If you're an NHRA Pro Stock driver faced with a mini slump predicated on nothing more than the result of a combination of highly improbable circumstances (i.e., bad luck), it's nice to know the next stop on the race schedule is a venue that's treated you well over the years. ACDelco's Kurt Johnson's is the defending champion at the 13th annual O'Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals and this week's contest at Gateway International Raceway is one that's been on his calendar for a long time.

"Besides the runner-up at Phoenix we've had five races where we've had odd stuff go wrong," Johnson said. "We haven't been consistent and that's what it's going to take to win races. Mix in some bad luck and you know that things are ready to turn around."

Rather than depending on the mystic qualities of four-leaf clovers, rubbing a rabbit's foot, or scouring the race shop parking lot for a heads-up penny to get them over this dry spell, Johnson and the ACDelco crew are depending on tried-and-true methods that have worked so well for them in the past – hard work and testing.

If you're an NHRA Pro Stock driver faced with a mini slump predicated on nothing more than the result of a combination of highly improbable circumstances (i.e., bad luck), it's nice to know the next stop on the race schedule is a venue that's treated you well over the years. ACDelco's Kurt Johnson's is the defending champion at the 13th annual O'Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals and this week's contest at Gateway International Raceway is one that's been on his calendar for a long time.

"Besides the runner-up at Phoenix we've had five races where we've had odd stuff go wrong," Johnson said. "We haven't been consistent and that's what it's going to take to win races. Mix in some bad luck and you know that things are ready to turn around."

Rather than depending on the mystic qualities of four-leaf clovers, rubbing a rabbit's foot, or scouring the race shop parking lot for a heads-up penny to get them over this dry spell, Johnson and the ACDelco crew are depending on tried-and-true methods that have worked so well for them in the past – hard work and testing.

"We tested Monday at Atlanta and made some pretty good runs," Johnson said. "(Mike) Edwards lined up, ran a 6.64 in the finals and won the race, and we lined up behind him and ran a 6.64.

"You're not going to be down forever, and for darn sure you're not going to be on top forever. We know our time in the sun is coming, but we have to continue working hard to get there. It's not like we’re not doing that already, but it puts a little more fire underneath you when you're not winning to get back to the top, and we're going to work hard get there. I went down a list of reasons on why we've lost races this year, trying to find what we needed to change, and it's not like we need to change a whole lot of things."

The ACDelco Chevrolet driver has gone to the finals three times at St. Louis, and all three times he's walked onto the winner's podium. First in 1998, the second race in which the NHRA had returned to Gateway International Raceway, a more youthful Johnson defeated Jeg Coughlin Jr. in the championship round which just happened to be the first time the two had met for a race win.

"Some places, it's hard to figure out why you've had good success – you just seem to find the winner's circle," Johnson said. "And I don't care why, or how it happens, or how the car runs, as long as I get there – we'll figure it out later."

Fast forward seven years later to 2005, and the Northeast Georgia resident not only would capture the No. 1 qualifying position but also take the race win by defeating Greg Anderson in the final round.

"With three wins there, St. Louis is a facility that's been good to us," Johnson said. "We brought a brand-new racecar there one year and won, and we had a good race weekend there last year. I'm kind of excited to be going someplace where we've had good luck."

Johnson's most recent win at Gateway International Raceway came last year when he took out Dave Connolly in the final round. It was a significant victory for Johnson in more ways than one. Not only was it KJ's 37th career victory, but he passed the legendary Lee Shepherd for the most Pro Stock wins behind the wheel of a Chevrolet – a record that had stood for more than 20 years. It also gave Johnson at least one win every season for the last 14 years, a streak that is second only to John Force among active professional drivers.

 

 

"Those kind of things will be there only as long as we can keep winning," Johnson said. "But to get there it takes great sponsors, like ACDelco, and a dedicated crew, both at the track, and the shop, that don't know when to quit.

"We're looking for that first win to see if we can continue that streak, but it's not something you worry about. You can only do this one step at a time. It would be nice to go from the garage here in Sugar Hill, straight to the winner's circle, but that's not going to happen. We have to get to St. Louis, then we have to qualify, and then we have to win round one, two, three and four."

It's been a year, so far, that has seen the ACDelco Chevrolet qualify in the top half of the field at four of the first six races on the schedule (including a season-high No. 2 at Houston), and advance to the final round at Phoenix, only to have those positive results offset by three straight first-round losses. Johnson prefers the view from the top of the qualifying sheet

"We had to do a little investigating at the bottom to see how that worked out," quipped Johnson. "And that didn't work out to well. We prefer racing from the top of the page and that's where we plan to be in St. Louis."

A nasty flu bug had the 46-year-old Johnson under the weather at the series' last event and was an added, unexpected element to contend with at Atlanta Dragway.

"That's probably the first time in my life that I've been really, really sick at the races – it just kicked my butt."

Currently eighth in the Full Throttle standings, and the winner of 39 career national events, Johnson has never been more convinced of the ability of his race team. As he prepares for the NHRA's next stop this weekend near St. Louis, he's confident that the season's first victory is just around the corner. With races in six of the next nine weekends, he'll have plenty of opportunities to make that happen.

"We're ready – we've done this before several times," said Johnson referring to the hectic pace of the summer schedule. "It's more planning as far as parts preparation, making sure your stuff is fresh, and keeping everybody running in the right direction. It takes good communications, good direction and the flexibility of everyone involved to stay successful. We'll be on the road for a day or two but we always come back to Sugar Hill. Hopefully with a trophy, or maybe several."

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