Pro Mod replacement?
 

Re: Pro Mod replacement?
 

I don't think that's a very good idea! Look at the Gators, even Pro racers got disappointed as Sportsman racers often do at National events. Young kids getting started will probably just drop out of the sport if they are told to be ready to run by 8am.... then wait around until 6pm and told to hurry and be ready... then at 9pm get called to the lanes and sit for an hour before being sent back to the pits and told 8am tomorrow. Their big "hollywood" TV moment spoiled by running Monday in front of their parents and twenty other racers, not 60,000 fans screaming their name and getting interviewed by every TV station.

Re: Pro Mod replacement?
 

I sincerely hope you aren't serious.

Re: Pro Mod replacement?
 

I think this is great, I run the d5 divisional races and as many nationals as I can. Only 1 track that I race at runs Jr's. My daughter loves being at those big races but is really bummed she only gets to race at one of them. For the kid in Jr's to be sitting in staging with their hero is something they will never forget. Remer, this is the future of our sport.

Re: Pro Mod replacement?
 

I'm not.

Re: Pro Mod replacement?
 

They should be run at Divisional races, however, running them at a national event I would vote against.

Re: Pro Mod replacement?
 

I usually run away from the starting line when they start running them but for all the families new to drag racing and perhaps with younger kids in tow it could be a conversation starter for getting youngsters involved. We struggle to keep the grandkids away from their e-gadgets so that would provide another outlet besides sports and we definitely need more young blood coming in. Already tried to get my grandson interested to no avail. As to National Events can it be any worse than TF Harley or the other little crap shows?

Re: Pro Mod replacement?
 

If NHRA really cared about trying to get "new blood in the sport", then maybe for once they should try supporting something more affordable (to the parents) at their National and Divisional Events.

http://www.beaversprings.com/tcr/

Re: Pro Mod replacement?
 

https://www.nhra.com/jr-street
NHRA is running this program, I've seen them running it at our local NHRA tracks.

Re: Pro Mod replacement?
 

That's good news! Now maybe they (NHRA) should be supporting THAT at their Events.

Re: Pro Mod replacement?
 

I think its great the kids get a chance to be on the big stage with the pros !

Re: Pro Mod replacement?
 

Billy, that looks similar to the NHRA "Jr. Street" program. That was fairly popular at Mission Raceway, when I lived on the West Coast, but not sure if I think with quotas and grade point requirements , that it is appropriate for a National Event. If the Sportsman cars have low quotas , that require X amount of grade point to enter a National, supposedly due to pit parking concerns, I have to think that any of these exhibition type classes just take away spots for the Sportsman Class racers.

Re: Pro Mod replacement?
 

I agree with you! The original subject of this thread was "Pro Mod replacement". The original "Pro Mod replacement" subject was JR. Dragsters. If NHRA can find the time and the space for exhibition type JR. Dragsters then why can't they find the time for exhibition type JR. Street?
Ya know, it's just entirely possible that in this day-and-age the average parents can't afford a JR. Dragster!

Re: Pro Mod replacement?
 

Say it isn’t so. Now the kids can ride around all night on their parents golf cart playing and goofing off and start their juniors next to your motorhome at zero dark 30 in the a.m.
Obviously I’m all for it. Lol

Divisionals is one thing, I can live with that, but I really don’t believe a national event is a place for this

Re: Pro Mod replacement?
 

Billy is spot on here. I ran Jr's through 2005. I quit before I got my real driver's license and started putting a bracket car together. There was other motivation behind that as well. Very, very few of the people I raced with moved on to "big" cars. You cannot recoup enough of your Jr Dragster investment to make the switch, unless you're very financially comfortable. I've seen numerous attempts to make JR's affordable through the years..."budget" chassis builders with turn-key packages, rental cars, etc. At the end of the day, there are still very few people making the transition to a regular car.

I can tell you now, had Quaker City ran TCR or JR Street when I was running, I probably would have never had a JR. I think the biggest thing about JR Street is promoting the fact that you can get involved with drag racing, running your every day car, and be competitive. There isn't a need for electronics, a tube chassis car, a stacker trailer, or any other fancy stuff. NHRA and IHRA really needs to showcase the fact that you can go out and be a winner drag racing with Mom's Cruze, or Dad's F150. It's going to be a lot easier for a teen to convince their parents to let them race the daily driver, as opposed to investing in a JR Dragster.

EDIT: As far as my JR...it took over 5 years to sell it after I quit, and I can assure you there was no money made. It was a fairly significant loss. It wasn't the latest and greatest, but it was a nice car, with nice paint, and a fresh motor sold for pennies on the dollar. The guy who bought it, to my knowledge, never ran it. His daughter "thought she might be interested", so he jumped in.

Re: Pro Mod replacement?
 

In my opinion the JRs should not be part of the national evet scene. There is already way too many classes at the nationals. Adding JRs and the new factory FX cars to the already overloaded schedule will make it even harder for the sportsman classes. The national events were never intended to have bracket racing included.

The gators was a good example of what can happen to the schedule when the weather is less than perfect. Then add more classes to the mix and its even worse. I dont have the answers to those problems and NHRA seems to be lost on the direction that they want to move.

Re: Pro Mod replacement?
 

What does Pro Mod (without a purse), Top Dragster, Top Sportsman, the new FX cars and JR. Dragsters (all of them new or newer additions to the Natl. Event program) have in common?
Big Money!
NHRA knows EXACTLY what direction that they want to move in!

Re: Pro Mod replacement?
 

They seem to have no problem moving "Stock" that way either.
(Hint..Look at the top of the qualifying sheets)

Re: Pro Mod replacement?
 

...and less tech.

Re: Pro Mod replacement?
 

I probably should have said Super Stock in my previous post.
A .9 under traditional S/S car used to be a fast car..Top of the heap..

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2022#indextop