An Hour With "The Professor" - Stories, Tech Tips & More From The NHRA Legend!
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- Опубликовано: 5 окт 2024
- The legendary Warren "The Professor" Johnson shares how he got started in the racing and engine building trade. The former NHRA Pro Stock champion shares some great stories from his long (and still going) career.
For more great engine tech, check out @EnginePerformanceExpo, which returns LIVE on RUclips on January 13th & 14th, 2023.
For more episodes of the Hidden Horsepower podcast, check out the full Hidden Horsepower playlist. • HIDDEN HORSEPOWER
For more on Joe Castello, check out @WFORadio
For more on Lake Speed Jr, check out @lakespeedjr.304
pro stock wouldnt be what it is today without WJ, and Bob Glidden!
Agreed!
BOB GLIDDEN PERIOD,,......,........................................
And grumpy
@@Dave180M GRUMPY JENKINS WAS ANOTHER CHEATING PIECE OF SHIT. IN 1970 THE GAPP & ROUSH 351 CLEVELAND POWERED PINTO IN PROSTOCK TOOK NO PRISONERS. AND THAT CHEATING PIECE OF SHIT CRY BABY JENKINS PROTESTED TO HIS BUDDIES THE NHRA, AND HAD THE PINTO BANNED. IN 1960 CRY BABY JENKIN RACED HIS 348cI TRI-POWERED IMPALA AGAINST DYNO DON'S HI-PO 352ci STARLINER. DYNO DON BLEW HIM AWAY. THE CRY BABY JENKINS CLAIMED DYNO DONE WAS CHEATING. SO TECH BROKE DOWN DYNO DON'S ENGINE LOOKING FOR RACE PARTS AND FOUND IT WAS COMPLETELY STOCK. THEY THEN TESTED THE SPRING PRESSURES ON THE HEADS AND FOUND ONE SPRING OUT OF TOLERENCE THAT HAD A HIGH SPRING TENSION. SO THEY DISQUALIFIED DYNO DON ON THAT BASIS. AND THAT PIECE OF SHIT JENKINS WILLINGLY TOOK THE TROPHY WIN AND WALKED AWAY INSTEAD OF DOING THE RIGHT THING AND RIGHTFULLY GIVING TO WIN TO DYNO DON. I BET YOU IF TECH WOULD HAVE BROKEN DOWN GRUMPY'S ENGINE THEY WOULD HAVE FOUND ALL TYPE OF RACE PARTS. CHEVY HAS BEEN CHEATING THEIR WAY TO THE FINSH LINE SINCE THE AMA BAN OF 1957. WHEN IT CAME TO CHEVY THE NHRA LOOKED THE OTHER WAY AND ALLOWED THEM TO CHEAT. WHEN IT CAME TO FORD THEY WERE PUT UNDER A MICROSCOPE. BOB GLIDDEN PUT IT IN THE BEST WORDS WHEN HE SAID "THEY HAVE 1 SET OF RULES FOR ME AND ANOTHER SET OF RULES FOR EVERYBODY ELSE". ALL THESE CHEVY RACERS HAVE CHEATING IN THEIR BLOOD. THAT IS THE REASON THEY RACE CHEVY'S. LOOK AT THE CHEVY SMALL BLOCK. IT IS A SAME DESIGN ARCHITECTURE AS THE CHRYSLER, AMC, PONTIAC, BUICK, OLDS, WITH THE SAME SIAMESED INTAKE AND EXHAUST PORTS. FORD WAS DIFFERENT FROM THE CONVENTIONAL DESIGNS THEY WERE ALL USING. THE CHRYSLER WAS A BETTER DESIGN THEN THE CHEVY WITH BETTER VALVE ANGLES, BETTER MORE STABLE VALVE TRAIN, ANGLED PLUG, CAM HIGHER UP IN THE BLOCK A RACE ASPECT OF RACE ENGINES TODAY. SO HOW IS IT THAT FROM ALL THESE CONVENTIONAL DESIGNS. CHEVY WAS THE ONE WHO ALWAYS WON. STATISICALLY THE OTHER CONVENTIONAL DESIGNS SHOULD HAVE ALSO SPLIT OR SHARED IN THE WINS. BUT STRANGELY IT DIDN'T HAPPENED. THE REASON IT DIDN'T HAPPENED WAS BECAUSE THE NHRA DETERMINED THAT CHEVY WAS TO WIN.
