The NHRA is shaking things up all over the place. After recently announcing immediate changes to the Pro Mod Division that would require competitors to lose two pounds of boost (from 38 to 36 psi), the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) is now taking a look at the Pro Stock class in an effort to keep it exciting and competitive for the 2018 race season.
As the 2017 season heads to a close, the NHRA announced that it will reduce the Pro Stock class to an eight-car field at nine of the 24 scheduled events and 16-car fields at the other 15 events.
With the hopes that this will elevate competition and spark renewed interest in the declining Pro Stock Car category, the NHRA began contacting Pro Stock teams about the decision this week, stating that the latest ‘improvement plan’ was made after working closely with this teams on initiatives to improve fan engagement and interest. Some of the other efforts have included the switch to fuel injection; facing cars forward in the pits so fans can see the teams work on their engines; holding burnout contests and more. However, none of the efforts have revived a flagging class.
“We hope this change in field size at selected events will help increase excitement and fan interest,” said NHRA president Peter Clifford. “Negative trends continue in terms of racer participation, spectator interest, television ratings, media interest and manufacturer support. As we, the sanctioning body, are charged with making decisions that are in the best interest of this sport, trends like these force us to reevaluate this low trending category.”
The eight-car fields will be at the following 2018 events: Houston, Topeka, Epping, Englishtown, Bristol, Denver, Sonoma, Seattle and Brainerd. What are your thoughts on the latest in NHRA Pro Stock drama? Will this hurt or save this division? Comment below to let us know your thoughts.
They killed the class when they changed from carbs,
Make a factory small truck class with factory 5.7 block and heads with 1 4bbl 500hp
NHRA doesn’t give a damn about the racers. It’s all about money.
The NHRA quit caring about the racers a long time ago, I was a NHRA card holder for over 30 years and do not regret dropping them …. I still watch the races but if by chance I miss them I really could care less anymore … Its all about milking the Cash Cows (Sponsors) and if big changes do not happen soon, some of the teams will only have them self to race against …
N.H.R.A. ,Wally Parks ,and the entire staff ,are sorry , lazy low-down ,and…no-good for nothi’n !The corruption is criminal ,kick-backs are common as the cah-cow , the under handed ,back room deals are common practice as the day is long ! The license agreements are all underworld controlled ,never has been a not for profit program for the youth of america ,and never will be…as long as the racer’s ,fans ,vendors ,sponsors ,and public participate , in such a scum-bag operation as the nhra .
I agree with some of your points but just in case you missed the news Wally Parks died in 2007.
I love Pro Stock it is the only professional class that races an actual full bodied car
If NHRA wants to reduce any field so Fox can get as much in at as little air time they could drop
Motorcycles- no one I talk to is remotely interested in them.
If they are going to make a change in Pro Stock they should increase the size of the field not decrease it. make it a 32 car field that gives the 17 through 32 a chance to particapate for the so-called big money. Stop screwing around with the length of the racing surface, Leave it at a quarter mile. Just because Scott Kalitta was killed automaticly they change the fuel cars to 1000ft and what happened, The cars went faster and quicker. After those changes the racer and the fans started falling off. Why cut your nose off despite your face?????
Doesn’t matter what they do NHRA is dying just look at the crowds…People can’t afford to take their families to these events; the cars don’t look like real cars; the racers have no personality except for the annoying loud ones(John Force);and its too expensive for the average person to compete anymore in any of the classes, pro or sportsman. There is hardly any late model cars running which is what younger people are into. Racing is not dead (in fact far from it) its just that nhra and their old guy rules have forced people to go back to street racing which is what NHRA was supposedly originally formed to elimintate.
” Improvement Plan ”? Now that is a play on words! Aren’t you afraid of running more NHRA fans to idle? Pro Stock as it’s run today is a Yawn ! Guess which one of three cars will win 87% of the races? Real parody there fans!
They need to change class completely it should be the factory built showdown cars much more exciting more people can get involved.
No good, NHRA need to cut the cost of running pro stock. I would like to see different car’s and driver’s on Sunday and not the same old same.
