GM pulls plug

[BlueOval Ralph]

Originally Posted by Mackie Family Racing

boys,

do you guys check your sources before you post stuff? I'm in a meeting in Detroit as I write this, sitting between the head of ACDelco and the head of ACDelco marketing, both of whom happen to be the ones responsible for paying the bills for KJ and others. To be polite Ed, your post is simply wrong, at least as of today.

Seems as thoug the other guys were correct!!!!!

WJ: NO SPONSOR; NO RACING
Written by Bobby Bennett
Wednesday, 07 January 2009

For the first time since 1982, Pomona Might Be Minus WJ …

Warren Johnson believes the concept is simple. If he doesn’t have a sponsor for 2009, he’s not racing and the same holds true for his son Kurt.

“Right now we have no sponsorship support,” confirmed Johnson.

The Johnsons were among a score of teams caught up in the recent General Motors cutbacks and for Warren his contract with GM Performance Parts expired at the conclusion of the 2008 season. Prior to Detroit’s economic woes the program was a lock for renewal.

Kurt’s sponsor ACDelco has made no commitments for 2009 either.

“Right now ACDelco hasn’t come back as of today,” Johnson confirmed. “And I’m not about to make the NHRA any richer than they are [by racing without a sponsor].”

Johnson hasn’t ruled out the possibility that he will still be involved with the class if sponsorship doesn’t materialize through building lease engines.

“We are negotiating with some teams,” Johnson confirmed. “If we don’t race, we may end up supplying power to some teams. We’re not committing to anything right now because we don’t have any sponsor support.

“I’m just not going to commit to anything right now because it just isn’t economically feasible at this point right now. Without sponsor support you can’t afford to do this, at least I can’t.

“We may enter Pomona, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we are going to race.”