Bill Jenkins could shift a 4 😊 sp manuel trany better than everybody else
He is a Living Legend
and glad we had him in NHRA for many years.
Absolutely!
WJ has really changed over the years. The guy had zero charisma when he started in pro stock. He looked too serious and bored all the time. And what a crybaby, especially about Glidden. He would say things like, his roof is lower than mine, his front end is too long, also accused BG of cheating. when ask how he said he didn't know but the only way he could win so much was to cheat. Now he is a little more likeable, just a little. lol
Back in 1998 I found out that WJ was coming to race in Woodburn Oregon so I drove over to meet him. To my shock, he gave me quite a bit of time to glean automotive wisdom from him. I learned so much and appreciated the time so much, I drove to Seattle for his next race there and again got to hang out. This is the kind of man that it took to make drag racing what it became. I'm so thankful he took the time to put his wisdom in to print.
Thanks for sharing!
In print ?? What is it called , what publisher , and where is it available at ??
Yes great guy 👍
One of the legends of Pro Stock.
Yes he is!
WJ has really changed over the years. The guy had zero charisma when he started in pro stock. He looked too serious and bored all the time. And what a crybaby, especially about Glidden. He would say things like, his roof is lower than mine, his front end is too long, also accused BG of cheating. when ask how he said he didn't know but the only way he could win so much was to cheat. Now he is a little more likeable, just a little. lol
I wish there was a sponsorship deal to get Warren and Kurt back competing in NHRA.
WJ has really changed over the years. The guy had zero charisma when he started in pro stock. He looked too serious and bored all the time. And what a crybaby, especially about Glidden. He would say things like, his roof is lower than mine, his front end is too long, also accused BG of cheating. when ask how he said he didn't know but the only way he could win so much was to cheat. Now he is a little more likeable, just a little. lol
What I learned : Think and understand what you want to accomplish. Very thoughtful guy. Funny as hell!
Thanks for watching!
5 min in and this man shows he is a boss
I idolized Bob Glidden!! I built a pinto /future pro stock back in 81’. But I was already 4 yrs behind in tech. I could run good and was happy. But could not qualify as I was a fledgling so to speak. I wish I had stuck to racing. But I’m happy with how life went regardless
Right on!
@@TotalSeal and I used your rings!!!
The late 70's,80's were my favorite times for Pro Stock racing. The teams like Buddy Ingersoll, who Warren feared and hated, Reher and Morrison with Bruce Allen, Lee Shepherd, Bob Glidden, Gapp and Roush were the Golden years. These were the years when the drivers worked on their cars, unlike today 9 pro's are spinning wrenches. Warren was the one who worked on his cars the entire afternoon of racing.
That was a great era!
It's difficult for warren to answer these guys questions because he is so far ahead of them. LOL
So many brilliant hard working men in this industry.. And Warren is one of them
Thanks
WJ has really changed over the years. The guy had zero charisma when he started in pro stock. He looked too serious and bored all the time. And what a crybaby, especially about Glidden. He would say things like, his roof is lower than mine, his front end is too long, also accused BG of cheating. when ask how he said he didn't know but the only way he could win so much was to cheat. Now he is a little more likeable, just a little. lol
I shook WJ's Han in the A/C Delco tent at the Spring nationals in 1998 approximately. I was impressed by how rough his hands were as I didn't realize he worked as hard as he did. Much respect.
He's still a hard worker!
I congratulated him at the tower when he won the 1998 gatornationals and it felt like my hand was in a vice it took a few minutes for my hand to go back to normal great guy I miss all the GM performance guys
WJ has really changed over the years. The guy had zero charisma when he started in pro stock. He looked too serious and bored all the time. And what a crybaby, especially about Glidden. He would say things like, his roof is lower than mine, his front end is too long, also accused BG of cheating. when ask how he said he didn't know but the only way he could win so much was to cheat. Now he is a little more likeable, just a little. lol
I loved Pro Stock back when he ran and was one of my favorite drivers of all time. Just think about the success of WJ and Greg Anderson. If WJ is fielding a car I am showing up to watch
Agreed!
Amen! He is the Professor of speed
WJ has really changed over the years. The guy had zero charisma when he started in pro stock. He looked too serious and bored all the time. And what a crybaby, especially about Glidden. He would say things like, his roof is lower than mine, his front end is too long, also accused BG of cheating. when ask how he said he didn't know but the only way he could win so much was to cheat. Now he is a little more likeable, just a little. lol
what i like about warren is he explains things in a easy to understand terminology
great video guys and remember weighing money Is easier then counting It
Thanks!
