Warren Johnson opened his 2003 championship chase with an impressive win in Pomona, California. After qualifying second, the GM Performance Parts Grand Am driver marched through the field in final eliminations, breaking records en route to the winner's circle. However, just as remarkable as his race car's performance was Johnson's quick adaptation to the new LED lights on the starting line "Christmas Tree" which debuted in Pomona.

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Twice during final eliminations, WJ posted reaction times in the "double-zero" range, the only driver to accomplish this feat, including a nearly psychic .003 effort in the final to weld noted leaver Allen Johnson at the starting line. As the Professor explains, it all came down to pre-race preparation.

"I had the opportunity to watch the LED lights during the Las Vegas test session, and in Pomona prior to the race," explained Johnson. "I was able to stand in a position to compare them to the incandescent bulbs, and it was easy to perceive that the LEDs come on a lot quicker, perhaps as much as two or three hundredths of a second.

"It basically came down to adjusting our GM Performance Parts Grand Am so I wouldn't red light, which is very easy to do with the new lighting system. I think this will make things a lot more even. For example, even looking into the sunlight, you can see the LEDs much more clearly than the incandescent bulbs. Fortunately it all worked out for us in Pomona." [2-19-2003]

NEW MOON RISING?

Veteran Texas Top Fuel and alky Funny Car tuner Mickey Winters is going to come out of semi-retirement from racing and join the Mark & Zach Barklage Pro Mod team as a consultant for the upcoming IHRA season lid lifter at San Antonio Raceway Feb. 28-March 2. Winters has worked with Alcohol Funny cars like Frank Cook's Drag-On Vega, Division 4 champs Stidham Brothers car, and the Bad Moon Rising alky funny, which won several NHRA national events in the late eighties including the '87 IHRA Spring Nationals. Winters will be consulting with Barklage crew chief Ernie Dampier for the San Antonio race.

The Agent is glad to see one of the real legends of Texas alcohol and nitro racing -- not to mention one of the finest blues harp players in Hurst, Texas -- back at the races. [2-19-2003]

RUTLEDGE WINS FIRST MALLORY CUP

Mr. Gasket Performance Group announced the presentation of the first-ever Mallory Cup to Jacob Rutledge, a drag racer from Braselton, GA. The winner received a check for $5,000, plus a sponsorship program for 2003 valued at $3,000.

The Mallory Cup is part of a larger Contingency Connection sponsorship program, whereby the champion at each of the 60 participating race tracks (20 drag strips and 40 circle tracks) has won substantial cash and product awards and qualified for the industry's first grassroots "Factory Racing Team" support program. The program includes a substantial Mr. Gasket product account, a championshipjacket, Factory Racing Team pit crew uniforms, Factory Racing Team graphics for the race car and trailer, pit apparel (T-shirts and hats), access to a special tech support hotline for Hurst Cup and Mallory Cup champions and a special Factory Racing Team Web site, access to special tech tips and a Hurst Cup for circle track racers or Mallory Cup trophy for drag racers.

Each of the 40 circle track champions was entered in a public drawing to determine the top five finalists for the Hurst Cup, while the 20 drag strip champions were entered in a drawing to determine the top five finalists for the Mallory Cup. The top five winners for each series received cash awards totaling $10,000-including the $5,000 checks presented to Ray Sveeggen (Hurst Cup winner) and Jacob Rutledge. [2-19-2003]

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