Pro Stock

[1320racer]

life support has already been pulled on pro stock. The NHRA is just waiting for it to flat line. My guess is it's done after this season.

[joespanova]

Originally Posted by SuperStock fan

To me I could do without the fuel categories. All the rule changes to prostock is only hurting the class! Lets go back to hood scoops no rev limiters and let the boys twist those engines at 12,000 rpms again. The guys can't even rev the engines anymore on the starting because it screws up the computers for the fuel injection. Cutting the class to run 18 races a season is the first nail in the coffin! Before you know they will eliminate the class like they did to prostock truck(miss that class)!! The only thing the nhra did this season that got my interest a bit was bringing mountain motor P.S. in for a few races and for the die hard fans who like the class are really enjoying it.

The "freak" categories ( fuel cars) are for the attention whores that own them , Pro Stock sucks any more .Its Pro Mod now. Pro Mod rules.....literally.....survey most fans.......I did , lol. And I agree with them......variety , BLOWERS, NOS , TURBOS. Pro Stock can rot and die on the vine for all I care.

[Mike Pearson]

I cant imagine anyone that races and does not like pro stock. They are the badest of the bad. Just brute horsepower. No NOS, no turbos, no blower no power adder at all. Just some very smart engine and chassis builders and gifted tuners in that class. I have nothing but respect for those that choose to race in such a competitive class.

[Lenny5160]

To add to your list, Mike:

No room in the rules for true innovation. No real distinction between one run and all the others.

What they do with 500 inches is absolutely incredible. It just isn't interesting to watch, in my opinion.

Same applies to the nitro classes, really. I like that as a sensory experience but don't care who wins. About one qualifying session per year is enough.

[jmcarter]

Agree with Mike to a certain extent but without competing brands and some intense rivalries (sorry, but Enders/Anderson or others is not in the same ball park as Glidden/Johnson or a host of others from the past) I'm pretty much over which carbon fiber Camaro wins. Usually zip through the DVR with only vague interest to see DSR or JFR cars hopefully get beat. But I also realize the Pros are what fills the stands so hope NHRA has continued success, although like NASCAR they've forgotten their core so doubtful about the ultimate outcome. Just hope they don't screw up Pro Mod and Factory Stock too much.

[BillyCarroll]

Pro Stock has been one of my favorite classes for a long time. I even worked for Dempsey Hardy in the mid '80's who ran Pro Stock at the time and got to hang around a lot of the guys at a young age. Up until lately it continued to be one of my favorites. There have been a lot of things that have changed the class for me personally, but few of those carry over to what i think the common fan sees when attending the event.

What i think escapes the common fan is just how impressive it is to do what those guys are doing with that combination. Up until the Fuel injection and RPM change a few years ago that combination had been beat to death for years always looking for an ounce of horsepower and everyone was fighting for that same bit with about an identical combination. True, you could say the same about the class since the changes, but i think the gaps aren't as tight as they were prior but that is only due to the time with this combo, but in time they will get back there.

My personal reasons for the loss in interest in the class has been with the number of teams competing and dwindling car counts. Those two numbers sound similar, but they aren't. We used to get 58 cars attempting to qualify at Gainesville. There were guys fighting to make the show. Some built their own engines and some bought their engines, but they all tuned them and competed against each other and not like "i'm competing against you, but if i lose a team car is advancing", guys hated to lose.

TV hasn't helped. I personally could care less about the fuel cars, but i can't watch the coverage without them interviewing a fuel driver while a Pro Stock car is preparing for a run. Let me have that time to watch my class. 70 % of the coverage is already fuel cars and i don't care about them.

From a fans perspective, i don't think they get what is the most impressive thing about Pro Stock and that is the performance. They simply want to see the visual aspect and watch the car go from A to B. I can't argue the sound of those 500" engines or the mph numbers they are putting up there, but as a fan my vote would be to line up a 32 car field of Factory Stock Showdown Cars and let them run. Those 16 pairs will run in about the same amount of time as 8 pairs of Pro Stock cars by the time they do their burn out and adjust the wheelie bars.

In Factory Stock, you'd get to see all three manufacturers, the fans can identify with them and the runs are unpredictable (wheels up, tire spin, etc) so there are no give me's in the class offering a much greater entertainment value to the fans, and this is coming from a life long Pro Stock fan's point of view.

Just my .02

[Pete Lanciers]

I was indeed fortunate to witness as a young man the evolution of the individuals, teams and technology that emanated from the ranks of SuperStock and Modified Production that gave birth to Pro Stock. I too have a been a rabid life long fan and now morn the loss of what was always IMHO the greatest Eliminator.

"I cant imagine anyone that races and does not like pro stock" Mike change does to did and I'm in violent agreement with you!

"No room in the rules for true innovation" Lenny, altering the rules to give one manufacturer the advantage made true innovation irrelevant and unattainable for anyone not choosing to run a BowTie.

"In Factory Stock, you'd get to see all three manufacturers, the fans can identify with them and the runs are unpredictable" Billy right there with you brother, but like many here I see the handwriting on the wall with NHRA failing to lead by whether wittingly or unwittingly acquiescing to rule changes dictated by those intent upon giving themselves an unfair advantage.

I too want nothing more than to see NHRA succeed, but repeating past failures and emulating those of other failing Motorsports Sanctioning bodies...read NASCAR. Will not result in the success we desire, again just my humble opinion.