Pro Stock success should/could be modified “stock” chassis Camaro’s, Mustangs and Challengers like back in the day!!! Doesn’t matter who wins now on Sunday; I can’t by a ‘cartoon carbon bodied’, tube chassis car on Monday!!! We could relate to cars that looked like the ones we drove, had names and sponsors related to the car and parts (not Patron, AAA, DHS, KB construction, etc). Cutting the field down is the dumbest plan…..make the class more affordable “stock” would also likely bring the manufactures back in…..and result in more cars like the Demon, COPO, and FR’s. I switched to watching and participating in high performance driving experiences where we ‘run what we brung’ on road course race tracks around the country, with stock great handling cars, ……a dozen 1/4 miles per lap…..with braking and left /rights thrown in!!!! Much more grassroots fun and enjoyable!!!
Well put, many of us “old” drag racers feel the same way. There’s nothing “stock” about this class. Just call it Camaro parade and call it a day : )
GREAT THOUGHTS.. NHRA ARE YOU LISTENING… THE OPERATIVE WORD IS “STOCK” AND PRO IS FOR THE $$$ .. DO YOU GET IT?
Imagine 1500HP in a stock frame from the factory, it would be twisted up like a pretzel, thats Pro Stock, would rather watch the nostalgia ProMod/Nitro Altereds, Willys, 38 Chevys, Studebakers, the old stuff, everything is a Camero now, redundant/boring, how bout scaled down SB nitro cars, create something new!
Pro Stock Should be re formed into something resembling- Stock chassis, with allowed structural reinforcement . Trans that are not clutchless get a 150 lb weight break – weight to cu in ratio with up to 650 cu in allowed for 2 valve engines, 550 cu in for 4 valve
Carbs or EFI, reasonable scoops allowed, Work hard to get MoPar, Ford, Toyota, Nissan involved. Right now it is “Camaro Stock Show” This eliminates about 1/2 the fan base,,,,can’t you see that ? Take a focus group of 500 voters like sensible corporation do, and there will lie your answer. Make E85 allowable.
BY the Way- 24 or 32 car field- for Pro Stock
Get rid of some of the stupid Super Comp cookie cutters to save time -Every SC is the same with a different paint job, and dash that looks like a Christmas tree. 🙁
Pro stock is basically a pro mod running at 500 cu. in. and no power adders.
Get back to grass roots racing with
True factory built cars run what you brung and hope you brung enough.
Stop the corporate money from keeping the middle class racers out of it!!!
I for one really like the motorcycles. I’ve drag raced Harleys years ago and for the 2017 year they dropped a bunch of the Harley classes. No info, no news, no nothing on the website about why or that they were even cancelled. I emailed the only address given on the site for info several times. I received NO RESPONSE. Nothing….nada….zip. Now that’s really caring about your fans. And NHRA wonders why there is a lack of interest………
I would rather watch Pro Mods!!!!!!!!!! A better class that you can relate to.
How about getting the others back, for Mopar, maybe use the Challenger and NOT the Dart, bring back Mustang. These were the REAL CARS that were in the PRO STOCK CLASS!!!!! And bring the hood scoops back. Looks like I’m looking at a virgin on prom night.
NHRA .. ARE YOU LISTENING (THE PAYING PUBLIC IS SPEAKING) THE OPERATIVE WORD FOR THE CLASS IS “STOCK” PRO IS THE ADJECTIVE OR DESIGNATES OPERATES FOR $$$. You will continue to experience the decline GM has less than 30% marketshare.. 70% of your fan base DON’t BUY GM – let alone Camaro’s. You are following NASCAR.
Start a new catagory-factory small trucks with 350 Ci 500 hp-Tacoma, Frontier, Colorado, Canyon,Ranger
(sigh)…been there / done that…and it failed….just like PSC(amaro) is failing, now.
Small factory trucks with Factory 5.7 blocks and heads with 1 4bbl-there are more truck owners than anybody at every drag race!
