RUMOR MILL - IS PRO STAGING A BIG-MONEY RACE AHEAD OF 2024 NHRA SEASON OPENER?

[qualified17th]

You can get a month of FloRacing for $39.99. So consider that your pay per view price.

 

[qualified17th]

They also weren’t involved in the announcement at all which makes me lean that they might not run.

I don't think that means anything. There were several guys not present at the announcement who I'm assuming will run. KB Racing, Justin Ashley, Maynard Racing, the Cuadras, Caruso, so on so forth. Not saying that there won't be a couple guys that don't end up going, but I don't think you can just assume they own't be there just because they weren't at the announcement.

 

[z28]

As long as the weather is good, I do think this is a good idea- to make it a worthwhile test environment and to entice the entries, they need to emulate national event track conditions as best they can. So that’s what I’ll be interested to hear more about.
And what is their safety plan (ie. comparable to the Safety Safari).
Because if they plan all this and then the cars can’t get even down the track or something like that…. It turns into a good old fashioned grudge match race show for the fans then.

But I would expect the priority for them will to try and treat it as a “pre-season, practice National event”.

Chad Head and Kurt Johnson will make sure the track is good. I'm sure they'll have some good safety guys.

 

[Nitro Fiend]

Is the current NHRA purse structure for events posted anywhere or do they keep it confidential ?

 

[Nunz]

Between some of the comments here, and a whole boatload on FB, it amazes me at how many people have nothing but negative feedback about this. How can we grow the sport without trying new ideas? It's so easy to find flaws and pick things apart, but how does that help? I think this is exciting and shows that there are people that are willing to invest in the sport's future. I'm looking forward to it.

 

[ZWeinstein]

Between some of the comments here, and a whole boatload on FB, it amazes me at how many people have nothing but negative feedback about this. How can we grow the sport without trying new ideas? It's so easy to find flaws and pick things apart, but how does that help? I think this is exciting and shows that there are people that are willing to invest in the sport's future. I'm looking forward to it.

Its because some folks (including some on here) are so stuck in 1977 they cant see the good things that are happening when they happen. A lot of folks dont realize how big Flo Racing is and this could put a ton of new eyeballs on the sport which is a great thing.

 

[cknight]

I believe that in 1977 we had the Bakersfield Fuel & Gas Championships, the Popular Hot Rodding event, the Turkey Trots, and a few other good "independent" events. Guess they were an evil influence that detracted from Real Racing....

 

[mick]

it's a 'one off' event to start the '24 season. big money and different procedures. a can't miss drag racing event with the big dog nitro cars
the center stage for Q1 thursday night, 3 more Q on friday, and elims on saturday the 10th. like the interview said, the calls are coming in already to be involved with this one.
it will preceed the daytona 500 by 8 days, and will kick off the season with biggest purse of the year

 

[Jim]

I am very interested to see how this goes. I have been advocating events with pro classes only for a while now. These guys are doing what I have thought should be done. They will show me if I have been on the right track or not.

 

[mick]

thursday night single Q shot, you nail it and put down a killer pass, in top 3 in class......so friday you can test and maybe sneak up
on another great pass by Q4 friday evening.......race for the money on saturday

thursday night single Q shot, you miss the tuneup and end up outside top 8. 8 cars made killer runs......so you hope and pray for good weather for at
least one session on friday, or otherwise you ain't running for the cash on saturday.

this one's gonna' be a potential bump fest like we haven't seen in years. at least 2-4 big names in each class are gonna' be shut out of the money.
friday evening, #4Q, someone lays down a pass and cracks top 8 at last moment. goes on to win on saturday. it could happen.

 

[z28]

Those son of bitches, who are stuck in the 60s and 70s should be kicked off this website!

is anybody left?

 

[Chili]

thursday night single Q shot, you nail it and put down a killer pass, in top 3 in class......so friday you can test and maybe sneak up
on another great pass by Q4 friday evening.......race for the money on saturday

thursday night single Q shot, you miss the tuneup and end up outside top 8. 8 cars made killer runs......so you hope and pray for good weather for at
least one session on friday, or otherwise you ain't running for the cash on saturday.

this one's gonna' be a potential bump fest like we haven't seen in years. at least 2-4 big names in each class are gonna' be shut out of the money.
friday evening, #4Q, someone lays down a pass and cracks top 8 at last moment. goes on to win on saturday. it could happen.

What do you think it will take to qualify in TF and FC? If we get all the tour regulars it will be tough. The conditions should be as good as you will ever see. The track will be prepped better than an NHRA national event. It might take a 3.700 to make the TF field and a 3.92 in FC.

 

[qualified17th]

A 3.70 is a pretty generous bump if the weather is good. Especially with a week of testing and four qualifying runs, there are definitely more than 8 Top Fuel cars capable of going deep into the 60s

 

[teague14]

Man the negativity that some of you have towards this is wild. Calling it a testing event lol. Winner gets 250k. You’re not just “testing” for that.

 

[Topfuel386]

For 4 qualifying events I believe the purse total is $314,000 for each nitro category.

 

[Chili]

For 4 qualifying events I believe the purse total is $314,000 for each nitro category.

Being an independent on a budget, do you have much of any interest in running this race?

 

[TSK]

Damn, I am one of those "SOB" who is still stuck in the 60s and 70s. Oh well, it's lonely out in the "North Forty" View attachment 13136
Before I get kicked off the site by the moderator's, I would like to post a couple of pictures for a certain moderator
on here. I give you Gary Ritter, always cool to me over the the years, when I talked to him!
And by the way, hoping the PRO race goes great for everyone involved. Time will tell.
View attachment 13137
AA/FD Gary Ritter...Blood Sweat & Nitro
View attachment 13138
View attachment 13139

Thanks for posting those pictures Jim.
I have forwarded the link to Gary.
Here’s a picture of him giving Cameron Ferre some tips when Cameron drove The Invader.
This was at Tulsa in 2014.

 

[Topfuel386]

Chris honestly it will depend on how the payout is for the rest of the field.

 

[none]

Yea with nitro cars, winner take all races really don't make sense budget wise ................ The remaining allocation will really be interesting!!!

 

[twostep]

A 3.70 is a pretty generous bump if the weather is good. Especially with a week of testing and four qualifying runs, there are definitely more than 8 Top Fuel cars capable of going deep into the 60s

And only 8 cars in the field. High 3.60s will be cheap unless the weather goes nuts and drops a big cold front on them. I'd like to see somebody run 340 miles per hour just so we could put that alltime record to bed. I bet Robert Hight has been saying for 6 years now, "if only"..... (339.87, Sonoma, 2017). Might not be an official NHRA record but 340 is still 340. Everybody considers Eddie Hill first in the 4s despite it not being an NHRA record.

Somebody mentioned round money and I assume there's plenty of that - $1.3M purse and the winners get half of it.