School’s Out for the Professor
Written by David Lamm · November 16, 2004
Warren Johnson will call it quits following a farewell tour in 2005 after over 30 years of Pro Stock competition. Known as “the Professor of Pro Stock”?, Johnson has struggled mightily this season and will hang it up. Don’t worry he is not going anywhere, he’s just won’t be driving the GM Performance Parts Pontiac Grand Am in 2006.
Drag Race Central: Warren Johnson to Retire from Driving Following 2005 Season
All good things must come to an end and so closes the book on Warren Johnson’s driving career. Notice how I didn’t say Pro Stock career? WJ is only retiring from the driving duties but he will still be the heart and soul and the brains behind his Pro Stock operation. Johnson never minced words when he said that driving the car was not his favorite part of drag racing. Finding that extra bit of horsepower and setting performance records is what made Johnson happy. His stats do not lie. Six Pro Stock championships along with 92 wins spanning over 450 career races. All those records and accolades as a driver are not as important to WJ as the 130 times his car qualified in the top spot or the 198 times his car posted the top speed of the race. Johnson took pride in the performance of his cars and that is what he will continue to do. Many times after one of his wins he would joke, “the car performed well in spite of the driver”?. After next season Johnson might have to watch his tongue because he might offend whoever is in the driver’s seat.
Dubbed the “The Professor’s School’s Out” Tour, fans and media will all have a chance to see WJ one last time before he gets out of the seat. Let’s hope for his sake he is able to say goodbye on Sundays, something he was not accustomed to doing this year. Coming into the 2004 season, Johnson had failed to make the qualifying field seven times. This season alone he missed the cut eight times. WJ finished the season 12th in the POWERade standings, the worst finish since 1981 when he only competed in four races. So has the time come for Johnson to stop wearing so many hats and concentrate on producing horsepower? Sure it has and I commend Johnson for seeing the writing on the wall while still giving the fans a chance to say goodbye.
The logical choice to take over the driving duties of Johnson’s GM sponsored Pontiac is his son Kurt. Kurt is currently in the ACDelco Chevy Cavalier so that would mean his ride would now become vacant for the 2006 season. Warren will have an entire year to interview potential drivers. That sound you just heard is WJ’s fax machine blowing up from all the resumes he must be receiving about now.
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With Warren retiring what does this leave for Kurt, I think Kurt could more successful with his own team, But does he have what it takes to run a team without dad. Give credit to Warren but has time passed him on the tree.
I think Kurt could do just fine with his own team. Let us not forget that Kurt as well as everyone else has learned vast amounts of knowledge from W.J. Most people don’t know about his contributions in making pro stock what it is today. I definetly would not agree with the statement that time has passed him on the tree. W.J. is relentless in “finding a way” Remember his motto “If you can’t out race em then out think em” I have also seen a few .503 lights from him lately. If everone in america had 1/2 of Warren’s work ethics and motivation this country would be a much better place! Think about this.. where do you think Greg Anderson would be today if he had not worked for W.J. for all of those years and without the help of an X employee of Warren’s that now works for Greg Anderson showing up at Greg’s place with all of Warren’s bead lock tire testing notes? My guess would be not cashing the check as pro stock champion…. Mike