How Can We Miss You if You Won’t Leave?
Written by David Lamm · April 16, 2005
In a recent column, NHRA.com Senior Editor Rob Geiger shared that Warren Johnson, the Professor of Pro Stock, hinted that this season may not be his last behind the wheel of a Pro Stock car. Aren’t we in the middle of “The Professor’s School’s Out” retirement tour? Do you always raise an eyebrow whenever you hear about one of these farewell tours? Me too.
NHRA.com: Geiger Counter
How many times did Michael Jordan retire from the NBA? Twice? Kenny Bernstein had his “Forever Red” farewell tour only to be back in the seat of the Budweiser King dragster the following year after his son, Brandon, was injured in a crash in Englishtown, NJ. I won’t even try to figure out the numerous times boxers have unretired. My point is that farewell tours really do not hold much weight with me anymore.
In the sport of drag racing, old time drivers are always being convinced to get back in the seat. Apparently Warren Johnson alluded in the Houston Raceway Park media center that he would indeed be out of the seat of the GM Performance Parts Pontiac Grand Am in 2006. So if our assumption is correct that he will retire, but perhaps only from driving the same car under the same sponsorship that he has become synonymous with. He did go on to say that he might return in spot duty in 2006 in a third team car. So if he is already giving us fair warning that he might be driving in 2006, what’s the point of this farewell tour? Makes you scratch your head doesn’t it? Was it all just a ploy to sell more T-shirts giving it an artificial notion that these merchandising items would eventually be the last of anything with his name on it?
I have a suggestion. When you say you will retire, please stick to your guns. I can forgive Kenny Bernstein coming out of retirement in 2003 because Brandon Bernstein was sidelined for the entire season with a back injury. In order to keep the sponsors happy the elder Bernstein got back in the car because it was much better for the team than to find a replacement driver. Nothing like have a multi-time champion available on your team and you still go out and put a less experienced driver in the cockpit.
This time however I feel like I have been fooled again in thinking that this is the last time we will see WJ behind the wheel. Now it’s anyone’s guess when he will get out of the seat for good and just concentrate on being the crew chief. WJ has always admitted he is much better at finding horsepower and turning wrenches than he is at driving and says he has won races “despite of the driver.” I guess when it comes to retirement announcements, the NHRA drivers have caught up with all the other athletes that leave us guessing when’s the last time we will see them compete.
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Maybe it’s the difference between wanting to retire and forced to retire. I also think the same thing will happen to Rusty Wallace next year.
The pressures of team performance, sponsors, and flat out winning may force a competitor to get out sooner than they really want to. If he can find an alternate ride, why not? And if he needs a “farewell” tour, or the sponsors do, so be it. It IS all businness driven, either T-shirts or decals on the car. And a guy of Warren’s legendary status deserves some back patting before slipping from the spotlight to back stage.