Drag Racing's Warren "The Professor" Johnson

Drag Racing's Warren Author: Kelly Wade
Publisher: CarTech Inc
ISBN: 1613255705
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 176

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Book Description
Go behind the scenes for a look at Warren Johnson's path to becoming The Professor of Pro Stock. This new book illuminates the life and career of one of the most prolific engine builders and racers ever to compete in the ultra-competitive Pro Stock category, drag racing's most technologically advanced class. Warren Johnson navigated the world of factory hot rods for more than 45 years, devoting himself to full-time racing in 1975 and relentlessly pursuing horsepower and victory from the driver's seat and the engine room. Johnson's devotion to research and development opened the door to a long-standing relationship with Oldsmobile and GM Performance, beginning with the birth of the Drag Racing Competition Engine (DRCE) that is still used by every competitive team in the class. He excelled when it came to outthinking the competition and was outspoken on matters that he deemed vital. Johnson embraced thinking outside the box and pushed boundaries to affect change in terms of both safety and the advancement of the class, but he also knew when it was appropriate and necessary to put on a good show for the fans. Through his tireless efforts and with the support of a small crew that included his wife, Arlene, and son, Kurt, Johnson claimed two IHRA championships and six NHRA world titles, along with an astounding 97 national event wins that placed him in the position of being the most-winning driver of all time in the Pro Stock category. This book, complete with photos from the family archive and striking professional images of Johnson's many race cars, dives into it all, beginning with his childhood and early days of match racing when he developed the stern frugality and fierce resourcefulness that was the foundation of a tremendously successful, though sometimes controversial, career.

Drag Racing's Warren "The Professor" Johnson

Drag Racing's Warren Author: Kelly Wade
Publisher: CarTech Inc
ISBN: 1613255705
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 176

Get Book

Book Description
Go behind the scenes for a look at Warren Johnson's path to becoming The Professor of Pro Stock. This new book illuminates the life and career of one of the most prolific engine builders and racers ever to compete in the ultra-competitive Pro Stock category, drag racing's most technologically advanced class. Warren Johnson navigated the world of factory hot rods for more than 45 years, devoting himself to full-time racing in 1975 and relentlessly pursuing horsepower and victory from the driver's seat and the engine room. Johnson's devotion to research and development opened the door to a long-standing relationship with Oldsmobile and GM Performance, beginning with the birth of the Drag Racing Competition Engine (DRCE) that is still used by every competitive team in the class. He excelled when it came to outthinking the competition and was outspoken on matters that he deemed vital. Johnson embraced thinking outside the box and pushed boundaries to affect change in terms of both safety and the advancement of the class, but he also knew when it was appropriate and necessary to put on a good show for the fans. Through his tireless efforts and with the support of a small crew that included his wife, Arlene, and son, Kurt, Johnson claimed two IHRA championships and six NHRA world titles, along with an astounding 97 national event wins that placed him in the position of being the most-winning driver of all time in the Pro Stock category. This book, complete with photos from the family archive and striking professional images of Johnson's many race cars, dives into it all, beginning with his childhood and early days of match racing when he developed the stern frugality and fierce resourcefulness that was the foundation of a tremendously successful, though sometimes controversial, career.

John Force

John Force PDF Author: Erik Arneson
Publisher:
ISBN: 161673096X
Category : Drag racers
Languages : en
Pages : 178

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Book Description


Drag Racing in the 1960s

Drag Racing in the 1960s PDF Author: Doug Boyce
Publisher: CarTech Inc
ISBN: 1613255829
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 176

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Book Description
The 1960s were a fascinating decade on the race scene. Relive the memories today through this wonderful new book. Drag racing has a long and storied history. Many have said that the first drag race happened shortly after the second car was made. While that may or may not be true, racing prior to World War II was mostly centered around dry-lake activities and top-speed runs. After the war, drag racing became organized with the formation of the NHRA, and during the 1950s, many tracks were built across America to accommodate the racers. Technology in the 1950s centered on the manufacturers updating old flathead designs into newer overhead-valve designs, and the horsepower race really started to heat up. In many forms of racing, the 1960s brought technological evolution. The decade began with big engines in even bigger stock chassis and ended with purpose-built race-only chassis, fiberglass bodies, fuel injection, nitro methane, and blowers. Quarter-mile times that were in the 13-second range in the beginning of the decade were in the 7-second range by the end. New classes were formed, dedicated cars were built for them, and many racers themselves became recognized names in the sports landscape. In Drag Racing in the 60s: The Evolution in Race Car Technology, veteran author Doug Boyce takes you on a ride through the entire decade from a technological point of view rather than a results-based one. Covered are all the classes, including Super Stocks, Altered Wheelbase cars (which led to Funny Cars), Top Fuelers, Gassers, and more.

