The stat guy said that was the last time there wasn't a full field in PS.
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EE Not In Epping
- Thread starter Pete
- Start date
The stat guy said that was the last time there wasn't a full field in PS.
The Little Lizard
Nitro Member
From: Gary Gerould, 5 hours ago via Twitter.
Hearing that Erica Enders-Stevens may be good for next week in Chicago. Reminder: today's coverage from Epping on on ESPN at 8:30 eastern.
Hearing that Erica Enders-Stevens may be good for next week in Chicago. Reminder: today's coverage from Epping on on ESPN at 8:30 eastern.
Prestaged
Nitro Member
"Pro Stock racing in the NHRA is just a very tough sell."
That is what Erica said and if you think about it, it speaks volumes. NHRA does not give a rat's ass about Pro Stock. The racers have to sell themselves. The nitro guys get a lot of help. It is a sad state of affairs.
That is what Erica said and if you think about it, it speaks volumes. NHRA does not give a rat's ass about Pro Stock. The racers have to sell themselves. The nitro guys get a lot of help. It is a sad state of affairs.
luxexpress
Nitro Member
Not that I disagree, but what would you have the NHRA do? I like PS and wonder why the stands seem to empty when they run but that seems like the crowd the NHRA draws. Always surprises me since at IHRA events it always seemed like the fans were just as into their Pro Stocks as the fuel cars. Hate seeing Erica and WJ on the sidelines, but not sure what the solution is.
Since PS cars have reached a point where you literally need a 7 figure budget to chase the crown, maybe the solution is to start the class over. Think about it, will we EVER see a day when there are enough sponsors to support 16 cars with that type of funding? I say no. So maybe, now that the factories are all producing killer, RWD, V-8 musclecars that are light years better than the 60s-70s versions, this might be a great time to re-invent PS into a class that has more Stock to it. Again, just spitballing, but it seems like the NHRA needs to think outside the box and project where things could be in 3, 5, 10 years and beyond.
Leebone
Nitro Member
I don't understand this. You would think sponsors would be fighting over her. She's young, exciting, well spoken, attractive and most of all, she's an awesome driver with a great team. She's a proven winner and at this point, a top four car. Corporate America couldn't find a better spokesperson for their product. What a shame she's on the sidelines. That's just silly! 
HEMI6point1
Nitro Member
I don't understand this. You would think sponsors would be fighting over her. She's young, exciting, well spoken, attractive and most of all, she's an awesome driver with a great team. She's a proven winner and at this point, a top four car. Corporate America couldn't find a better spokesperson for their product. What a shame she's on the sidelines. That's just silly!
You pretty much said what was on my mind.
SundayNiagara
Nitro Member
Right on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't understand this. You would think sponsors would be fighting over her. She's young, exciting, well spoken, attractive and most of all, she's an awesome driver with a great team. She's a proven winner and at this point, a top four car. Corporate America couldn't find a better spokesperson for their product. What a shame she's on the sidelines. That's just silly!
now if this was Danica Patrick...they would fall all over themselves.
Plus even in the 2000s it was starting to die, I remember when you could get 25-30 Cars easy, now it's even worse. Shows with making things too complex ruins the class and shrinks it considerably even if the economy was alive and kickin. Furthermore the class is so limited now, it's only "X" cars. I remember back in the day you could run a Firebird, Probe, Thunderbird, Camaro, Lumina, Beretta, Cutlass, Grand Prix, even LeBaron (Ed Guarnaccia). It wasn't "Mustang, Avenger, Camaro, GXP, Cobalt only (which the latter 2 are being phased out)" There were no limits.
This is why if I had my druthers, I'd create a series that would be based on 1980s-1990s Drag Racing. Funny Cars, Pro Stocks, Pro Stock Bikes, Pro Comp all very similar to the style of machines in the 1980s-1990s.
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clwill
Nitro Member
That's it, create a series based on the worst two decades in American automotive history. That's the ticket...
Paul
Nitro Member
The NHRA boards inability to keep US auto manufacturers significantly involved with not just Pro Stock but the sport as a whole is one of their major failures, unfortunately just one of many.
NASCAR understood how important it was to keep the manufacturers involved with sport and has done a great job of doing that, including getting a non-US manufacturer involved. Personally I didn't like this but it was very smart business move as it pretty much forced the hand of Chevrolet and Ford to stay competitive with Toyota in NASCAR.
When modifying and street racing import cars starting getting very popular the NHRA had a great opportunity to not only get new auto manufacturers significantly involved with the sport but to also gain a lot of new young fans and participants.
It was basically a perfect chance for a second phase of fast growth for the NHRA. The opportunity had presented itself again to grow the NHRA by providing a safer and more well promoted outlet for this burgeoning and youth oriented performance and racing activity.
But they let this significant 2 pronged opportunity of gaining both fans/participants and manufacturers just slip through their hands and now the primary remaining fan base is aging and shrinking. In addition the manufacturers see little benefit in getting significantly involved with this poorly promoted and shrinking sport.
The only thing the current board has done that is impressive is smoke screen the NHRA members into believing that somehow there is some private ownership of the NHRA that keeps them in power and there is nothing that NHRA members can do about it.
That's not true, there is no private ownership of the NHRA and the members could band together and restore their board member election rights if they really wanted to.
It wouldn't be easy but I do believe that if a more competent set of board members were elected that the NHRA could make a turnaround.
Ponder being able to see things happen like a talented promoter like Bill Bader Jr. given a position to help promote all national events. These kind of things could happen with a board that is not just primarily concerned with protecting their own gravy train.
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HEMI6point1
Nitro Member
When the only American cars that are considered classics from that era are the 1987 Buick Grand National and the 1996 Impala SS,* you know that something is wrong....
*Nothing wrong with those cars, mind you.
my friends call me Zappy
Nitro Member
Right, if see had to miss one, Epping was the right choise. Very glad to hear she will be back for Joliet. Hope the rest of the year also....
But they looked completely stock as well, Camaro, Firebird, Thunderbird, Firenza, Ciera, even Mercury Capri.
After seeing old pix on the Pro Stock and AA Funny Cars FB groups. Reminds me of how great it was back in the 80s.
Dave
Nitro Member
Let's take a realistic look at this... She has 302 points over 11th place Greg Stanfield (who also skipped Epping). There are 7 races left to the countdown. She could skip them all and Standfield would have to qualify for all of them and make at least the second round. If he shows up and qualifies last and loses first round each race he's only making up 217 points and that ain't enough. If Erica makes a few more races then it's even tougher still.
5 Erica Enders-Stevens 687
11 Greg Stanfield 385 Average 44 points per race
12 Larry Morgan 304 Average 55 points per race
I'd be willing to bet the farm she stays in the top 10. Whether or not she can get funding for the last 6 races however..
Professional Fan
Nitro Member
She may stay in the Top 10 but trying to catch Edwards, Jeg, Allen Johnson from 10th would be virtually impossible, especially in a class like Pro stock where the cars are so evenly matched.
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