Is there a potential new class that could last? (4 Viewers)

[Mike]

Pro Stock truck was the next thing until it wasn"t. NHRA tried exhibitions with foreign cars to get kids to relate but that went nowhere.I cannot remember what that division was even called. Factory X: dead.

Is there something new that could be popular with fans, get enough racers, and ultimately be sustainable?

 

[stitcherbob]

I hope Modified Production takes off again, and Pro Mod will replace Pro Stock. If they could get them to hook, I like Nitro Mod

 

[yoda]

Nitro seems to be the direction the body (and their marketing team) always glom on to, and why not: Its the only motorsport that puts literal bombs in vehicles- excitement factor 1000.
Adding another nitro class would probably be the right call, but Nitro Harley and Outlaw Pro Mod are both staples of the I-Guys; since the other sanctioning body is comfortable "sharing" (or poaching, in some opinions) some of the pro teams, maybe it would benefit NHRA to figure out how to get eight of something on to the schedule every race weekend ...

 

[CS]

Stick a fork in Chevy Stock oops sorry Pro Stock it's done! It's not what the class was originally intended to be, there's a lack of factory support plus how long will NHRA allow cars currently not in production to be raced? Dump the class and promote PRO MOD to the professional door car category or open the class up to any current body style from any manufacturer worldwide that would prove interesting.

 

[GumbyWVU]

Nitro seems to be the direction the body (and their marketing team) always glom on to, and why not: Its the only motorsport that puts literal bombs in vehicles- excitement factor 1000.
Adding another nitro class would probably be the right call, but Nitro Harley and Outlaw Pro Mod are both staples of the I-Guys; since the other sanctioning body is comfortable "sharing" (or poaching, in some opinions) some of the pro teams, maybe it would benefit NHRA to figure out how to get eight of something on to the schedule every race weekend ...

TF Motorcycle (Nitro Harley) isn't ran in NHRA any more? I liked it the few times it was at an event we went too. But I can't remember when I last saw it.

 

[ironpony]

Stick a fork in Chevy Stock oops sorry Pro Stock it's done! It's not what the class was originally intended to be, there's a lack of factory support plus how long will NHRA allow cars currently not in production to be raced? Dump the class and promote PRO MOD to the professional door car category or open the class up to any current body style from any manufacturer worldwide that would prove interesting.

I agree Pro Stock is going to die a slow death but Pro Mod is not going to go Pro IMO because the owners do not want the added expense of more travel and more racing.
As I have stated IMO there is just not enough younger people interested in drag racing to keep it going long term. There will be enough spectators to keep the nitro circus afloat but the grass roots I see fading away. Then there is the strictly business side, run racing events and make XX dollars for lots of hours and minimal profit or sell off your giant piece of land and make the same as you would for the next 25 years and do "nothing".

 

[GumbyWVU]

I agree Pro Stock is going to die a slow death but Pro Mod is not going to go Pro IMO because the owners do not want the added expense of more travel and more racing.
As I have stated IMO there is just not enough younger people interested in drag racing to keep it going long term. There will be enough spectators to keep the nitro circus afloat but the grass roots I see fading away. Then there is the strictly business side, run racing events and make XX dollars for lots of hours and minimal profit or sell off your giant piece of land and make the same as you would for the next 25 years and do "nothing".

Will the last fan leaving the track please shut the lights off? LOL

 

[GumbyWVU]

Here's a question on this topic for the pros - do other countries have classes running that we don't see here? Like in Austrailia, or Europe, Japan, or the Mid-East? I'm not familiar with the sport outside the US.

And let me stir the pot - do they race 1000 or 1/4 mile in the other countries for TF/FC ?

 

[yoda]

TF Motorcycle (Nitro Harley) isn't ran in NHRA any more? I liked it the few times it was at an event we went too. But I can't remember when I last saw it.

Just as the Heritage cars, they are brought in for exhibition. Not everywhere, and not all the time. I like them, but like all things nitro now, its a LOT of slow and a millisecond of GO (or so it feels like).

 

[Ponyhntr]

I hope Modified Production takes off again, and Pro Mod will replace Pro Stock. If they could get them to hook, I like Nitro Mod

Stick a fork in Chevy Stock oops sorry Pro Stock it's done! It's not what the class was originally intended to be, there's a lack of factory support plus how long will NHRA allow cars currently not in production to be raced? Dump the class and promote PRO MOD to the professional door car category or open the class up to any current body style from any manufacturer worldwide that would prove interesting.

I agree Pro Stock is going to die a slow death but Pro Mod is not going to go Pro IMO because the owners do not want the added expense of more travel and more racing.
As I have stated IMO there is just not enough younger people interested in drag racing to keep it going long term. There will be enough spectators to keep the nitro circus afloat but the grass roots I see fading away. Then there is the strictly business side, run racing events and make XX dollars for lots of hours and minimal profit or sell off your giant piece of land and make the same as you would for the next 25 years and do "nothing".

Pro Modified will not become a Pro category any time soon. Justin Bond was on The Wes Buck Show last week and they talked about it. He had some really good insight as to why the racers do not want it to become a Pro Category, and the challenges that NHRA would have if they tried.

 

[Brutus26]

let me stir the pot - do they race 1000 or 1/4 mile in the other countries for TF/FC ?

In Europe it is 1000’; at least according to Lewis Bloom after messaging him that exact same question.

 

[robinjackson]

Yes, 1,000 feet in Europe. Australia too, I do believe.

 

[mick]

IMO it's more about which classes will run at which nat. events, rather than try to introduce new classes.
there are enough classes. there seems to be a class for about every half a second.
at nat. events, change classes every year so every track sees every class every few years.

 

[Rajunz]

IMO it's more about which classes will run at which nat. events, rather than try to introduce new classes.
there are enough classes. there seems to be a class for about every half a second.
change classes every year so every track sees every class every few years.

I agree about enough classes. I watched that IHRA race last Saturday and halfway through it I thought "wtf, another door slammer class"? I lost track of which class, they all looked the same, and all ran pretty close to the same e.t.s in the 1/8th mile.

 

[Butch]

How about a Sealed Crate Engine Dragster/Altered class. this could be a steppingstone for kids coming out of JR Dragster.

 

[GumbyWVU]

Just as the Heritage cars, they are brought in for exhibition. Not everywhere, and not all the time. I like them, but like all things nitro now, its a LOT of slow and a millisecond of GO (or so it feels like).

Ah, didn't realize they were just for exhibition generally. Too bad.

 

[GumbyWVU]

Yes, 1,000 feet in Europe. Australia too, I do believe.

thanks for the info and thanks to Jeff too. At least there's one consistent thing.

 

[GumbyWVU]

For the OP, and I almost already regret typing this, but some kind of electric/hybrid class? (assuming of course the electric would be allowed, considering an earlier thread on the subject). Not sure how well received it would be all other things being the same.


Just thowing this out - maybe an all turbo charged class, or a front-wheel drive class? Maybe a diesel class? Probably wouldn't be well received but I can't think of much else that hasn't already been posted.