Admittedly Pro Stock legend Warren Johnson says it takes a lot to pique his interest when it comes to naturally aspirated drag racing. However, recent moves by the NHRA and a rampant rumor mill suggesting the inclusion of Mountain Motor Pro Stock might be on the horizon has the Professor of Pro Stock interested.

Rumors have flooded the NHRA Pro Stock community suggesting the sanctioning body plans to include these cars ino the category in 2019, and hosting an eight-car exhibition Mountain Motor event during the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals did little to squelch the talk, and in some circles only added fuel to the fire.

Johnson has said in multiple interviews that his days of racing in the mountain motor Pro Stock division under the IHRA sanction taught him how to win. The stats confirm this as Johnson won back-to-back championships in 1979 and 1980.

"Doesn’t bother me at all. The more, the merrier, as long as they don’t let them run the same way they ran," Johnson said. "If they’re trying to stimulate the Pro Stock category by including different combinations, you know as long as they’re competitive, I got no problem with that. I don’t think they’ll be as consistent and they’re a high maintenance deal, so I don’t see a lot of people racing them."

Johnson raced in 1988, the year the IHRA merged the two Pro Stock formats in one class, and enjoyed reasonable success. He raced a 500-inch engine then but says now he's not opposed to considering a big engine if he comes back.

"Only if they prove to have a significant advantage," Johnson said. "They’re way easier to drive. The Mountain Motor cars are like a big ole’ Clydesdale. You’ve got plenty of power, they just don’t move real fast and don’t do anything skittish. The NHRA stuff is like a skitzy Thoroughbred. You just don’t have any idea what the hell it’s going to do."

Not so long ago, Johnson tested a mountain motor Pro Stocker for John Montecalvo.

"I tested for him a few times when he couldn’t get down here," Johnson confirmed. "I enjoyed the hell out of driving that thing. It was fast. I think we went 4.10 in the eighth with that thing, 180 something. I mean it was fast, it was just a lot simpler to drive. It was easier to drive; I shouldn’t say simpler. Just easier to drive, more comfortable.

Johnson said sponsorship is the only thing standing in his way. If and when the obstacle is cleared, and the opportunity presents itself, he's very much open to the road less traveled.

"Only if it proved to have a competitive advantage," Johnson said. "That’s what I’m saying. If I come back, I’m coming back to race for the money. I’m not out there just to enjoy myself. "

What if they were even?

"I would look at it from the standpoint of with the better-treated tracks that they have nowadays and then the cost, the maintenance level," Johnson said. "I don’t know where they are maintenance-wise right now. I know they were relatively high-maintenance, but it’s just cost per run is what it boils down to. You’ve got [Jon] Kaase, and you’ve got Sonny Leonard both of them are absolutely rich in history with those big motors, so I’d probably just go buy one from them and then refine it from there."

If there's one regret Johnson has is that a past adversary won't be there. 

"Driving Rickie Smith nuts, I will miss not being able to do that," Johnson said.  "We were actually good for each other as far as racing is concerned, because we were both out there for the same reason, and that was just to win. You know, you have to give Rickie a lot of credit for what he’s done in the Mountain Motor stuff, and then in the Pro Mod category. He’s a real racer, and there’s very few of them."

And just for the record, Johnson isn't really interested in Pro Modified.