenix Shootout
Courtesy of Rick Voegelin
CHANDLER, Ariz. -- You can certainly understand Kurt Johnson's separation anxiety. Following the season-opening Winternationals in Pomona, Calif., Johnson's ACDelco rig has been parked in Phoenix in anticipation of the CSK Nationals at Firebird International Raceway on Feb. 22-24. Among the precious cargo under lock and key in Arizona are Johnson's record-setting GM Drag Race Competition Engines.
"As long as nobody has stolen the trailer, we should be all right," Kurt said from his top-secret engine shop in Sugar Hill, Ga. "With our race engines 2,000 miles away, we've been testing new ideas on the dyno every day. I have my fingers crossed that we'll pick up three or four horsepower before the Gatornationals."
In an engine that produces more than 1,300 horsepower, three or four additional ponies may seem insignificant. But given the ferocity of the competition in Pro Stock, just one horsepower can mean the difference between victory and defeat.
There is also a brand-new ACDelco Cavalier to occupy idle hands in Kurt's workshop. Pro Stock chassis, like Pro Stock engines, are constantly evolving to a higher level.
"This is our fourth-generation car from Jerry Haas, and it looks promising," Kurt reported. "We've widened and strengthened the chassis to make it stiffer. We'll find out soon whether or not it works."
Johnson has experienced the full range of racing emotions at Firebird International Raceway. He crashed there in his rookie season in 1993, and he won there in 1999. This year's event will mark his tenth race at the Arizona track.
"We're going to start off in Phoenix with the car set up just the way it left Pomona," he said. "We think the starting line at Firebird will be a little better than the first 60 feet at the Winternationals. If we need more traction, we know what to do.
"Firebird does have some bumps, and I think our double-rail chassis will be an advantage," Johnson reported. "The stiffer frame lets the shock absorbers do their work. The Cavalier I'm driving now is very similar to the double-rail Camaro that won in Phoenix in 1999. That car stayed hooked up even on a bumpy track, and I hope that this car does the same."
Johnson is fourth in the NHRA POWERade championship standings after a semifinal finish at the K&N Filters Winternationals. He'll be reunited with his beloved engines at Firebird International Raceway before Friday's first qualifying session -- and he's counting the minutes.
For the complete press release, go to:
http://www.summitracing.com/stories/PR-DRAG/20020220-082805-4.htm
Warren Johnson Press Release
Posted Wednesday, February 20, 2002 by DavidDilbeck
Wed, 20 Feb 2002, 08:28 AM
Johnson Counts On Experience in Phoenix Title Defense
Courtesy of Rick Voegelin
CHANDLER, Ariz. -- Motorsports, like politics, makes strange bedfellows. Perhaps no pair in the Pro Stock pits is more unlikely than the silver-haired duo of six-time champion Warren Johnson and consultant Buddy Ingersoll.
Johnson and Ingersoll have a total of 84 years of experience in drag racing. They will certainly have to tap this deep well of knowledge when Johnson defends his Pro Stock title at the CSK Nationals on Feb. 22-24 at Firebird International Raceway near Phoenix.
Both discovered the quarter-mile sport as young men, racing their souped-up Chevys on obscure tracks. While Johnson was learning the rudiments of racing in Minnesota, Ingersoll was perfecting his racecraft at drag strips near his home in Ziegler, Ill.
Like Johnson, Ingersoll often chose the path less traveled. He terrorized the Super Stock classes in the '70s with an oddball Oldsmobile, then campaigned a turbocharged four-cylinder Pinto that horsewhipped the big V8s in Modified eliminator. Next came a turbocharged Buick that outperformed contemporary Pro Stocks despite having a six-cylinder engine with less than half the displacement of a Pro Stock powerplant.
It is a measure of the intensity of the competition in Pro Stock today that the self-reliant Johnson would enlist Ingersoll as an advisor. While Warren remains firmly in charge of his GM Performance Parts team, he relies on Ingersoll for valuable input during a race weekend.
"As the competition becomes keener, you need more eyes to monitor the racetrack and atmospheric conditions," said Johnson. "The more knowledge you have, the better your chances of success.
"Between the two of us, we have nearly nine decades of drag racing experience," W.J. noted. "We've seen all of the ways you can lose a race -- and we're probably guilty of most of them."
Ingersoll, an accomplished mechanic, driver and crew chief, is content with his new role as observer.
"Warren and I laid down the ground rules," he recalled. "My job is to keep my hands in my pockets and pay attention to what's going on with the racetrack.