Paving the Road to Success

Paving the Road to Success PDF Author: R. L. Nelson
Publisher: Author House
ISBN: 1463450095
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 148

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Book Description
Fifty years ago, Richard L. "Dick" Nelson started his career with a small loader. He established his business in Princeton, Illinois, a small rural community with a current population of 7,600. today, he is the founder of Nelson Enterprises which includes Advanced Asphalt Company, TCI Manufacturing and Sales, Tri-Con Materials, Northwest Illinois Construction LLC, Pavement Maintenance Services, Inc., D&J Leasing and AAA Aviation LLC. Nelson Enterprises has achieved $1.5 billion in total sales, has worldwide patent recognition, employs approximately 300 people and rents 100 trucks a day during construction season. Dick is the son of Malcolm and Frances Nelson (both deceased) and was raised in Princeton with five siblings (three of whom are deceased). He is a graduate of Princeton High School and served in the Army. He and his wife, Judy, have three grown children, Leanne (Jeff) Martin, Laurie Wallace and Steve (Gina) Nelson. They also have four grandchildren, Nicole Martin, Kelsey Wallace, Colin and Audrey Nelson. Dick attributes much of his success to his "team" of talented and dedicated professionals. He has also achieved success and national awards because of his God given mechanical talent, hard work, determination and what he calls a "Bachelor of Common Sense Degree from Life University". Dick has contributed a multitude of volunteer service hours to the Princeton Park Board, United Way, Cub Scouts, Little League and St. Matthew's Church. His passion is flying. And to that end, he built his own helicopter. In honor of his 50th anniversary in business, an open house was held to recognize his "team" and business milestones. At this event, the Nelson family established an annual scholarship at Princeton High School for a senior student planning to attend a vocational school. Doug Oberhelman, CEO of Caterpillar, was also in attendance at the open house and announced that Caterpillar will match the Nelson family annual scholarship. This is a tribute to the Nelson family and Nelson Enterprises for service to the community, central Illinois and the State of Illinois.

Harley-Davidson Drag Racing

Harley-Davidson Drag Racing PDF Author: Scooter Grubb
Publisher: Enthusiast Books
ISBN: 9781583882627
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
There is nothing like the sound of two Harley-Davidsons leaving the line to get your adrenaline pumping. Harley-Davidson Drag Racing uses over 300 color photos and 144 pages to capture that same raw energy of unleashed V-twin power. From your neighbor’s Sportster to the Top Fuel machines, the bikes are all here. Each chapter describes one of sixteen classes, with pictures of the bikes and an explanation of the rules that make that class unique. Sidebars scattered throughout the book take the action inside the pits. Meet the riders capable of turning a 6 second quarter mile, the mechanics that keep it all running at 200 miles per hour, and the track officials who make each event possible. With an abundance of color photos, Harley-Davidson Drag Racing is a visual feast. Whether you just want to drink in the action or learn more about the bikes and the classes, this book is sure to satisfy that need for speed.

The Complete Book of the World Rally Championship

The Complete Book of the World Rally Championship PDF Author: Henry Hope-Frost
Publisher: Motorbooks
ISBN: 0760319545
Category : Automobile racing drivers
Languages : en
Pages : 333

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Book Description
For 30 years some of the most talented and bravest drivers have battled across the continents of the world to claim what is arguably motorsport's toughest prize: the World Rally Championship. Now a multi-million dollar, global technology battle and terrestrial television phenomenon played out over the frozen wastes of Finland, the dusty plains of Australia and the sun-kissed mountain roads of Corsica, the WRC has reached its 30th birthday. This book celebrates that important milestone and paints an exhaustively detailed picture of the people and personalities who have shaped this great sport. The Complete Book of the World Rally Champions provides a biographical account of the 65 men who have won at least one World Championship Rally since 1973. The biographies are compiled by the sport's leading writers and historians and complemented by stunning photography. The book includes a detailed and accurate statistical career record of each driver, plus highlights of all the significant cars.

