Ford OUT of NHRA?

[Nick Name]

I thought the agent was gone

 

[SundayNiagara]

I thought the agent was gone

Darr Hawthorne left, the agent column continues.

 

[Prix-Mo]

Well here is the answer
Ford To Scale Back NHRA Drag Racing Efforts Following 2014 Season - Dragzine

 

[legendman]

Soooo.... will those Ford funny car teams run a Toyota or a Dodge body next year?

 

[Nunz]

Sounds like they'll still be running Fords through next year.

 

[SundayNiagara]

It ain't over yet.

 

[mick]

thanks for your support Ford....it'll be 17 years @ 2014 end.
that's commendable for an expensive niche' sport with poor tv ratings
and average attendance.

 

[Nunz]

The positives, in addition to how long they've been involved, are going forward they are continuing the sportsman programs. And, at least they gave the pro teams more than a year advance notice.

 

[parrotwhisperer]

I knew Force Should have stuck with Oldsmobile! Maybe he can make a deal with Kia!

 

[Paul]

It ain't over yet.

Is JFR trying to talk them into changing their mind? By the sounds of things it sounds like they have made their mind up and are sacking JFR, Tasca, and Wilkerson at the end of 2014. You have to give Ford credit for giving them plenty of time to find other factory support. Hopefully GM will get back in, but I am not holding my breath. Can't wait to see the Castrol Toyota

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

Well here is the answer
Ford To Scale Back NHRA Drag Racing Efforts Following 2014 Season - Dragzine

Thanks for the link. That sums it up in Fords own words. They are done with the pro's after 2014. Bummer, but it was nice while it lasted.

 

[SundayNiagara]

Is JFR trying to talk them into changing their mind? By the sounds of things it sounds like they have made their mind up and are sacking JFR, Tasca, and Wilkerson at the end of 2014. You have to give Ford credit for giving them plenty of time to find other factory support. Hopefully GM will get back in, but I am not holding my breath. Can't wait to see the Castrol Toyota

I was told by a great source that JFR will be staying with Ford. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

 

[Super Mod]

more ugly solara's to come? .........ugh!

 

[nwspeedshots]

Are "Force staying with Ford" and "Ford staying with Force" the same thing...?

 

[Professor Dave]

I knew Force Should have stuck with Oldsmobile! Maybe he can make a deal with Kia!

If kia or honda or gm or yugo puts up the money, Force will learn to say kia or honda or gm or yugo, as would any business man.

 

[Professor Dave]

The cobra jets, dragpaks, and Camaro COPOs all make money for the manufacturers. I doubt they will be cut back. I'm not sure that the Nitro program is a profit center.

Didn't someone say Ford would stick with the sportsmen program? Oh yeah, that was me. Tasca does have a cobra jet they've races. Maybe Bob III will go back to stock or SS, which is where Tasca Ford started out back in the 60s.

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

If kia or honda or gm or yugo puts up the money, Force will learn to say kia or honda or gm or yugo, as would any business man.

BINGO!!! we have a winner!!!

 

[Paul]

I was told by a great source that JFR will be staying with Ford. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

I don't doubt they will stay running Fords if Ford pulls their $$, unless another manufacturer signs them to a new deal. It doesn't make sense for them to change out their fleet of bodies if they don't have any support from a different manufacturer. The Tasca team is the team that is losing the most in this announcement.

 

[JON]

We'll say "oh we've seen it before, we'll survive". I am sure that is true.

But for the promoter, this is a significant loss. Mostly, NHRA is about car racing. If the country's most successful car maker is pulling money out, something is wrong.

Ford is not short of money - those $$$ will be going somewhere else - to someone who just beat NHRA (& JFR) in the brand/value/relationship/benefits eliminator.

 

[SundayNiagara]

I don't doubt they will stay running Fords if Ford pulls their $$, unless another manufacturer signs them to a new deal. It doesn't make sense for them to change out their fleet of bodies if they don't have any support from a different manufacturer. The Tasca team is the team that is losing the most in this announcement.

What has Tasca done? Outside of drag racing, who else knows the Tasca name? Many people out there know the name, "John Force," even if they don't exactly know what he does.