"Professor" scores number 94 in Bristol

Special to Motorsport.com by Bill King

Warren Johnson scored the second victory of his School's Out Tour, the record 94th of his stellar career that closes out this season. The Professor got to face - in a way - Bob Glidden, the man whose career 89 Pro Stock victories he'd eclipsed. Glidden, who was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame at Talladega Thursday was hired this season by Don Schumacher to oversee his Pro Stock stable; and Richie Stevens rode the Glidden-tuned Mopar Dodge into the final round of the NHRA O'Reilly Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway Sunday.

Both racers faced some serious competition to get to the final round. WJ waded through Allen Johnson, Jason Line and son Kurt with passes of 6.749sec, a track record 6.715 and a 6.757 before putting a 6.756 pass on an anxious, red-lighting Stevens.

Stevens had reached the finals by whacking defending Pro Stock champion Greg Anderson, erstwhile points leader Dave Connolly and V. Gaines.

The victory moved WJ into the lead in the 2005 title chase, as he seeks to close out his active driving career with a seventh Pro Stock championship.

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Pro Stock Results:

First Round:

. Dave Connolly, Cavalier (Q1) 6.782sec/204.08mph (RT/.038sec) def. Ron Krisher, Cavalier (Q16) 6.813/203.31 (-.002)

. Richie Stevens, Stratus (Q8) 6.754/203.98 (.032) def. Greg Anderson, Grand Am (Q9) 6.763/203.40 (.033)

. Jim Yates, Grand Am (Q13) 6.763/203.43 (.001) def. Jeg Coughlin, Stratus (Q4) 6.778/204.42 (.028)

. V Gaines, Stratus (Q5) 6.805/203.16 (.045) def. Kenny Koretsky, Stratus (Q12) 6.845/197.65 (.035)

. Warren Johnson (Q2) 6.749/204.39 (.048) def. Allen Johnson (Q15) 6.796/202.21 (.031)

. Jason Line, Grand Am (Q7) 6.780/203.25 (.038) def. Mike Edwards, Grand Am, (Q10) 6.775/203.83 (-.039)

. Kurt Johnson, Cobalt (Q3) 6.747/204.17 (.085) def. Ben Watson, Cavalier (Q14) 6.806/200.68 (.031)

. Rickie Smith, Cavalier (Q11) 6.763/203.40 (.065) def. Greg Stanfield, Cavalier (Q6) 12.113/70.70 (.063)

Quarter-Finals:

. Stevens, 6.755/204.45 (.022) def. Connolly, 6.755/204.45 (.018)

. Gaines, 6.804/202.45 (.014) def. Yates, 6.805/203.16 (.068)

. W Johnson 6.715/203.83 (.054) def. Line, 6.756/203.52 (.027)

. K Johnson, 6.745/204.05 (.019) def. Smith, 6.781/203.06 (.036)

Semi-Finals:

. Stevens, 6.756/203.68 (.041) def. Gaines, 6.801/202.85 (.037)

. W Johnson, 6.757/204.29 (.025) def. K Johnson, 6.759/204.05 (.039)

Final:

. W Johnson, 6.756/203.89 (.036) def. Stevens, 6.777/203.22 (-.049)

Updated Points: W Johnson 536; Connolly 486; Line 379; Anderson 365; Krisher 316; Yates 315; K Johnson 306; Stevens 297; Stanfield 294; A Johnson 289.