Author Topic: Warren Johnson not going BV racing  (Read 5329 times)

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Offline jl222

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Re: Warren Johnson not going BV racing
« Reply #15 on: August 22, 2020, 02:04:37 PM »

  My granddaughter from Dallas and grandson from Denver have come to Bville on their own dime
 the last 2 years and El Mirage 4 or 5 years ago. Andrew drove Morgan flew.       

               JL222

Offline salt27

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Re: Warren Johnson not going BV racing
« Reply #16 on: August 22, 2020, 02:46:56 PM »
This guy has been going since he was 11.   

Offline Beef Stew

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Re: Warren Johnson not going BV racing
« Reply #17 on: August 23, 2020, 04:48:02 AM »
I guess it depends on what you consider "youngsters". 
 :deal

I'm an 18 year old trapped in an 80 year old body. Mental age doesn't count  :-(

From my POV a youngster is someone who is actually under 21. Therefore your kids may qualify, but you don't  :-)



Former record holder at RIR ½ mile drags, El Mirage and Bonneville.

Beef Stew doesn't have his head where the sun-don't-shine. His head is in SoCal where the unusual is an everyday happening.

Offline Beef Stew

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Re: Warren Johnson not going BV racing
« Reply #18 on: August 23, 2020, 06:06:48 AM »

Beef, If you had attended SpeedWeek 2020 you would have spotted the youngsters....   :clap
Didn't get your monies worth.... you must have been doing it wrong.....I guess that's why you are not involved any more except to gripe about rules and classes...
become part of the solution, not the problem  :cheers:

I got enough right to set SCTA records at Riverside, El Mirage and Bonnevile. I'm not a half bad engine builder/tuner.

My money would have been better spent on drag racing. If I had been running NHRA Super Stock in 1962 instead of chasing SCTA records I'd have been better off. I had great reaction time?good enough to have driven for other people at the drags. Coulda, woulda, shoulda don't count for much, but it was possible for a touring match racer to make money in the 1960s.

The reason I gripe is that brakelight racing is popular. ET Racing can be a low budget sport with big pay-outs. It's relatively inexpensive because it relies on driver skill instead of technical skills. A good driver with a stock passenger car can win $2,500 in an afternoon. Maybe SCTA could attract some of these people with a few rule changes. Not many people can identify with Blown Fuel PU  :wink: Or 90% of SCTA classes  :-(


I spent many years at SCTA Board Meetings as my club rep. Doesn't that count as part of the solution? Are present day SCTA racers are trying to cancel former SCTA racers?  aktion086
Former record holder at RIR ½ mile drags, El Mirage and Bonneville.

Beef Stew doesn't have his head where the sun-don't-shine. His head is in SoCal where the unusual is an everyday happening.

Offline Stainless1

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Re: Warren Johnson not going BV racing
« Reply #19 on: August 23, 2020, 12:26:17 PM »
Are present day SCTA racers are trying to cancel former SCTA racers?  aktion086

What does that mean?  As a BNI racer I am not involved with the politics of the SCTA, or the rules that are made to give advantage or disadvantage to other racers... we race in Special Construction where the rules are basically all safety related....
except wheels in or wheels out  :cheers:
Stainless
Red Hat 228.039, 2001, 65ci, Bockscar Lakester #1000 with a little N2O

Offline jimmy six

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Re: Warren Johnson not going BV racing
« Reply #20 on: August 23, 2020, 01:04:28 PM »
WJ is obviously in a different class of racer than me for sure and many others here. His business was racing it?s how he made his money. I have know idea what his retirement is but he did not have a 8-4 job. He received $$$ for using products in his business because it was good for the manufacturers and won money and championships by winning. There were no -free- engines coming out of his shop for sure.
LSR is not a good venue for this.
I?ve received ?good? deals on products and ran very few decals. None in the last 40 years.
Yes at the top (read streamliners), I am sure there are offers because the supplier can show in their periodicals who use their products. That?s great. I read and see many in lower classes with sponsors decals. I read about them and usually its because they are in a fabrication or engine business that spend a lot of $$$ over the years with them and the manufacturers now -help them out-  in their LSR endeavors. More power to them.

My free sponsorship came my company?s nut and bolt bins I could get it in my lunch pail. lol8.