This is awesome there's so much to learn and think about. Warren is a legend.
No doubt!
from one johnson to another. thank you. cuz no one puts on a show like a johnson. thanks warren,,,
It's all ways a pleasure to listen to WJ. man has so much knowledge about engine building and finding (na) horsepower
I always thought out of the box. That is why I liked Smokey Yunick & Bob Glidden. This is the first time I listened to Warren. He had more to say than I thought. The guys doing the interviewing could have done better, however this newer generation looks at things much differently than our generation.
WJ has really changed over the years. The guy had zero charisma when he started in pro stock. He looked too serious and bored all the time. And what a crybaby, especially about Glidden. He would say things like, his roof is lower than mine, his front end is too long, also accused BG of cheating. when ask how he said he didn't know but the only way he could win so much was to cheat. Now he is a little more likeable, just a little. lol
That is the best discription of thought process ive heard put in words .true gearheads possess.
The way he puts it is priceless.
I shook that man's hand back a bunch of years ago (15+) at the Golden Nugget during a fall Las Vegas NHRA event, too star struck to say more than, "hey, you're Warren Johnson" and to shake his hand. Felt embarrassed, but still honored to meet, ever so briefly, such a legendary human being. I loved reading his stories at the back of the NHRA rag back in the day.
WJ is the man!
after hearing of his early years I stopped the video to order his book...much respect ...I can totally relate to this backgrtound
Good deal!
I miss the old Pro Stock we’re you had real racers like him .
The old days had great innovators!
@@TotalSeal when I was 15 I new exactly what I wanted to do in life drag race Pro Stock !!! I graduated in 1986 and started bracket racing big block fords . I made it to Pro Mod short live no money and a wreaked car I gave it my best shot for a blue collar worker I was just born to late in life by 1986 corporate America had got involved in drag racing and the expanse was too great for a working man .
True, I flat quit watching or following PS 10 yeas ago. Its nothin but a chevy class of NHRA rules factor OUT your competition like NHRA always was.
Great that you guys can capture the essence of some of these legends. There is so much they have to offer about life, not just racing.
So true!
Pro stock definitely needs WJ back and would not be no where close to where it is today without him
I was blessed with multiple great mentors,one whom was a machinist at LLL spoke just like this.Short n sweet,to the point....
What a great video, can’t wait for the round table discussion. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
He sounds just like my Grandfather and the quotes are spot on. Awesome guy and the knowledge that he has, priceless.
Warren was the man in his day
Yes he was!
WJ has really changed over the years. The guy had zero charisma when he started in pro stock. He looked too serious and bored all the time. And what a crybaby, especially about Glidden. He would say things like, his roof is lower than mine, his front end is too long, also accused BG of cheating. when ask how he said he didn't know but the only way he could win so much was to cheat. Now he is a little more likeable, just a little. lol
Where can the tune it up / blew it up, shirts be had from?
WJ illuminates what’s going - gone away today, a way of thinking.
Everyone goes for the canned solutions and never understand how or why.
Go to the 1:00 mark and that nails it right on the head for today's so called Pro-Stock champion. Drivers that take credit for what one of the Giants built on their shoulders. Drivers vs. Racers
God Bless men like Warren Johnson & Bob Glidden. Two guys who raced pro stock cars when it was truly a “pro stock” class. What you’re seeing today are not pro stock cars, the only similarity is that they’re racing a 1/4 mile.
Both amazing competitors!
He ran Oldsmobiles back in the day. I still have a signed photo of his prostock Olds from the 80s.
Too cool!
He brandished that well! Great job to get him on here today.
he is spot on about drivers. Before NHRA ruined prostock Warren and Glidden built and raced their own cars
Right on!
Interesting. I had occasion to talk to Warren a couple of times. He was pretty forthcoming with me as far as generalities go.
Can you imagine Warren Johnson and Don garlits. Wow
Oh yeah!
This pod cast was enough to sell at least one book
Thank You for the program.
Thanks!
The molecular level of detail Warren knows about these engines is mind-boggling, especially at 80 years old..
That’s why he’s the Professor!
Straight to the point and a very good engine builder
Absolutely!
