Pro Stock Questions (1 Viewer)

[Dennis]

I like that Peter Clifford is giving pro stock a revamp, but I'm wondering if his rules changes have gone far enough (I'm sure there is a subset of people who think they have gone too far). I look at the profile of Enders' Dart compared to the profile of the production Dart and other than headlights, I'm not seeing it (comparison photos below). This is not so much a criticism but rather a general question into how NHRA sets the body templates to be used. Specifically:

• The front overhang. Is this an average based on current production vehicles? I get that the front end trips the lights so it should be uniform, but outside of the old Camaros and Firebirds, is such an extended overhang necessary?
• The rear deck. This slopes down at such angle to the rear, giving the car a "VW Bug" type shape. The production model comes parallel to the ground.
• Four doors vs. Two. Why does Enders' car based on a four door model (with the fake rear doors) while there is a production two door coupe?

I just think they could do so much more with this class to put the stock back into Pro Stock. I know that some argue that its for stability at speed, but there is no shortage of truly stock cars tearing up the track as well (example Dave Hance 1993 Mustang Outlaw Drag Radial which has run 6.86 @ 223).

 

[mike]

and the Pro Stock version still looks like it has a full diaper...

 

[Just Paul]

How much can you expect them to change so much with only months to be ready to go?? Most teams haven't even hit the track yet with their new set up's and Pomona is just weeks away. The damage was done years ago and it's too late to go back. You can't ask all the teams to build all new cars for some new template, that's asking way too much. With all the changes the teams are having to do, at least they can still use the cars they have been running.

 

[Dennis]

It was more of a question on how this came to be. As in who said "let's take a boxy rear end and taper it off so it looks like a teardrop and make that the template".

I wouldn't expect a drastic change in the short period of time, nor am I saying this is how it ought to be. I was more interested in how the rules come about.

 

[camaro]

judging by the early video, the 2016 cars run, look, and sound pretty much the same as they did before. the wheelie bar shortening, apparently had little or no effect on the launch, so from a spectator point of view, this change is much ado about nothing.

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

I like that Peter Clifford is giving pro stock a revamp, but I'm wondering if his rules changes have gone far enough (I'm sure there is a subset of people who think they have gone too far). I look at the profile of Enders' Dart compared to the profile of the production Dart and other than headlights, I'm not seeing it (comparison photos below). This is not so much a criticism but rather a general question into how NHRA sets the body templates to be used. Specifically:

• The front overhang. Is this an average based on current production vehicles? I get that the front end trips the lights so it should be uniform, but outside of the old Camaros and Firebirds, is such an extended overhang necessary?
• The rear deck. This slopes down at such angle to the rear, giving the car a "VW Bug" type shape. The production model comes parallel to the ground.
• Four doors vs. Two. Why does Enders' car based on a four door model (with the fake rear doors) while there is a production two door coupe?

I just think they could do so much more with this class to put the stock back into Pro Stock. I know that some argue that its for stability at speed, but there is no shortage of truly stock cars tearing up the track as well (example Dave Hance 1993 Mustang Outlaw Drag Radial which has run 6.86 @ 223).

Thanks for the photo comparison, two completely different cars. I'm with you, Dennis, they did not go near far enough. They are not "Pro/Stock" they are
JR. Pro/Mods............imo

 

[troy boy]

Instead of changing the cars maybe we should just change the name to (Slow Mod). It's a lot easier and cheaper to just change the stickers then all these expensive parts.
Then we could make a new class Pro Stock 2.0. And put all the new factory SS cars in it.

 

[cantdrive55]

It was more of a question on how this came to be. As in who said "let's take a boxy rear end and taper it off so it looks like a teardrop and make that the template".

I wouldn't expect a drastic change in the short period of time, nor am I saying this is how it ought to be. I was more interested in how the rules come about.

It's evolution. Teams and chassis builders have pushed the edge for decades in the name of winning. I'm sure there's folks on here that will tell you that it all changed with Grumpy's Vega. As far as responsibility is concerned I have to say it's NHRA's. They approved the cars throughout all of these years. NHRA wrote the rulebook, racers built cars to those specs. It goes back to that saying, "give 'em an inch, and they'll take a mile".

 

[Marchboom]

Bring back the 1970's Prostock cars. The fans would like those much better. And they would be able to identify the car make too.

 

[mastertone]

amen!!!

Bring back the 1970's Prostock cars. The fans would like those much better. And they would be able to identify the car make too.

 

[FABMAN]

Has anyone seen Pro Stock numbers from Phoenix are were they even there.

 

[stitcherbob]

Well the first race is in the books, KB 1-2 in the final. You could hear the cars hitting the rev limiter at the finish line.....quite a few starting line slip ups, like Vincent Nobile crossing over and hitting the opposite wall very early in his run. I think it was Jason Line who said the fans in the stands could distract him now, instead of staring at the huge scoop...

 

[Paul]

The KB cars are clearly the class of the field right now. The others have some work to do.