Arnie "The Farmer" Beswick

Arnie Author: Dean Fiat
Publisher: CarTech Inc
ISBN: 1613255306
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 185

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Book Description
Arnie “the Farmer” Beswick was called “the consummate underdog” by Hot Rod magazine. While there was good reason, there is much more to his unbelievable career. Born a third-generation farmer in the small town of Morrison, Illinois, Arnie Beswick’s driving career began not behind the wheel of a straight-line terror but that of a tractor. On local dusty roads, Arnie’s budding reputation grew with street cars, as the “flying farmer” was coined to describe his driving style. When drag racing began in the Midwest in the early 1950s, Arnie was one of the pioneers who campaigned Dodges and Oldsmobiles. In 1960, he purchased his first Pontiac and never looked back. At the beginning, he didn’t like the “farmer” nickname, but he quickly learned to utilize the name to lull his competition into complacency. After all, what could a simple farmer know of the world of high-performance drag racing? Throughout the 1960s, Arnie’s Mr. B's Passionate Poncho, Mystery Tornado, Star of the Circuit I and II, Tameless Tiger, and Super Judge all contributed to dispel the myth that a simple farmer couldn’t dominate straight-line racing. Arnie was an innovator, fierce competitor, entertainer and showman who always gave fans their money’s worth at the track. He is still brand loyal--sticking with Pontiac long after production models ceased. Arnie has always been a fan favorite for this reason, and he continues to exhilarate fans at the track with his cast of potent Pontiacs.

Jenson Button

Jenson Button PDF Author: Jenson Button
Publisher: Bantam Press
ISBN: 9780593048757
Category : Automobile racing drivers
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Jenson Button has been winning races since he was eight years old. In this autobiography he describes what it's like to be weighed down by the burdens of other's expectations as he works his way up the grid in the hard world of Formula One. Finding himself racing in Formula One only weeks after his 20th birthday, Button found himself thrust into the turbulent world of the ambitious BMW-Williams team as the rookie partner of world champion Michael Shumacher's promising brother Ralf. Already tagged by a hungry media as the next Ayrton Senna, he was going to sink without trace, or fight for his corner.

Don "The Snake" Prudhomme: My Life Beyond the 1320

Don Author: Elana Scherr
Publisher: CarTech Inc
ISBN: 1613255187
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 194

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Book Description
Don "The Snake" Prudhomme reveals for the first time ever his incredible life and career on and off of the drag strip.

Imagine spending a year with Don "The Snake" Prudhomme, having coffee together and talking about his life, his racing, his friends, and his family. He’d tell you about how he rose from being a high school drop-out who was painting cars to a respected Top Fuel dragster driver and successful businessman. You’d hear how he toured the country with Tommy Ivo and "The Hawaiian" Roland Leong, racing all the legends from "Big Daddy" Don Garlits to "The Golden Greek" [Chris] Karamesines. He'd say how he met Tom McEwen and recall how they became the Snake and the Mongoose, leading to a career in Funny Cars that netted him four championships in a row. He'd talk about the thrill of first wins and owning his own teams but also the struggles of bad seasons, crashes and fires, broken parts, and broken contracts. Along the way, he’d speak about the people in his life, such as engine-builder Keith Black and NHRA president Wally Parks, and those who were killed in the wild and unpredictable sport of nitro racing. It wouldn’t be only racing, though. Prudhomme would share lessons he learned about business and life from such varied sources as a neighbor in Granada Hills to Ford GT40 driver Dan Gurney. He also would talk about the importance of family: how his wife, Lynn, and daughter, Donna, changed his world and how finding out about his African-American roots opened his eyes to a culture and inheritance he’d always wanted. This is the experience you’ll get in Don "The Snake" Prudhomme: My Life Beyond the 1320.


Brunei's Bespoke Rolls-Royces and Bentleys; Unlimited Money, Automotive Passion, and No Regulations

Brunei's Bespoke Rolls-Royces and Bentleys; Unlimited Money, Automotive Passion, and No Regulations PDF Author: Richard Vaughan
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781387694587
Category : Reference
Languages : en
Pages : 142

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Book Description
Few publications have gone into any great detail about the secretive collection of coachbuilt Rolls-Royce motorcars and Bentleys commissioned by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and his brother, Prince Jeffri, of Brunei. The Sultan, often described as the worldÍs richest man in the 1990s, has become a living legend for being the one person who has lived the dream that all car enthusiasts have; having the wherewithal to turn his dreams into reality, be it with cars, planes, or homes. More importantly, besides having the money to achieve his automotive dreams, he controlled all of the laws and vehicle regulations in his country. This meant that he didnÍt have to comply with the pesky regulations and safety laws that effectively ended the coachbuilding business elsewhere in the world, even for the ultra-rich. This book delves into all of the information that is known about these spectacular motorcars.