"Warren has so many obligations at the track that he doesn't have time to deal with all of the details," Ingersoll said. "He tunes the motor, does interviews with the press and meets with his sponsors. My assignment is to stay on top of the setup so the car can use W.J.'s horsepower. I love what I do, and now Warren has a chance to breathe between runs."
Johnson selected Ingersoll from a long list of drivers with Pro Stock experience. Their animated give-and-take in the trailer is based on mutual respect.
"I wanted somebody with experience in both driving and tuning," Johnson reported. "It's difficult to communicate exactly what the car is doing to someone who has never driven a race car. Buddy is a racer, and we speak the same language.
"If we disagree on a change, each of us explains the reasons for his position," Warren continued. "That forces you to examine all of the evidence, and that's the key to our relationship. We're gaining confidence in each other's decisions, and we're also getting input from everyone else on the team. There are simply too many variables for one or two people to analyze correctly."
Is Ingersoll intimidated by working alongside the most successful driver in Pro Stock history, a man who is renowned for his take-no-prisoners attitude? Hardly.
"Warren's a pussycat," Ingersoll laughed. "So far we're getting along just fine."
The Firebird International Raceway quarter-mile will be a supreme test of the pair's newfound friendship. Johnson endured 13 fruitless years in the Arizona desert before he scored his first victory in Phoenix in 1998. Last year he defeated Brad Jeter in the final round to claim his second career victory at Firebird.
"It's a surprise every time we go to Phoenix," W.J. observed. "We never know what to expect from the track. I think that's the reason why we struggled at Firebird for so many years.
"I feel very comfortable with the new GM Performance Parts Grand Am we debuted in Pomona," he continued. "We were competitive in the car's first national event, running a 6.81 in the first round with a broken rocker arm. Then we ran the top speed of the meet in the second round with our back-up motor.
"I'm encouraged that we're going the right direction with our chassis program," W.J. said. "This car has shown no tendency to shake the tires. We made significant changes from last year's chassis, and immediately following the Phoenix race, we'll start work on the next iteration."
The excitement that is evident in Johnson's voice as he describes his plans for yet another chassis echoes the enthusiasm that he must have felt when he first bolted a pair of slicks on his '57 Chevy. For seasoned racers like Warren Johnson and Buddy Ingersoll, the prospect of quicker elapsed times and faster speeds is an elixir that keeps these silver-haired racers forever young.
For the complete press release, go to:
http://www.summitracing.com/stories/PR-DRAG/20020220-082804-3.htm
Updated photos
Posted Wednesday, February 20, 2002 by johndilbeck
6 new photos were added today (GDR-00051 through GDR-00056).
Photos Updated
Posted Saturday, February 16, 2002 by johndilbeck
5 new photos were added today (GDR-00046 through GDR-00050).
More Photos Added
Posted Thursday, February 14, 2002 by johndilbeck
21 new photos were added today (GDR-00025 through GDR-00045).
Also, a new "Drag Strips" section was added so information about various drag strips in Georgia can be maintained.
IHRA News - Holley Pro-Am @ Douglas, GA
Posted Thursday, February 14, 2002 by DavidDilbeck
Wed, 13 Feb 2002, 11:16 AM
Southern Dragway Heats Up Division 2 With Holley Pro-Am Tour Opener
Courtesy of IHRA Communications
DOUGLAS, Ga. -- The 2002 IHRA Drag Racing Season is officially underway with the completion of the first Holley Pro-Am series event, at Southern Dragway in the Division 2 Heat Wave. Among the big first race winners was Monty Joe Bogan, Jr., who took out defending Lunati Super Stock World Champion Anthony Bertozzi, in his own quest to nail down multiple championships in a single season behind the wheel of his fleet of GM Performance Parts-backed cars.
Danny Howell, Jimmy Pritchett, Lee Tuttle, Victor Vickers, Carl Freeman, R.L. Koontz also took home top honors at Southern Dragway, Douglas, Ga. (1/8th mile Southern).
