After victories in Denver and Sonoma this year, Pro Stock’s Greg Anderson sits just four wins shy of tying “The Professor” Warren Johnson for the second winningest pro driver in NHRA history. The two powerful forces will come together during the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals on August 31 and September 1 for a one-time-only match race, appropriately titled, “Back To School,” to reveal plans for the upcoming 50th anniversary of Pro Stock.
Johnson’s impressive 97 career victories in an NHRA pro category (second only to John Force’s 150 wins) make him the winningest Pro Stock driver of all time but with 93 wins and no signs of slowing down, Anderson is hot on the heels of the Professor.
“I definitely went to the Professor’s school, no question about it,” said Anderson. “But being his student for so many years means I learned all the good things to do, as well as what NOT to do. I’ll be ready for him in Indy.”
The Pro Stock standouts have earned a combined 10 world championships in the category and are two of the most celebrated drivers in this competitive class. Johnson and Anderson will take to the starting line in Chevrolet Performance vehicles decked out in custom decals. The winner of the match race will be determined by the driver who wins two out of three races, the first of which will take place during pro qualifying round two on Saturday, followed by their final runs on Sunday.
Johnson and Anderson will have the honor of revealing a special logo to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Pro Stock category prior to their first run on Saturday. The first NHRA Pro Stock event was the 1970 Winternationals in Pomona, Calif. when Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins defeated Ronnie Sox in the final to become the first winner in the Pro Stock category. NHRA will be celebrating this significant milestone throughout the 2020 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season.
“It’s almost the 50th anniversary of Pro Stock and I raced 38 years of it,” said Johnson. “It all comes down to bringing entertainment to the fans, no matter who wins. I made a living doing match racing for quite a while and it’s all about making the fans excited. That’s the bottom line and I’m glad to be a part of it.”
Tickets for the world’s most prestigious drag race can be purchased by calling the NHRA Ticket Sales Center at (800) 884-NHRA (6472), or online at www.NHRA.com/tickets. Kids 12 and under are free in general admission areas with a paid adult. To honor the Salute to First Responders, military and first responders can save 20 percent on general admission tickets at the gate. For more information about the NHRA visit www.NHRA.com.
This story was originally published on August 13, 2019. 
