PRO STOCK

KJ SETS TOP SPEED

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Kurt Johnson, from Buford, Ga., earned his 24th career victory and first-ever at the Mac Tools Gatornationals. In an all-Chevy final round, Johnson drove his ACDelco Cavalier to the win over defending POWERade champion and last year's runner-up at the Gatornationals, Jeg Coughlin and the Jeg's Mail Order Cavalier. Johnson and Coughlin posted nearly identical reaction times (Johnson's .014 to Coughlin's .013) but Johnson recorded the quicker pass of 4.825 seconds at 202.5 mph to outrun Coughlin's pass of 6.840 at 201.29 for the victory.

Johnson set the track record for speed when his ACDelco Chevy Cavalier hit 203.71 mph during qualifying.

MORGAN MANGLES MOPAR

There was a lot of intrigue in the ultra-competitive Pro Stock pits. Chrysler team owner Larry Morgan, never one to shy away from a microphone or a controversy, evidently aired his displeasure about the new Mopar Stratus Pro Stocks and his comments found their way onto a well known "chat room." Mopar reps at the race were none too pleased and reportedly neither were the brass back at 1 Chrysler Drive in Auburn Hills. Just for the record, the two factory-backed Neon R/T's of Darrell Alderman and Allen Johnson made the show. Neither Morgan mount made the cut.

JOHNSON'S CAVALIER FRESH OUT OF THE TUNNEL

Sources told DRO that Kurt Johnson's pole setting Cavalier had come to Florida on Thursday direct from the GM wind tunnel in Detroit and that a well-known chassis builder built a template for the Cavalier the same night it arrived. According to DRO's source, the body panels that are on Kurt's new Cavalier won't be available to the other Chevy racers for several races, although they are being delivered to chassis builders now. Some racers were crying foul!

PRO STOCK BODIES ON STEROIDS?

A lot of the talk in the Pro Stock pits was about how out of control the bodies on current Pro Stock cars were getting and why NHRA continued to allow it to happen. One prominent Pro Stock racer told DRO, "If NHRA keeps letting the factory-backed teams have bodies like the Dodge Stratus and the new Ford Escort that Geoffrion has, it won't be long until they'll have the same problem in Pro Stock that they have in Funny Car--the only way you know what brand they are is by the grill."

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