Factory Cars to Pro Stock in 2018 - Speculative Web Article

[Ed Wright]

Originally Posted by charlie westcott

Their interest in all classes must be what leads them to go buy a 10.00 hamburger when the fuel cars are done.

I think what little interest they do have is squashed when they see "Those cars that stall, then take off again"

Wish I had a dollar for every time someone asked me whats up with that.

I agree with everything you said. People ask me about those throttle stop cars too. Explain it to them, they laugh and coment on how stupid that is. It's a different crowd. Not much tech inspection required. Lots of them. NHRA evidently loves them.

[Mike Pearson]

Originally Posted by Ed Wright

I agree with everything you said. People ask me about those throttle stop cars too. Explain it to them, they laugh and coment on how stupid that is. It's a different crowd. Not much tech inspection required. Lots of them. NHRA evidently loves them.

The throttle stop classes seem to be dwindling in numbers too lately. Not too many want to sit 4 days for a national event any more for the low purse and almost no contingency payout. Its very expensive to race a top quality throttle stop car.

There is little that can be done to resurrect Pro Stock. Every rule change just costs the teams a bunch of money and does nothing to improve the class. This last rule package was a complete flop. The only thing that will help the pro classes is if the economy takes a upswing and there is more corporate sponsorship money available to fund more teams that can run competitively. They are out there but cant afford to compete at the top level. The bright spot in PS for me this year was Matt Hartford running in the top half with WJ power. I hope he sticks with it.

Its sad to see our sport in such a state of decline over the past 10 years due to the poor management at NHRA and lack luster economy.

[Don Kennedy]

Originally Posted by Mike Pearson

The throttle stop classes seem to be dwindling in numbers too lately. Not too many want to sit 4 days for a national event any more for the low purse and almost no contingency payout. Its very expensive to race a top quality throttle stop car.

There is little that can be done to resurrect Pro Stock. Every rule change just costs the teams a bunch of money and does nothing to improve the class. This last rule package was a complete flop. The only thing that will help the pro classes is if the economy takes a upswing and there is more corporate sponsorship money available to fund more teams that can run competitively. They are out there but cant afford to compete at the top level. The bright spot in PS for me this year was Matt Hartford running in the top half with WJ power. I hope he sticks with it.

Its sad to see our sport in such a state of decline over the past 10 years due to the poor management at NHRA and lack luster economy.

ok everyone knows the economy is and "was" bad it will prosper big time under our new President . I am going to disagree with you about poor management at NHRA they did what they had to do to stay in business for both sportsman (the minor league) and the Pros)the Major League) to compete at the same time .

[Don Kennedy]

How about this idea every thing stays The same in Pro stock except they have to use a factory stock body no modifications allowed to the body same size, same look, and a Pro can use any body that the factory makes. only wheel wells can be stretched for the bigger tire . Simple

any year body style . To monitor this change would be simple have the factory car sitting right next to the race car .

[Rat Raceway]

The non racer fans will lose more interest then existing Pro Stock has now. Like said before, more people leave the stands for beer/soda, hotdog and a Top Fuel T-Shirt as soon as Pro Stockers start running.

I would also think it would like asking the Pro drivers to take a huge step back. Like asking a Jet pilot to fly a prop plane...


From the racer side this all sounds like a great class that I would enjoy watching!

[cicero819]

Honestly do not think that NHRA is ready for a legal battle with the few millionaires who are now dominating the class. Pro-Stock started to morph after Bill Jenkins introduce the first tube chassis race car. During the mid 80's to the early 90' all pro-stock cars still look like a car that we could buy at any local Dealership across North America but unfortunately someone decided to bubble up for Aerodynamics purposes to the point that they hardly even look like a car sold my any of manufacturers products in the showroom. All NHRA has to do if they're truly interested in keeping Pro-stock is to mandate that all Pro-stock cars have the same sheet metal and dimensions of cars from said Manufacturer. This would solve all problems, builders would continue to build safe and durable cars with 500 cubic inches engines, the public would be happy seeing their favorite driver compete, you would have to stop the hemorrhaging of money by outlawing crazy differentials, axles, brakes,shocks,transmission using titanium gears, and valves then you could have guys like Charlie show that hard work and ingenuity can overcome unlimited pocketbooks. I think that NHRA has their mind made up by moving to a Circus(Fields Corporation) type of entertainment. This also means that Stock/Super Stock and Competition Eliminator to be combined or totally to be eliminated making room for 9.0. 10.0.11.0 12.0 13.0 classes. NHRA has to change because the young bloods are staying away. Seriously a 9" tire isn't capable to safely hook a1000hp car now, just imagine 1500hp race car. Remember the law suit that incur after the Reher Morrison Camaro took the life Lee Sheperd, just imagine the the possible catastrophe from more of these type of events. CR.p.s prop planes are fun.lol

[Ed Carpenter]

And here you have it Nhra simply won't listen to those in the class....

http://www.competitionplus.com/drag-...mopar-minority

[Julie Jordan]

Originally Posted by cutta

There's still the issue of money. If the current PS contigent(KB racing, Gray Motorsports, Elite, McGaha, etc) jumps into this class, we will be back to less than twenty cars in no time. Big money racing programs will likely keep the "little guy" home. 23 events will likely keep the "little guy" home. Do we really have 20 new racers willing to pour at least $500,000/yr in a racing program for multiple years with new investors backing them. When you think about the bigger issue in my mind, it's a popularity and a new money issue issue. How do we address the new money issue and convince that money to stay.

And if there is a move like this on the way, it would be wise to keep the current investors/racers involved so you have the best possible chance to keep that money as well. New investors haven't loyally invested millions for years so relying on new money alone is risky.

Side note, it maybe time for NHRA to invest some money into joint education programs with high schools to build interest into racing earlier on. All major motorsports organizations should look into doing that. Plane that seed early.

Been around for years:

http://www.nhra.net/yes/

[cutta]

Originally Posted by Ed Carpenter

And here you have it Nhra simply won't listen to those in the class....

http://www.competitionplus.com/drag-...mopar-minority

This article just makes you wonder what everyone else in the class thinks. Wonder what Ken Black, Elite, V. Gaines, McGaha, and other investors would have thought of the mentioned changes. I feel like this is a piece of bigger picture that we will never have access too. Rarely is it as simple as it may appear to be. I'd hate to be NHRA because no matter what, your screwing one contingent or another.

[Todd Gross]

Originally Posted by Ed Carpenter

And here you have it Nhra simply won't listen to those in the class....

http://www.competitionplus.com/drag-...mopar-minority

Very interesting article. Allen and Roy usually have smart stuff coming out of their mouths.

"Johnson said Mopar wanted a Pro Stock division which resembled what many drag racing fans wanted, identifiable bodies and engines relative to today's street vehicles, with the performance of today's current Pro Stock chassis for performance and safety. Johnson said he'd heard enough to know the manufacturers would have supported this idea.
"We were even going to build a test car if NHRA would have entertained it. Same chassis, same clutch, same transmission, rear end and everything. Except it would have had a Challenger body on it. It would have been the Crate Engine with a supercharger in it.
"We would have modified the engine and the supercharger to the point that it made the same power we do now. That's where Mopar wanted to go, and I know Ford was for it too. I believe GM was for it as well. NHRA went with the fuel injection instead."
"You would have seen a cross between the Pro Stock before the changes and the Factory Stock, but with an engine that would have cut costs tremendously. That engine would have lasted us half the dang year. The proposal was to limit modifications, so as to keep the costs down too."

Thanks for posting the link Ed. I had not seen this.