Driver Hometown R/T Dial E.T. MPH
NOS Top Sportsman
Win Danny Howell Youngstown, FL .509 5.30 5.327 132.33
R/U Ronnie Davis Lilburn, GA .522 4.79 4.813 146.53
Annihilator Top Dragster
Win Jimmy Pritchett Grimsley, TN .509 5.13 5.176 131.38
R/U Carry B. Locke Alamo, GA .486 4.92 4.930 139.62
Lunati Super Stock
Win Monty Bogan, Jr. Jonesville, SC .526 6.19 6.195 112.81
R/U Anthony Bertozzi Richmond, VA .513 6.05 6.114 114.28
Earl's Stock
Win Lee Tuttle Albany, GA .526 8.27 8.332 79.47
R/U Bill Howell Aiken, SC .575 8.27 8.319 83.22
Dominator Quick Rod
Win Victor Vickers Douglas, GA .413 5.70 5.817 102.99
R/U Tony Fuller Orlando, FL 1.332 5.70 5.940 107.69
Holley Team G Super Rod
Win Carl Freeman Fernandina Beach, FL .433 6.40 6.413 104.74
R/U Steve Revis Ocala, FL .466 6.40 6.418 119.11
Weiand Hot Rod
Win R.L. Koontz Sarasota, FL .508 7.00 7.013 109.79
R/U Jeremy Head Thomaston, GA .522 7.00 7.009 103.77
Pro Modified
Win Jason Scruggs Saltillo, MS .475 4.027 179.24
R/U Perry Herring Gordo, AL .466 4.147 178.96
Super Gas Association Southeast
Win Bart Graham Weirsdale, FL .422 6.40 6.403
R/U Wayne E. Ernst Port St. Joe, FL .424 6.40 6.411
Best Appearing Car: Billy Vaughn, Top Sportsman
Saturday E.T. Brackets, split money at 21 Pro cars, 13 Sportsman
Warren and Kurt Johnson NHRA Winternationals results
Posted Monday, February 11, 2002 by DavidDilbeck
2002 NHRA Winternationals-Pomona, CA
Pro Stock
Kurt Johnson ( Buford, GA ) qualified #6 with a 6.833 202.88. He defeated Tom Martino in the first round with a 6.827 202.94. In the second round he defeated Larry Morgan with a 6.842 202.70. Kurt was defeated in the semi-finals by Jim Yates after a 6.866 202.42 pass.
Warren Johnson ( Buford, GA )qualified #7 with a 6.840 202.82. He defeated Greg Anderson in the first round with a 6.817 202.82, but was defeated by Jim Yates in round #2. Warren ran 6.857 203.12 in the losing effort.
Mark Whisnant to compete in NHRA Pro Stock
Posted Monday, February 11, 2002 by DavidDilbeck
Stockbridge, GA's Mark Whisnant and RW Performance has announced that Brad Jeter has been hired as Crew Chief on the RW Performance 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier Pro Stock. Mark, the son of Pro Stock pioneer Reid Whisnant, will compete in the 2002 POWERade NHRA Drag Racing series beginning at the Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. Mark previously drove the RW Performance Pro Stock Truck. To view the complete press release, go to:
http://www.summitracing.com/stories/PR-DRAG/20020206-121003-0.htm
GDR Clothing Available
Posted Sunday, February 10, 2002 by johndilbeck
Now, you can purchase shirts, mugs, hats, and mouse pads with the official Georgia Drag Racing logo at :
http://www.cafepress.com/gadragracing
Added more photos
Posted Thursday, February 7, 2002 by johndilbeck
Several more photos were added today (GDR-00019 through GDR-00024). I added navigation links to the large photos so you can view them sequentially, if you like.
The directory was expanded, too.
Updated Photo Gallery
Posted Wednesday, February 6, 2002 by johndilbeck
Over the last couple of days, I've spent a lot of time analyzing how we could host photos so that it would be easy to link to them from different pages, such as the car's class, owner, driver, or who took the photograph. This required making substantial changes, so if you bookmarked a particular page it may no longer be there.
Unless there are serious problems with this organization, I don't foresee changing it in the future, other than by adding additional pages and photos.
This evening, I added 11 more photos.
If you see something that is incorrect, or if you have additional information or comments, feel free to email David.
The entire site was redone to reflect a slightly more streamlined look, to make it a bit easier for the search engines to spider the site, and to incorporate the new logo.
I don't know if the logo is temporary or permanent. Only David can decide that.
GDR Mailing List is now active
Posted Saturday, February 2, 2002 by johndilbeck
The GeorgiaDragRacing mailing list is now active.
Home page:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GeorgiaDragRacing/
Post message:
GeorgiaDragRacing@yahoogroups.com
Subscribe:
GeorgiaDragRacing-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Unsubscribe:
GeorgiaDragRacing-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
Photo Gallery added
Posted Friday, February 1, 2002 by johndilbeck
Today, the Photo Gallery section was added. The organization may change in the next few days, but it should stabilize in a week or so. If you have photos that you'd like to submit to the site, contact David Dilbeck at david@daviddilbeck.com.
GDR News is active.
Posted Friday, February 1, 2002 by johndilbeck
This morning, I installed this news section so that David (and possibly others) can submit news items related to Georgia Drag Racing.
It's live. Enjoy.
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