What has happened in Pro Stock
 

We used to see less than .05 spread from #1 to # 16 or less now it was .26. It is the only pro class that I watch. No KJ no WJ, no Stanfield, the summit team has lost something, Has big money pushed guys out, high travel costs? Also has NHRA with there track prep just for there fuel cars made it harder to get down some tracks? Tom

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

Return on investment?

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

How True--Sponsors are almost impossible to find in drag racing--NASCAR is Americas racing!

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

If you watch ESPN3 they don't even televise Round 1...you can watch it but, no commentary and the qualifying highlight show is all about FC & TF. Who wants to invest money when you get no return....ashame

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

Without a huge amount of money.....no one can compete in Pro Stock.....and since the sponsors are few and far between.....there are very few people in the game....

The same thing is what is happening to the rest of the sport and will eventually be the demise of drag racing......if this trend is not reversed

From bracket racing on up......it's all the same.....costs are too high to compete and the number of people able to compete is dwindling.

NHRA seems to have their heads in the sand and makes believe everything is fine...it is not.....

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

You guys are correct...it is all about money, even the guys that have the big bucks, if they can't find a major sponsor - they don't race

and good luck finding a major sponsor in which most don't know/understand or care about drag racing, like someone said - you need a return on your investment.

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

Years ago, NHRA Drag Racing was a bit more mainstream than NASCAR...although
some might argue the point....

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

How about ME, he is one of the less well financed teams and he is running away with the points chase!
Won again today!!!!!

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

I've almost stopped watching National events. I fastforward through TF and FC to get to Pro Stock and now they're not showing first round. All they want to show is John Force or one of his family talking. Talk, talk, talk when it should be about racing, racing , racing!

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

Several publications have run stories like this over the past several months:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/automotive/used/sc-cons-0314-autocover-teen-driver-20130316,0,385955.story

It’s quite depressing, actually.

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

only depressing to us old guys.

Nothing stays the same, everything changes.

This country no mind the world is a very different place than it was just 25 years ago no mind 40 years ago when drag racing was in it's hey day and we no longer are a country in love with cars.

Admitted it or not, drag racing has been dying for some time and while I think it will still be around till I retire from competing, I suspect it won't be around much longer than that and certainly not when my son is my age.

Lots of reason for it's enviable demise, some were avoidable, some not.

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

I know very little about Mike Edwards or his teams finances......but no one can dominate in Pro Stock without the funds to buy or develop what is needed to beat the teams that can afford the best...

If he and his team can beat Alan Johnson and Mopar and the other top teams like Jason Line and Greg Anderson...it sure is not because he is just a real smart guy .....
He has the funding from somewhere for the right parts and the people to make the right calls.......or he is doing something others are not.....

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

Almost all the pro classes are unwatchable on TV slightly less live at the track. The cars have no personality, they are all the same thing with some different twists. The TV programming is terrible. Nobody shows or explains the tech side of things. There are very few regular grassroots people competing

Pro Stock is another class that has no personality. Its a one manufacturer race, and has been that way for years. I didn't even make any time to watch a round of prostock at Etown. Ford and Mopar are not even a factor. Sick of watching a GM car field. Bring in Toyota, or give the other makes a slight weight brake. Something to make it bearable to watch.

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

the NHRA's target demographic is NOT racers.

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

I remember pro sock personality in the late 70's/early 80's....joe statmary, richie zol, paul blevins, the grump, glidden, gapp/rouch, butch leal...who else am I missing? kinda boreing today.

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

I have to add that listening to Drag racing on the net is sickening....

If it was not for the fact that I am friends with many racers that won today at E-Town I would not listen to the junk they broadcast for 5 minutes....

They truly are putting on a show that I would call a Circus and it is an empty shell of a version it once was....

The music.....t-shirt shooters.....it all adds up to a big ZERO to my old butt....

and I agree with Ed......(Racer1320) 100 thousand percent...

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

First thing to eliminate is funny car--WTF-does anyone think force sells mustangs--F/Cars are the ugliest P.O.S. on any race track in the world-I wish they would race them 4-wide at every track they go to :eek:

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

[QUOTE=Todd Hoven;384132]Almost all the pro classes are unwatchable on TV slightly less live at the track. The cars have no personality, they are all the same thing with some different twists. The TV programming is terrible. Nobody shows or explains the tech side of things. There are very few regular grassroots people competing

Pro Stock is another class that has no personality. Its a one manufacturer race, and has been that way for years. I didn't even make any time to watch a round of prostock at Etown. Ford and Mopar are not even a factor. Sick of watching a GM car field. Bring in Toyota, or give the other makes a slight weight brake. Something to make it bearable to watch.[/QUOT

Todd my firend you are a rare breed buddy.....and if we had more like you racing would be fine......As I have said before I met and spoke to Truman once and he was driving the Hard Times car up at Island one night.....Loved Pontiacs then and still do.....They were no bargain to race and he won with them and you do as well....and I am sure it is not easy to do....

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

without funny car and john force there is no road show known this year as Mello Yellow Drag Racing Series because THAT is what and who put asses in the seats at an NHRA National event!

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

On the plus side. They brought back trophy girls. :D

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

Todd, your not giving Alan Johnson and his Dad much credit. That's one bad-assed Dodge! Sometimes they are the fast car, some weeks somebody else is nonstop. Right now Mike is. And, Mike is doing it with less money that some others.

