A switch in teams has brought a good change of pace and renewed purpose for a determined Terry Adams.

Brushed aside by other teams a season ago, the savvy and soft-spoken tuner from North Carolina has found a groove with his new connection – the legendary Georgia-based Pro Stock team of Warren and Kurt Johnson.

“I really wished we had gotten together five years ago. Who knows what we could have done?” said Adams, who hooked up with the father-son Johnson combination after a tumultuous 2006 NHRA season. “Probably the timing wasn't right for me then, but maybe the timing is right for us now. Maybe we can win some races.”

Adams, a heralded clutch and chassis technician with more than 30 years of experience as a driver and crew chief, was added to the Sugar Hill, Ga., shop during the off-season to help revive the performance of “The Professor.” Warren Johnson, 63, a six-time world champion, uncharacteristically faded from the top-10 picture during last year’s POWERade Drag Racing Series run. Adams, 52, was brought in to make an impact. A resurgent Terry Adams determined to win again

 

 

 

A switch in teams has brought a good change of pace and renewed purpose for a determined Terry Adams.

Brushed aside by other teams a season ago, the savvy and soft-spoken tuner from North Carolina has found a groove with his new connection – the legendary Georgia-based Pro Stock team of Warren and Kurt Johnson.

“I really wished we had gotten together five years ago. Who knows what we could have done?” said Adams, who hooked up with the father-son Johnson combination after a tumultuous 2006 NHRA season. “Probably the timing wasn't right for me then, but maybe the timing is right for us now. Maybe we can win some races.”

Adams, a heralded clutch and chassis technician with more than 30 years of experience as a driver and crew chief, was added to the Sugar Hill, Ga., shop during the off-season to help revive the performance of “The Professor.” Warren Johnson, 63, a six-time world champion, uncharacteristically faded from the top-10 picture during last year’s POWERade Drag Racing Series run. Adams, 52, was brought in to make an impact.

“I certainly think it’s a step in the right direction,” said WJ, who has compiled 96 career national-event wins, second only to Funny Car’s John Force as the sport’s all-time leader. “Terry brings a certain level of expertise to the table. We certainly think he can provide the direction we need to shore up our program.”

Adams finds himself doing crossover duty. He not only works on Warren Johnson’s GM Performance Parts Pontiac GTO, but has also been called upon to assist son Kurt’s AC Delco Chevrolet Cobalt.

By handling the shocks and making the calls with the clutch, Adams gives the Johnson tandem more time to do what they do best – create horsepower.

 

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So far this season, there have been signs of progress.

While the elder Johnson picked up speed, Adams helped KJ score a victory at the NHRA’s annual winter stop near Phoenix. Despite qualifying seventh, KJ found consistency and win lights, eventually beating No. 1 qualifier and defending category champion Jason Line in the final. KJ covered the quarter-mile strip at Firebird Raceway in 6.694 seconds with a top speed of 206.67 mph.

“The win was an important one for the entire organization,” KJ said of his holeshot victory in the final, his 36th career win. “We’ve had some new people come on board, including Terry Adams, and wanted to win as soon as we could for them.”

Winning is what it’s all about for Adams. He was raised in the hills of North Carolina, and still makes his home outside Charlotte.

A lifelong devotee of drag racing (he first caught the bug in 1973), Adams made a career out of the sport, from driver to tuner, earning a reputation as someone who got the most out of his equipment. He drove and tuned cars for many great Pro Stock teams over the years.

His most recent accomplishments included five Pro Stock wins in 2004 and ’05, highlighted by the 2005 King Demon Crown, as crew chief on Dave Connolly’s Pro Stock car.

But Adams’ stay with Connolly’s crew proved short. He left for the Don Schumacher-owned, two-car Mopar-backed Pro Stock operation last year. But his role as assistant crew chief there also was short-lived. By the end of last year, Adams worked for the Schumacher-supported Erica Enders Pro Stock team, but that didn’t work out. The Enders family eventually bought the operation from Schumacher, and Adams found himself out of work.

 

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The uncertain nature of the business, due to unexpected ownership and managerial changes, made it a bumpy ride for Adams last year.

“It was one of my worst years of my racing career,” he said. “I got thrown under the bus so many times. Basically, it was from stuff that was out of my control.”

But as a free agent, the reputable Adams was quickly snapped up.

Needing help with the chores, WJ called upon Adams. It was WJ who recommended Adams for his job with the Connolly crew.

“Most importantly, his presence allows me to go back to doing what I really enjoy, which is finding horsepower,” WJ said. “It also allows me to spend more time looking at other components in the tune-up.”

While Adams has his own area of responsibility, there are times when he would like to get his hands on the engine. After a strong-running test session at Las Vegas, Nev., recently, he jokingly kidded others by saying he should seize WJ’s carburetors and bring them to his hotel so the old master couldn’t tinker with them.

Joking aside, Adams has found a comfortable role. He has proven to be a good fit, a go-between for the elder Johnson, a relentless no-nonsense worker, and his son, a good-natured and quick-witted personality.

 

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“I’m mostly here to keep WJ out of trouble, “Adams said. “In all seriousness, however, Warren Johnson is a legend in this sport, and we need to get him back on track winning races. I think I can help do that.

“Everything is going pretty well right now. It was an easy transition,” he said. “It’s nice to be part of team that is committed to winning and not worried about other things.”

Adams immediately saw a difference in how the Johnsons run their shop.

“The team is all professional,” he said. “Everything’s done in-house. Whereas other teams rent motors and parts, basically everything here comes from Warren himself. You know you have the best motors in Warren and Kurt. No ifs, ands or buts about it. They want results and I want results. It’s easy when we all want the same thing.”

Adams hopes WJ can race strong for as a long as he can. A comeback is the battle cry this year.

“Warren has done so much for the sport,” Adams said. “Warren struggled, and he didn’t deserve to go out there and run the way that he did (last year).

“Warren’s a racer, and he’s always been a hard worker,” Adams said. “His health is good, and he’s fired up right now. He’s like a 40-year-old. He’s getting things done.”

Adams is just appreciative of getting the chance to work for the Johnsons, especially after last year’s sordid departures from rival teams.

“It’s the best opportunity I’ve ever had,” Adams said. “I appreciate Johnson Enterprises for just giving me a chance. It just feels like it’s an honor to be working with them.

“The longer we stay together, the stronger we’ll get.”

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