cantdrive55
Nitro Member
How have the fans accepted Pro Stock this year? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter sklemetti
- Start date
stitcherbob
Nitro Member
there's too many cool P/M's for just one post....
Bob
Nitro Member
That's Harold Martin's M-4. The body was designed and made in-house with General Motors influence/input. I was at the IHRA event that he first attempted to race this car. It needed some aerodynamic modifications because it kept trying to become airborne.If Pro Mod is easy to identify, what the heck is this thing?
stitcherbob
Nitro Member
I still say they copied Father Juliano's safety car.....the grill, directionals (missing yellow lenses on the original) and fenders are a dead giveaway
Demon
Nitro Member
I'm all for using a real factory body. So let the Challenger,Mustang and Camaro go at it. Use the current Pro Stock engines and driveline,steel body with carbon hoods doors and decklids.No body mods or any streamlining,or painted or decaled grille.Front wheels stage and break the finish line.Keep the EFI.
ProStockJunkie
Nitro Member
Haven't watched PS beyond the first couple of races. And, people who know me know that I LOVE PRO STOCK. NHRA has killed the class as far as I'm concerned.
Mike_in_Toney
Nitro Member
Saw where AJ and Marathon did a contract extension.
Goes to show I'm a nitro guy, I see AJ and think Alan Johnson, not Allen Johnson.
ironpony
Nitro Member
thats great, I was able to obtain a Marathon crew shirt about two weeks ago and was wondering if he would be with them next year. Now I can wear it instead of my Jegs Mopar crew shirt. Nothing against Jeg but I rather represent for AJ.
cantdrive55
Nitro Member
I guess what still baffles me is why do people think Pro Mod should replace Pro Stock? When Pro Mod rolls into the water box at an NHRA event there's actually fewer people in the stands compared to Pro Stock. It's not a huge difference, but it's still a smaller number. Nearly 15 years later NHRA still won't include them in the touring professional series. Without the dedication and funding from sponsors like J&A Services and Jegs; Pro Mod wouldn't even be around today. From a brands POV the category has nothing to offer them. A majority of the cars are models that haven't been on showroom floors in close to 40 years if not longer. I actually like Pro Mod and the variety of options available, but those cars are no closer to representing what's currently on a showroom floor than a Pro Stock car is.
The idea of going to a body in white program, or promoting Factory Showdown sounds and looks good in typeface. But there's a huge negative that isn't being factored in. If teams like Elite, KB, Gray, AJ, and others wish to continue that's going to be a huge operating cost that would have to be absorbed by the teams. On top of that what do you do with all the current chassis cars? Those teams now have outdated chassis' that are probably too expensive for sportsman racers to buy, and might not be enough for Pro Mod. Regardless of who might buy what; I would be surprised if anyone was able to resell a current Pro Stock roller, and break even.
Overall I think Pro Stock is looking in the right direction. Making the switch to F.I. was long overdue. As for the future I'd like to see them break out of the spec wheelbase. I think a return to factory wheelbase would help the cars with a more factory like appearance. It won't be like what F/S is, but it might be more reminiscent of the mid 80's. A drivetrain rule, i.e. RWD only, no FWD conversions, would be good as well.
The idea of going to a body in white program, or promoting Factory Showdown sounds and looks good in typeface. But there's a huge negative that isn't being factored in. If teams like Elite, KB, Gray, AJ, and others wish to continue that's going to be a huge operating cost that would have to be absorbed by the teams. On top of that what do you do with all the current chassis cars? Those teams now have outdated chassis' that are probably too expensive for sportsman racers to buy, and might not be enough for Pro Mod. Regardless of who might buy what; I would be surprised if anyone was able to resell a current Pro Stock roller, and break even.
Overall I think Pro Stock is looking in the right direction. Making the switch to F.I. was long overdue. As for the future I'd like to see them break out of the spec wheelbase. I think a return to factory wheelbase would help the cars with a more factory like appearance. It won't be like what F/S is, but it might be more reminiscent of the mid 80's. A drivetrain rule, i.e. RWD only, no FWD conversions, would be good as well.