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

ESPN coverage is a joke anymore! I also fastforward the tf and fc stuff and what dress a Force wore or what this or that did for this and that!

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

I was never a big fan of the fuel cars but I would from time to time at least watch them run and pay attention to the numbers they were puting up. I have not watched them since they switched to 1000 ft. I just can't relate to it. And I still don't have clue about their times. It seems that there could have been a better way to slow them down and keep them running the 1/4 mile. Pro stock has always been my favorite pro class. It was great in years past to watch some of the guys in the sportsman classes move up threw the ranks to wheel one of these. It's sad to see how far out of hand the cost has become. Not sure what the answer is but we all know what's being done isn't working. Barry

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

FORD gives that mouth money--he would not be in racing without FMC--I ask why? He sure as hell doesn't sell mustangs from that POS he drives, that looks like a dirt track car from a small town in the middle of nowhere-FH

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

As a fan since the 80's, I thought today went great. All pro classes were awesome. I did miss more sportsman as they only ran the semis and finals. The show is shortened to acccomidate the newer demographic? shorter attention spans, certainly an easier ride home today.
4 points I will make.
1 many drag racers want heads up classes. They are no longer interested in anything brackets to watch or compete. Cecil County had anothershootout Saturday and maybe today too where a lot of locals were. I know that for fact. A few told me. Interesting they included 11.50 index.I think it was My friends GP was in semis of it. I like the index classes and they are fun to watch.
2 The young ones today like lowering cars and nice wheels, some graphics and intakes(air filter systems as I would say, they dont) and are not track kids. They don't like domestics. I work for Lexus, and see it daily with coworkers and customers rides.
3. The economy still stinks and many can't afford this.

4. Alan Reinhart gave the very best heartfelt thank you I've ever seen at the track today. They know people just can't afford the day out, tho June is graduations, proms, bdays month of the year People don't have the disposible income and many are recovering from Sandy and otherstorms also. I was with one today.
I was moved by his speech. Any tape of it?

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

IF you want Drag Racing to survive in the future you need to allow Foreign Makes to compete in the Pro and Sportsman Races.

The Pro ranks need to be shaken up.
Reduce Blower Size for TF and FC get back to 1/4 racing.

Pro Stockers need to use real bodies.
I cannot tell one car from another.
ProMod has more character.

TO bring in the public and families.
Bathroom Facilities needs to be vastly improved.

Dan

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

Street racing is coming back, at least in this part of the country.

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

Modern NHRA is what has happened to Pro Stock.

The foreign makes do not care about drag racing, in the least. Neither do their buyers. A few people that work for foreign makes might be interested.

What needs to be done is for drag racing sanctioning bodies to focus on their core market first and foremost, to stop the spectator and participant loss.

Then they can look at pursuing other customers, without running off the ones they have.

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

Wasn't it the Toyota NHRA Summernationals?

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

We need more "stock" in Pro Stock. Remember the days of "factory roof and quarter panels"? At least the cars resembled their actual factory counterparts.

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

Bill Koski said Mike Edwards is running off with points,but now with countdown that screws that up,he did that a few years ago and countdown cost him championship,
I don't like countdown if a guy can run off with championship and have wrapped up with 3 or 4 races left then I think they deserve it.

My main problem w/pros is
2-3 people practically owning the whole field
the countdown
1000' racing
$'s it takes has put and keeps a lot of good racers out.

Mike Taylor 3601

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

I can't believe some can't tell the cars apart.

I don't like the count down either.

It's hard to understand a racer not being impressed and interested in the technology involved. Much of our engine building technology trickled down from there. Fuel cars? Not so much.

I guess maybe the bracket contingent that buys their engines may not be that interested.

I would love to be a fly on the wall of Mike's engine shop. Al introduced me to one of Mike's engine guys at Indy last year. Got to pick his brain a little. Highlight of my weekend.

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

Newsflash Ed, the stock/super stock contingent buys their engines too! Perhaps you've heard of Tilburg, Watters and Gulius.

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

Pro Stock is out dated at this time, there are no 500 inch cars with 2 carbs any longer. The Pro Stock class of today are funny cars but with doors. Pro Stock should go back to a backed halfed bodies in white, with flat hoods. Fuel injected, no more then 370 ci. It would bring alot of different combinations and new faces into the field. It wouldn't be the same 22 cars that show up. Let the cars come back to Pro "Stock" It would bring the class closer to the modern day vehicles. Also the cost to run one would come back down to reason. Just a different look at the class.

Casey Miles
248H "F" NHRA STOCK

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

Dilbert, SS is who I'm talking about. Many still build their own. Others don't care to go faster, don't test to get faster, just bracket race it.

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

1970 was a long time ago, most buy their engines and the racers typically collecting Wallys are current or former bracket racers!

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

Yep. That dumbed it down with these bogus-soft indexes to where anybody with anything can run under. Like "for a grand".

Want to add, not just anybody could have put one under the index "for a grand", but even Billy putting one under the index for that amount means the indexes are too soft.

Bracket racing is where the slow guys that just could not run fast enough used to go. Now on Sunday everybody is fast. Don't have to know anything anymore.

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

The only way the cost would go down is outlaw wealthy people from racing Pro Stock. Not going to happen.

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

Isn't that the purpose of drag racing? To eliminate wealth?

Re: What has happened in Pro Stock
 

Amen to that. Good thing you have Pete to keep you in check.

TP