[Mike Pearson]

Pro stock is the only pro category that I like to watch. The racing is very close and has become a drivers race. No more can you cut a .060 light and expect to win a round. It would be better for the class if the other makes were better represented. Nothing in a pro stock car came from the big 3 manufacturers. Every part is aftermarket racing equipment. The one thing that has hurt pro stock was the addition of pro mod into NHrA ationalevent competition. Pro mod is kind of pro stock on steroids and they have taken away some of the potential sponsorships that could have gone to the pro stock teams. I don't think that replacing pro stock with the factory stock cars will make any difference. If there is no sponsor money the millionaires will be the only ones running those cars as well. It really comes down to the fact that NHRA has not promoted a good value for the sponsors needed to keep the high dollar classes funded. The super teams in all of the pro classes have pretty much ruined it for the smaller teams or privateers and NHRA has stood by and allowed it to happen. The factory stock class should be a class all i its own to see if it can survive on its own merits. If you can't qualify for the FD show than you should not be allowed bac in the stock or super stock elimination rounds with the same vehicle. I don't know how long the factories will continue to build the cars and engine components to keep the factory stock class alive. I guess time will tell in that. The factory stock cars are very cool but they are not that fun to watch. The cars a finicky with regard to traction and there is not many good side by side races that I have seen where at least one of the cars did not have traction problems. Big power and small tires have that recipe.
I surely don't have the answers nor do the sanctioning bodies. All Motorsports seem to be in the same predicament. Gate fees too high for the racer and spectator is one big issue. I was recently at the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona and the attendance there was at an all time low. Just too expensive. The racing and entertainment was really good and the updates that were done to the Daytona speedway are spectacular. Too bad they did not add a drag strip to the property when they did the update.