Pro Stock Show on Fox TV (1 Viewer)

My first thought was that the show was shortened, cuz it ended a bit early and they went right into another sports show. I thought the race coverage was pretty good. Only thing that bugged me was they showed this segment on a Tue night. Drag racing fans will watch it but what kind of rating did it get? Alan mentioned that he saw the show in a sports bar. If a lot of sports bars show drag racing, then hopefully someone will see it and want to go see a live show. Well, let's see what happens. I wonder if having a seperate show will be a benefit when Pro/S is not running an event?
 
The basketball game running over was just bad luck. Can't fault anyone for that

I liked adding Lewis Bloom to the broadcast. I'd love to see him swapped in on the main show as well in place on TP.
Coverage was normal coverage, nothing special or different. That's not good or bad, just the read ups before hand made it sound like it was going to be something different/exciting.

Biggest issue is the 2 day delay. There was no excitement or suspense in watching the race. I already knew who won, who broke and such. Nobody really says anything interesting in interviews anymore as they are just cliché fest so more of them is no big deal. The interviews were Amanda either walks the track or the pits with someone are always better, more personable and less guarded. More of those would be good.

I don't see how taking it off of the big show helps the class. IF they ran 2 hours of nitro, then immediately followed it with a one hour Pro Stock show, then they might have something. Although I prefer to see them all at once on the same show but I'm the guy that will watch just about any class too. I would think less coverage but with tons more people watching is better to sponsors then 100% of the coverage but far less people. I'll guess we'll see how the ratings play out.

The Irwindale segment was ok, it seemed to go on a bit too long, but the idea of it was good to show people that they can take whatever they want to the track. Although it would have been a little better if they showed someone racing in their minivan or some teenager in their beater car instead of high price fast cars. I did find it ironic that on the highly touted Pro Stock show, they gave so much time to a segment with a nitro driver.

I doubt that I would go out of my way to watch it again if delayed so much. Part of sports is the excitement of the unknown, which play, which run, the matchup. Already knowing the ending takes that major element away. I record the Sunday race and usually watch it later Sunday evening, avoiding social media for a few hours is fine (heck even healthy) but to avoid for a few days....not realistic.
 
Overall the show was okay. I'm really interested in the technical nuances of these cars - probably far beyond typical "fan" level, so my opinion may not be the majority. I was hoping they would take us in and around the cars more. Maybe a primer on those $100,000 coil overs, or wheelie bar setting theory? I thought surely they would delve deeper into the technical wonders of these cars, and was salivating after Brian said, "we'll show you some things you didn't know." But no in-depth tech, mostly just eliminations. Maybe I expect too much - after all the teams are rather secretive about what makes a Pro Stock tick. ;)

I don't know if NHRA is using this special broadcast with hopes of generating interest that might save the class, but it could help. Not sure if Tuesdays is best...... But I still think it's not going to be saved by putting a Chevy engine in every car, fuel injection, "flat" hoods, or anything else. The only way to save this class is to fix the overarching issue: the every-car-is-a-Camaro problem.
 
From what I saw* I thought the show was very well done and well put together. I think it will be good for fans of current iteration Pro Stock

It is probably just me, but I think NHRA Pro Stock has moved on to a place that just doesn't appeal to me any longer. All the cars are the virtually the same and all the emphasis is on the drivers and reaction time, not the cars, engine builders and different ways to build horsepower.

* I saw that it was scheduled following NCAA basketball, and those broadcast always, always, always run long no matter what sports network you're watching. So I knew to add extra time on the DVR, but somehow I messed it up :-/
 
I liked adding Lewis Bloom to the broadcast.

I don't see how taking it off of the big show helps the class. IF they ran 2 hours of nitro, then immediately followed it with a one hour Pro Stock show, then they might have something. Although I prefer to see them all at once on the same show but I'm the guy that will watch just about any class too. I would think less coverage but with tons more people watching is better to sponsors then 100% of the coverage but far less people. I'll guess we'll see how the ratings play out.

I agree on these 2 points. I think it would be good to get the show in after the nitro show, get people watching. then down the road move it a bit if it has to be.

I know it is not a perfect world, but a good start. A solid C+
 
tried to watch replay at midnite. fell asleep on couch 10 minutes in. i'm sure the show was good, there is no reason to believe that it wouldn't be.
tuned in especially to try and catch the KB shop story. hope it airs soon.
hope nhra gets a decent enough rating to justify spending additional budget to do it again.
 
I really liked it. Now I don't have to watch top fuel and funny car to see what I want to watch. But I know I'm in the minority.
 
I liked it a lot waiting until Wednesday to watch it (for me) was a small price to pay. I really liked the on board radio, I wish they did that with the fuel cars to.
 