Justin@NRE
Nitro Member
Pro Mod racers are pretty happy with their 10 races a year schedule. I don't think there is 1 among the 30 regulars in NHRA Pro Mod that would want to run 24 races a year. Just ain't going to happen. I had heard a rumor a little while ago that potentially Pro Stock races would be halved, and Pro Mod and Pro Stock would rotate races. That might be interesting as far as easing the travel expense on Pro Stock too.
As for Pro Stock being accepted... I like the full "altered" chassis car currently in use.. But I won't be happy until they are all using the Big 3's latest and greatest under the hood. Take the CobraJet, COPO and Dragpak engine programs and put them between the rails of a current Pro Stock Car... Lets see what these things can do @ 2350 lbs with a baby sized clutch, 5-speed Liberty and big tires. Engine shops can massage the factory parts, you'll be guaranteed to get factory support since you'll be using the most current platforms.
As for Pro Stock being accepted... I like the full "altered" chassis car currently in use.. But I won't be happy until they are all using the Big 3's latest and greatest under the hood. Take the CobraJet, COPO and Dragpak engine programs and put them between the rails of a current Pro Stock Car... Lets see what these things can do @ 2350 lbs with a baby sized clutch, 5-speed Liberty and big tires. Engine shops can massage the factory parts, you'll be guaranteed to get factory support since you'll be using the most current platforms.
Pro mod can book into a track and be the sure somewhere. Norwalk has done races where Pro Mods are the show cars and tons of people are in the stands. I don't think Pro Stock could do that. Now at a national event, everyone takes a back seat to the Nitro cars. Now with the events going on fast forward, you now have less time to roam the pits and see action on the track. People want to get up close in the pits so they have to miss whatever is on the track.
stitcherbob
Nitro Member
Imagine how it would be if NHRA dumped P/S for next year and all the big names who wanted to still race came back with Pro Mods....the stands would be full of spectators waiting to see how they all fare
Think about it....Greg Anderson in a Vette, Jason Line in a Chevelle, AJ in a Superbird, Jeggie in a Willys , Erica in a HemiCuda, and Warren Johnson in a......
cantdrive55
Nitro Member
I get the appeal of coming up with a fantasy project. It's a nice mental vacation, but at some point you have to return to reality. I seriously doubt fans are going to flock to the stands to watch ex Pro Stock drivers in Pro Mod when they already pour out after the nitro cars, not to mention there are already ex Pro Stock drivers in Pro Mod.
Also, WJ would have a Naturally Aspirated 442
. The only questions are EFI or Carbs? And Turbo or Nitrous?Needs a sticker on the windshield to tell me what it is....................
ironpony
Nitro Member
IMO based on my reason for not watching more of Pro Mod.
If they ran Pro Mod then Pro Stock, I would miss Pro Stock altogether, there is only so much time between rounds and being in the pits watching some of the nitro teams work and warm up is very interesting to me.
So I think if they did that, switch them, more people would watch Pro Mod then head for the pits leaving Pro Stock with empty stands. Why do you think they run the finals backwards? keep people around, if you ran top fuel and funny car first, in the time it would take to prep the track for pro stock it would be a ghost town by the time they did their first burnout.
If they ran Pro Mod then Pro Stock, I would miss Pro Stock altogether, there is only so much time between rounds and being in the pits watching some of the nitro teams work and warm up is very interesting to me.
So I think if they did that, switch them, more people would watch Pro Mod then head for the pits leaving Pro Stock with empty stands. Why do you think they run the finals backwards? keep people around, if you ran top fuel and funny car first, in the time it would take to prep the track for pro stock it would be a ghost town by the time they did their first burnout.
vegasnitro
Nitro Member
I agree, if people wanted to watch Anderson, Line and EE, they would simply stay in the stands and watch them run now. No reason to put them in a new class altogether just so no one can watch. I love Pro Stock, but it is all about the nitro for most fans. Even in the days where 30+ Pro Stockers were showing up at National Events, people vacated the stands. I wish I had an answer for the class.
Rocketman 207
Nitro Member
And what did we get? The return of "Pro Greg"... Daddy Whore...l mean Warbucks & Jason Dive... Satisfied, kiddies? Only deep pocket teams can win now!! Miss the hood scoops & Holleys...