On the machining aspect. A good example is the rifles made in the 1900s to now are accurate as of ones made now with all of the technology we have now
If my old mind is correct, I witnessed WJ win pro stock in the early '80s with a primered camaro!
I could listen to you all, all day if I could.
Very interesting and awesome video 📹
Glad you enjoyed it
Love WJ👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
We agree!
Kinda funny, my father did teach me how to use a slide ruler. Accurate to 3 digits! And that is normally enough. Now I need to teach my son.
That is awesome!
I remember Warren even checking the temperature of the belts when running.
makes perfect sense. where there's heat, there's friction.
Add 85 cents to it and that's what I started at back in the day. I can easily remember that and barely got by back then. Usually had either two jobs, or had one that paid at least 10 hours of overtime.
Thanks
Thanks for watching!
He sounds exactly like my Grandfather that raised me and I consider him my father.
Even while he’s answering questions his natural demeanor is a quiet "I plead the fifth.”
Does Warren Johnson still do work in his shop?
Yes! He still goes to the shop and works on customer projects everyday.
A tour of his shop be cool
He has some well known customers for sure down there in Georgia
Ford made a twin cam in the block...in 1968 7.0 Litre...that was suppose to run Lemans....and canceled it ....called Calliope...you can look it up....Lemans changed rules in engine size and didnt run it...
The Ilmor Indy, 2 valve, pushrod, engine was just a follow-long to the Buick and with two more cylinders and 4 more valves was a no brainer as far as the potential horsepower . Regardless of all the praise, adoration, and glorification .
What he meant too say was “a good machinist can make a good part using a bad machine, and a machine operator needs a good machine too make a good part”
WJ is great. Just wish he would open up and share more details on what he did instead of trying to be so secretive of it. His rule book interpretation is the best. The space between the lines is for me to write in.
So true
Just like a book when you asked him dates or issues he has dealt with is great, just rattling it off like he had it right in front of him.
Best pro stock racer ever
He's the Professor!
Glidden > all others
WJ has and will always be my favorite Pro Stock driver. He's in my top 3 drag racers and top 5 of any racer's of all time.. I've made models of all his cars except his 1st Camaro & the Silver Cutlass.. He's just a man's man when it comes to drag racing.. He's the General Patton of drag racing
Warren, you said we have to keep trying something new. Why not Top Fuel, their's way more technology there than a power adder bomb that has to be rebuilt every round. You and Austin Coil have a lot in common.
Wayne County Speed Shop 💪👊👍❤️
Great interview with WJ, Lake, need to get you on my channel DragBoss Garage for an interview....Thanks Guys
Sounds like a plan!
That's right, hell I've been saying that for years, nobody bats a 1000.
How do I get the WJ tshirt!?😊
Check with @EnginePerformanceExpo to see if they will be selling them.
I need that shirt!
Contact the folks at Engine Performance Expo, maybe they will have some for sale.
Always a great woman behind the scenes, for sure 😊
It was never happen and what he says is so true. And he has been around like I have that you have so much more than we had but I would use the slide rule before the calculator.
Very Interesting....
WJ is like EF Hutton…
Can anybody give me an example what government handout is? What would be considered as one in professor s case?
Warren went to puerto rico a few times
Bob Glidden was the man, aka the (mad dog ) great work ethics , smart man!!!!!
sorry guys but it only works seldomly these days, there are lots of guys out here that started with nothing busted their butts were honest but they weren't in the place to be noticed so never got a opportunity to break out, and lived their lives in obscurity scraping by and ended up old and broke. I can remember being 16 putting a clutch in my camaro at my dads shop, he was a mechanic all his life, and thinking wish there was some way to have a camera under here and explain what I'm doing and thought no one would be interested, that was in 1980 then 20 some years later there was Richard Rawlings and all the other car shows, and I thought DAMN, if I would have had the connections or known someone but guess what never happened.
Where can we get 1 of the Warren Johnson performance expo shirts?
Contact the guys at the Engine Performance Expo.
Summit 🏁 racing Greg Anderson how we do it.
Anyone know what KJ is up to these days
Spent over 25 years on a flow bench SF-600 and he is 100% correct a waste of time.
Also, when you start going through $500.00 of racing fuel and still trying to get the engine where you want it things start getting costly...
Think about what you are doing, not just blindly do it.
I am nowhere as smart as Warren but still a lot smarter than the majority.
To succeed your going to run into obstacles and it will be wrong or your going to fail at least once to get what you want exactly.