Personally, I thought the broadcast was well done. I've already seen on other forums where people are saying stuff like, "Pro Stock gets boned again.....", due to the delay, but delays are nothing new to drag racing broadcasts. The "main" show, if that's what we now call it, has been delayed so many times over the years, including at ESPN that it's not worth talking about. Like Alan said, you're not going to trump live TV, and our sport hasn't been either. If we ran long, we stayed on.

I found myself getting a little antsy during the Bloom/Beckman segment, only because I wanted more coverage for the class. But if I'm being honest, I would have to agree with Alan and hope that this type of message gets aired regularly, like on EVERY show.

I must not have paid real close attention to the whole KB tour thing. I guess I understood it as that was something that was going to happen at some point this year, not necessarily the first show. If that was the case, then I would have to say that I'm disappointed it didn't happen. If it happens at a later date, then that's cool.

Along with the individual team features, I'd like to see a small technical segment each broadcast as well. Although there's likely not going to be enough shows throughout the year to do it, it would be pretty cool to a half dozen segments, from front bumper to wheelie bar on the high points of how these highly sophisticated/technical race cars are put together and ultimately work. Nothing so cheesy that a grade school kid would make fun of, but not so technically out of sight (which would be easy to do) that the average fan can't somewhat grasp the jest. I know when we watch the shows at home, my fiance' will put her book down during EVERY technical segment. As a spring maker by trade, I think a SpinTron segment would blow the average fan away as to what the valve train goes through on these motors.

Overall, I liked the show regardless of the delay.

Sean D

Here is a short video that was recommend to me when I went to YouTube and thought it was pretty interesting. Some pretty cool up close shots of parts.

 
I'll start by saying that I am the guy that generally heads for the beer stand when Pro Stock rolls up to the line and fast forward Pro Stock when watching on television.

That said, being a drag racing fan it was nice to see that other than Street Outlaws there was drag racing on the tube mid week. So excited to tune in, I did watch most of it, fast forwarding here or there, but thought the show was well done.

I also liked the part from Irwindale highlighting local drag racing.

I guess my confusion is this: Why did the NHRA make the decision to shorten the regular broadcast by one hour and show TF and FC only? It would seem that the Pro Stock show could have been incorporated very easily into the regular three hour show.

As a "Nitro Junkie" I did enjoy the two hour show not having to fast forward through PS, but seems strange to me to shorten the "Big Show" and have the PS show as a stand alone program a couple of days after the event.
 
But I still think it's not going to be saved by putting a Chevy engine in every car, fuel injection, "flat" hoods, or anything else. The only way to save this class is to fix the overarching issue: the every-car-is-a-Camaro problem.

The problem is overwhelming expense to compete coupled with ridiculously low payouts.

From Stock to Top Fuel, it's the same issue.
 
I did like Jack Beckman in the Irwindale segment. He came up thru the ranks & I bet he started bracket racing. He ran a S/C dragster with a canopy, called Blackbird, w/ outline of the SR71 plane on it. He won the S/C championship one year. Jack is easy to talk to in the pits. I bet if people saw that segment and then go to a national event, they would say, hey, that's the guy we saw on TV and go talk to him. Anyhoo, that segment was good cuz it tells folks to go to their local track and race. Ya never know who gets the hook in deep and becomes the next Champ.
 
The problem is overwhelming expense to compete coupled with ridiculously low payouts.

From Stock to Top Fuel, it's the same issue.
This has been the main complaint by the racers for the last 50 years I have watched the NHRA (and AHRA and IHRA) and will continue to be the main complaint by the racers for the next 50 years.
 
A word of advice. I scheduled it for recording, and noticed it's following a live college basketball program. If you're going to be setting a recording, add extra time if (when) the game runs long.

I taped the show, then ran in to add a half hour to the timer after reading David's post (Thank you!)
I haven't had the time to sit and watch it, as we have another emergency upholstery job (1936 Cadillac V16 conv coupe) and the truck is coming Monday for it to go to the Amelia Island show.
 
I liked it. Knowledgeable commentators and we get to see burnouts and backups. Not a highlight green light go, green light go show. I also liked the mention of crew chiefs that usually don’t get due credit.
 
So I finally got to watch it and it was pretty good. I still feel like it should not be stand alone and keeping it off the main show is detrimental to the category. Also I learnt years ago from ESPN to set the DVR for all NHRA shows one and a half hours past stop time. That usually keeps from missing anything.
 
I taped the show, then ran in to add a half hour to the timer after reading David's post (Thank you!)
I haven't had the time to sit and watch it, as we have another emergency upholstery job (1936 Cadillac V16 conv coupe) and the truck is coming Monday for it to go to the Amelia Island show.
Cool show going w car, pictures like to see your work Bob, I'm sure it's awesome .
 
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