Most of our best and fastest guys do it for the love of it or feel they can complete at a level they are happy with including their pocketbooks. I ran only when the overtime was good and bought better parts when my children left to be on their own.
Funny but 2 things come up when you talk about either the salt or racing on dirt. If someone finds out you race on the salt it?s only what does your streamliner look like and in dirt, do you run a winged sprinter or open sprinter. It isall the average guy knows.
First GMC 6 powered Fuel roadster over 200, with 2 red hats. Pit crew for Patrick Tone's Super Stock #49 Camaro

Offline racergeo

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Re: Warren Johnson not going BV racing
« Reply #21 on: August 23, 2020, 01:49:38 PM »
   
    In my book Warren get kudos for what started out as a hobby, and he turned it into hobby/occupation. In order to succeed at the highest level (6 NHRA championships) he regularly worked 16 hr. days. Many of us can identify with that as we had to work longer and smarter in order to support our hobbies.

   As far as drag racing goes, I was exposed to it at about 10 years old. My dad raced at our locale airport track. I was temporarily distracted by the go kart craze of the late 50's but by the time I could drive I was a street racer and then drag racer.

   I have often stated that I wish I had discovered Bonneville before I ever got so heavily invested in drag racing. As for the driving experience nothing beats go karting (I only stopped racing when I was 70 and then only because of back pain.  :-() As for drag racing 60 ft. in .927 seconds and 200mph in a 1/8th mile will give you a thrill. But for me Bonneville holds the greatest challenge. The huge amount of classes is a put off at some level, but opens the door to to such a variety of imaginative builds that makes BV totally unique.

Offline gowing

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Re: Warren Johnson not going BV racing
« Reply #22 on: August 23, 2020, 02:05:17 PM »
On dirt for me it was Bombers, Hobby Stocks and Sportsman cars.
Why?   it's all I could afford.
and now this LSR thing has me building a slow motorcycle.
Why?  same reason.

Would I be running a dirt late model or a turbo Busa if funds allowed? Absolutely!

Racing and hotrods have always been my folly and like many here,
I have probably spent too much money doing it.  (according to my wife, I most definitely have).

If racing were my business, I'm not so sure that it would be as alluring to me, it would be more like going to work than getting to go racing.

My hat is off to all of those who have been able to make a living racing and doing what they love.
 


Offline racergeo

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Re: Warren Johnson not going BV racing
« Reply #23 on: August 23, 2020, 02:16:14 PM »
   
   Just looked at the certified records list on the SCTA site. A lot of very impressive records for such a small event. I went to see the Speed Demon, just to say "I was there!!) and to hopefully see some of the newer liners start to strut there stuff. I hoped Arlo would start showing some speed but am happy to see the  77 steamliner ran 373 on Friday after I had left. Ralph Hudson's bike records and the Das Bullet record with a 121 C.I. engine in F that allows 180c.i. is most impressive.IMHO

Offline racergeo

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Re: Warren Johnson not going BV racing
« Reply #24 on: September 04, 2020, 04:24:17 PM »
  I'm sure George Poteet is plotting to get on a 6 mile FIA race track. If you inter the mile at 481 mph I think you might get over the out right wheel driven speed record and for sure a  500 exit speed. Do they use exit speed in FIA?

Offline trimmers

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Re: Warren Johnson not going BV racing
« Reply #25 on: September 04, 2020, 09:57:09 PM »
It's my understanding that George didn't want to take part in an FIA meet (Cook was trying to set up a "Shootout") this year. 

The "Exit speed at an FIA meet is the difference between the two measured distances - the mile and the kilometer.  It works out to almost exactly 1000 feet, rather than the 132 feet at other Bonneville meets.

Jeff in Boise
« Last Edit: September 04, 2020, 10:01:14 PM by trimmers »
------------- 1 of just 3 in all 3  -------------
USFRA 130 MPH Club 09/18/2008 136.757
USFRA 150 MPH Club 09/17/2009 152.162
Bonneville 200 MPH Club 09/15/2019 218.600
Best Run: 253.080 MPH 09/14/2019 #6556

Offline wobblywalrus

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Re: Warren Johnson not going BV racing
« Reply #26 on: September 05, 2020, 01:33:51 AM »
The usual procedure to become a paid professional engine builder is to spend some of one's own money to make a winning motor.  This proves that a person knows what they are doing.  After this, sponsorship or professional building can follow.  It seems unrealistic for a builder to expect sponsorship in a venue where they have not proven their ability to deliver the goods.

Offline racergeo

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Re: Warren Johnson not going BV racing
« Reply #27 on: September 05, 2020, 02:42:48 PM »
   In the case of WJ, he is an engine builder of the highest order. As far as sponsorship is concerned, no drama there, GM has given him millions. Does Warren have the ability to source the info to have success at BV. No problem. GM put money into the Ecotech 2 liter turbo platform at Bonneville and had some success but probably learned enough to discount putting further $$ into it even with WJ. I think the trick is to use a known successful platform.I think WJ was going to hook up with Jack Costella. With Jack's coaching it would have been very interesting indeed.