NOBODY watched them. During that time, .I had a brand new ’97 Dakota…and I never got exited about watching NASCAR engines in a pro stock truck…and neither did the fans. The only trucks that won, were the S-10’s. or the occasional Dodge…the Fords had to get handicapped and the category died because NOBODY wanted to watch IROC trucks. This is the exact same direction PSC is heading. ( tell me…which category in NASCAR gets the LEAST attention….what class ?…trucks) The fastest growing and best category, has been Pro Mod…and NHRA dragged their feet on a fan favorite because they absolutely HATE anything “nitrous”. Go back and learn about that era…and the lawsuits that followed. Have a nice day.
Dictating that you have to use Holley fuel injection has ruined the class this year. Too many restrictions kills innovation and advancements in technology.
We wouldn’t want the big money teams to get shown up by some guy working out of his garage, would we?
If any one thing killed Pro Stock it was NHRA’s lack of attention to the class. The fuel injection didn’t do it nor the goofy looking hood scoops, it was NHRA’s lack of attention. NHRA needs to take a look at the old days (Not necessary go back to the “Old Days” but look at and learn from them.), if one engine dominated they penalized that engine or gave the others a break to keep the competition close (Hell, they still do it in the Sportsman classes- Stock, Super Stock, Comp, Pro Mod, Top alcohol ). If they had been paying attention (And cared.) they would have been helping the Fords and Mopars by giving them some sort of break or taking something away from the Chevys, not putting the bogus rev limit on the class, which hurts some cylinder head combo’s more than others, I personally don’t like the weight breaks and all that crap but at least if applied correctly(And that’s the reason NHRA went to a modified IHRA model, Mountain Motor-with a 500 C.I. limit, much easier to keep track of and police.) it keeps the racing close. Someone mentioned trucks with small blocks, they tried that (It was called, strangely enough, Pro Stock Truck and was an exciting class in my opinion.) but it ruffled too many feathers in the Pro Stock car ranks and they successfully campaigned NHRA to get the class eliminated. No, in my opinion, NHRA doesn’t care about the class. NHRA stopped being driven by on track performance when Wally Parks died and a bunch of “Marketing Majors” took over.
A LOT of people seem to be missing the whole issue. WHO (tee eff ) wants to watch 16 Camaros try and quality ? IROC, anyone ? (yes, i know there’s a couple of non-competitive Dodges bottom feeding, so don’t bother s’plainin’ that to me ) With a 10,500 rpm limit on cars, even Alan Johnson can’t get close to the top…and now he’s retired. The fact is…both NHRA & NASCAR hate Dodge…and they have ever since the Hemi & Daytona’s came out. The NHRA even put all Hemi SS/A & AA cars in their own class. The Demon ran a 9.65 and then they banned it….does anyone think that if that car had a bowtie on the grill, it wouldn’t have been welcomed into the fold ? I sure do. Ever wonder why there hasn’t been a Ford in that class for eons ? This PSC class should (like NASCAR) have nothing but Mustangs, Challengers and Camaros duking it out. That’s what the fans want to see…not this crap. Geez…even the “brain trust” at NHRA can’t see this ? Have a nice day
Who’s bright idea was this ? As a Pro Stock fan since it’s inception I read this and just shake my head. I understand the part about who wants to see all Camaro’s race in the class. But, the old rules from back in the 70’s when they kept making the Ford Boss Motors run a heavier weight break makes more since than this. At least the fans could route for the car that had the same manufactured motor . So now we just have a naturally aspirated Funny Car class. You really think when a Mopar or Ford lover fan learns their favorite is all running GM motors they are going to rejoice ? They will be more disappointed than ever. Make a compromise and let the Hemi powered cars turn 11,000 RPM’s so their engines are competitive. Makes more sense. So now we can watch Funny Cars , Pro Mod , Pro Stock and Competition Eliminator run what ever motor in those classes. The class I loved is GONE !
I can’t believe how bad NHRA has become! Sometimes the answers can be found in the past, not by coming up with the current “solutions” to pro-stock. I used to live to go see Sox, Glidden, Jenkins, Carlton,and Nicholson match-ups!!! Now we have a fuel-injected all Camaro catastrophe! Sorry, NHRA, its time for me to find a new hobby. Hope you can draw in more fans, cause you sure have lost all us old-timers!!!