Poking the Bear Ford Performance Products

[Jim D'Amore]

Originally Posted by Albert Lee

In dealing with Mike for over 25 years, I have never known him to be anything less than a true professional.

Al Corda

Al
Just out of curiosity, what type of dealings have you had with Mike?


Just curious.


Jim D'Amore

[Jim D'Amore]

Originally Posted by Rat Raceway

You don’t have to buy a new car every year!!! Matter of fact the changes up the rules and you can now run new combos in the older FS cars. If you do that the car is no longer eligible for the normal eliminator and can only run Shootout.

I have no dog in this fight but I can see why the other manufacturers would want the 4.0L Whipple in the mix with nothing but 2.9 blowers. I would think a guy would want the newest best combo.

They actually consider 3L superchargers now.


Initially that was the plan to have one common supercharger. Mike actually wrote a proposal to NHRA for that and when NHRA brought it up to Mike, he had a change of heart. As for the 4L, with the 4" pulley on the supercharger, to move the same amount of air as the pulley combination on the 3L we would have to spin the engine 2000 RPMs higher which anybody that knows the 5.4 motors with it's extremely long rod would be suicide.


Jim D'Amore

[Jim D'Amore]

The motor swaps in the showdown class if you do this no longer allowed in stock, but you will be allowed in FGT superstock.


And also, for the people that cannot afford a whole new engine program, you can run the 5.4 in the newer chassis.


Jim D'Amore

[FS Fan]

Originally Posted by Bruce Noland

Back in the giddy days of Ford's return to drag racing everything was just fabulous for you guys and we, the guys with the old cars, were considered over-the-hill whiners. But, how times have changed. These Ford guys have had the best of it for 8-10 years and rubbing it in all the while. It appears now that Ford has had enough. Mike isn't the guy who makes the decisions - he simply does what he is told by Ford. Do you think he's going to come out here and tell you that Ford doesn't love you guys anymore? Sure they have a run of expensive new cars coming out and I'll bet they don't plan on supporting them either. 68 CJ's doesn't mean jack to Ford's bottom line. Ford executives were using you guys to have a little corpoate fun. And apparently Ford has moved on. You should consider the advice that you gave us - Stop complaining and work on your cars.

Ford releases new cars in 2009 and old cars are less competitive.
Old car NHRA racer gets put in charge of Ford customer program.
New Ford's now less competitive and teams upset at lack of support.
No new Ford race cars for nearly 3 years.
New 68 car run announced and orders locked in without ever showing a car or giving technical details, focusing almost entirely on 50th anniversary decals and gold stickers.

unfortunately you may be on to something.

[Bruce Noland]

Originally Posted by FS Fan

Ford releases new cars in 2009 and old cars are less competitive.
Old car NHRA racer gets put in charge of Ford customer program.
New Ford's now less competitive and teams upset at lack of support.
No new Ford race cars for nearly 3 years.
New 68 car run announced and orders locked in without ever showing a car or giving technical details, focusing almost entirely on 50th anniversary decals and gold stickers.

unfortunately you may be on to something.

And somebody still believes in the Easter Bunny if he believes an old car racer can control the whims of Ford. Did you guys think this little scheme would last forever? For the time being, Chevrolet is still throwing up a lot of sponsor money but that will end some day.

[Tom Dolan]

Originally Posted by Albert Lee

In dealing with Mike for over 25 years, I have never known him to be anything less than a true professional.

Al Corda

That may be, but what heck. How does a guy race a mopar, and friendly with gm but he works for ford. Seems like a lot of conflict of interest, but what do I know thats how its done today I guess. All I know is what the ford racers tell me, they are not happy with ford or mike. I guess it will be like the old days, if you want to race a ford you have to do it without there support.

[Jim D'Amore]

I have not heard back from Ford Performance on their reasoning behind removing the 5.4L/4.0L combination out of the guide for showdown class. I have been speaking with Ford Performance's new boss Mark Wilson, in fact I drove to Ohio for the national event with 1 day's notice to have a meeting with him. The meeting lasted a good 3 1/2 hours. Basically I drove 20 hours, had a meeting for 3 1/2 hrs, multiple emails exchanged, and 139 text messages back and forth. He had his phone meeting with NHRA and I have not heard back from him in 6 days. As it stands now I do not know what direction he is going to go. He's got the approval from NHRA, in fact it was already on the books before Mike took it off...


I've been getting private messages and emails on this, people wanting to know if I've heard anything because they would like to use this combination. That is the reason for this post.




Jim D'Amore

[Charley Downing]

Tom please tell us who all these unhappy ford racers are. I think 90% of the ford racers that actually go to more then 2-3 races a year are happy. This JDM bash Mike D thread so I can get my way has been going over two weeks now and I only see 2-3 in the whole county mad. Heck Jim even questioned Al Corda a veteran class racer when Al had something good to say about Mike.

If you and JDM don’t like the ford rep you two should talk with any of the GM sportsman racers with cars over 8 years old. Most have no idea who their rep is, Heck most of them could not even tell you who their last three reps were. I asked two long time GM SuperStock racers that have won national events in 2018 with top of the line fast clean GM cars if they were getting any help from GM and they both just laughed we can’t even get a free T-shirt or hat.

I think Mike has done a good job helping ALL the ford racers new and old over the past year. Funny last year at Indy all ford racers new and old were invited for a group INDY photo. Has GM or Mopar ever done that for all their racers at an event like INDY?

[Jim D'Amore]

Originally Posted by Charley Downing

Tom please tell us who all these unhappy ford racers are. I think 90% of the ford racers that actually go to more then 2-3 races a year are happy. This JDM bash Mike D thread so I can get my way has been going over two weeks now and I only see 2-3 in the whole county mad. Heck Jim even questioned Al Corda a veteran class racer when Al had something good to say about Mike.

If you and JDM don’t like the ford rep you two should talk with any of the GM sportsman racers with cars over 8 years old. Most have no idea who their rep is, Heck most of them could not even tell you who their last three reps were. I asked two long time GM SuperStock racers that have won national events in 2018 with top of the line fast clean GM cars if they were getting any help from GM and they both just laughed we can’t even get a free T-shirt or hat.

I think Mike has done a good job helping ALL the ford racers new and old over the past year. Funny last year at Indy all ford racers new and old were invited for a group INDY photo. Has GM or Mopar ever done that for all their racers at an event like INDY?

Charley,


Sorry to see you left the Ford camp and are now driving a Mopar. It's running pretty good too...


Mike and I got along great along as long as I (as he calls it) didn't poke the bear. I've had multiple emails and over 174 text messages with him regarding promises he made to 08,10, and 12 Cobra Jet owners. When NHRA agreed to these promises he pulled back and said Ford was no longer interested. You just simply don't do that to your loyal customers, it's more than 2-3 people as you suggested...by those years alone you're talking about 150 cars!


I was not questioning Al, I was more curious about his insights because I respect him. I am not concerned with knowing a GM or Mopar rep, I've been a loyal FORD customer for over 30 years. I'm not even concerned with knowing Ford's rep as long as if he makes a promise, he keeps it! Ford should not send a rep out to hug and kiss the baby and then stab the parents in their back. That's a politician's job...


For your information it's been 4 races that I have attended so far this year and as for my schedule it will be 11 before seasons over.


Jim D'Amore

[Tom Dolan]

Free t shirts and hats, along with group photo. How could I have been so wrong about ford, my apologies.