This was a pretty superficial interview, minimal sustenance.
Yeah big nothing burger.
Back then you had to want it bad,and put the time in ,meaning work.
Absolutely!
Yes,Scott geofreon showed h I m how to stage a car.
By the way the seventh day is Saturday not sun
Imagine if people like this weren't constrained by other people, gov's and rule books...
He’s a real inspiration!
I feel bad for Johnson. Humility is the one great attribute he's lacking. His 23:13 accomplishments are great .He works hard . He is brilliant . He succeeds. But, your accomplishments speak for themself, let others oraise you.
A lot of the stuff that she saved it good old stuff that your probably not going to get or have access to it today.
amazing,,,the class finally passed him by,or he would still be there ? No ?
Now pro stock sucks very boring Miss the good old day of pro stock
Less rules = more fun!
@@TotalSeal more fun drivers with personalities and sometimes conflicting with other drivers. You didn’t have to be politically correct. They tamed the will and drive to win. Seems they are a bunch of zombies just following the money
A sleeved CG block?.....there's zero advantage to that.....the graphite lowers the coefficient of friction for the pistons.
Warren Johnson is a big puff of BS.....MOST famous for calling Glidden a cheat every time Bob kicked his CG ass.....
GM quit paying him for R and D
😮
Warren Johnson "The Professor of Pro Stock"? LMFAO! 🤣 The Professor of Pro Stock is none other than Bob Glidden and his Fords, hands down! Glidden still holds the record for 10 Pro Stock World Championships, not to mention, Glidden owned Johnson. 😁
Very well said. Glidden made all other pro stock racers, engine builders who they were. Glidden brought out the best in his competition. Glidden set the bar.
I’m with you I think Glidden was the greatest of all time. I think WJ is called the professor because of his analytical, scientific approach.
I see little Warren is still the same.
Yep
WJ has really changed over the years. The guy had zero charisma when he started in pro stock. He looked too serious and bored all the time. And what a crybaby, especially about Glidden. He would say things like, his roof is lower than mine, his front end is too long, also accused BG of cheating. when ask how he said he didn't know but the only way he could win so much was to cheat. Now he is a little more likeable, just a little. lol
We had a saying California shit that just don't fit
Legendary yes, but Bob Glidden owned him until Warren's crying got the DRCE involved and effectively killed GOOD Pro Stock racing.
My god that was boring! These interviewers suck. I respectfully disagree with Mr. Johnson about power adders though. Turbos are an excellent way to have a very high horsepower engine that's driveable. Or, build a gnarly engine then apply a power adder.
You are not building!! Get over it!
He works in his shop every day building engines…
Using Johnson s own logic people who cannot build and tune carburetors use fuel injection.His achievements are undeniable but this guy talks smack!He has confessed on tape that he just couldn t afford top fuel.If he can t afford it,the whole thing isn t worth much and he keeps saying that.I find this guy full of shit and he keeps affirming this with his rhetoric.He isn t the only pro stock racer to complain about top fuel getting more money and being far more recognized by NHRA.Last thing his intern Greg Andersen complained(rightfully so)was NHRA not prepping strips for 1320 classes.
Two things,,, grab a mirror for your rhetoric and quit denying his achievements. Respect your elders, Warren is salt of the Earth
@@ManiacJohnson1966 I wrote:his achievements are undeniable and you counter:quit denying his achievements.What we have here is another homeschooled american who don t know words that good!
@@teknoaija1762 So you use only part of your own sentence? Leave out the cynical second half? I'm a degreed and applied tech American who knows when anyone uses the word "BUT" in a sentence, nothing of value comes before it, the truth of the writher or speaker comes directly after it. Ohh, and you should never use stupid hollow words like "that" or "but" or "literally" or "I" over and over, reflects on true lack of character. ..."who don't know words that good" sounds like ebonic garbage
@@ManiacJohnson1966 Those words are basic english language used by greats like Shakespeare,Dickens etc.That ebonic garbage is sarcasm.Your comment lacks character or it is very void of it which is still technically character.Mr.Jofnson sounds very opinionated as most americans do as they have no character to speak of.You seem to have a typical,narrow understanding of words like most homeschooled americans do.Face it,america is numero uno only in stupidity.
To build a top flight pro stock was more expensive than building a top fuel car.
However running a top fuel car gets plenty expensive real quick.😮
WJ can't brag on nobody but his self , good grief.