The Blake and Jim show

[I was NITRO BREATH]

I’m surprised that no one has mentioned the huge improvement of the jim Head FC. They seem to have broken out of their longtime middle to bottom of the field performance. And Blake is doing a great job driving. What happened???

 

[65 Goatboy]

All about dollars. Jim Head can tune a nitro car as good as anyone. Isn't this the first year for a full time primary sponsor in a while, Pronto? Many years theirs no sponsor and they don't run the full tour. Can't remember the last time they were in the countdown. Takes a lot of cash to run in 3.80's, Jim has plenty of money but how much do you want to spend out of your pocket? Pretty sure he has spent a lot. Oh, and Blake can drive, he's having a blast, 7th in the points. Good for them, wonder if they will be a in the championship hunt next year. Fun watching them this year.

 

[z28]

All about dollars. Jim Head can tune a nitro car as good as anyone. Isn't this the first year for a full time primary sponsor in a while, Pronto? Many years theirs no sponsor and they don't run the full tour. Can't remember the last time they were in the countdown. Takes a lot of cash to run in 3.80's, Jim has plenty of money but how much do you want to spend out of your pocket? Pretty sure he has spent a lot. Oh, and Blake can drive, he's having a blast, 7th in the points. Good for them, wonder if they will be a in the championship hunt next year. Fun watching them this year.

When they interviewed Jim he said he got his head out of his bottom side. Pronto has been with them since Alexander went there but I don't think it covers all events.

 

[J. S.]

I’m surprised that no one has mentioned the huge improvement of the jim Head FC. They seem to have broken out of their longtime middle to bottom of the field performance. And Blake is doing a great job driving. What happened???

This is a good topic for discussion. They have had a remarkable improvement in the last year or so, but particularly this year. In the past, Jim's car was never much of a threat to go rounds. Now, they are a car to be feared. I wonder how much of this has to do with Blake? He seems to do well wherever he has gone. It can't be just his driving. Maybe he has some input on the tune-up and with the direction of the overall operation?

Jim has been known for many years as a guy who was more interested in "building a better mousetrap, than winning rounds". In other words, he evidently just liked running the car, and innovating here and there, but was not driven by winning races. But man, what's the point of going to all that trouble and expense if you never go rounds? So it is good to finally see him competitive. Is his long-time crew chief (Johnny Davis?) still calling most of the shots?

 

[65 Goatboy]

I think running well this year has changed his philosphy a bit. After qualifying 4th in Texas on Nhra Tv he said I don't look at points I just wan't to beat the car in the other lane.

 

[mick]

yes, they do seem to be tuning different than in past. pretty sure their sometimes major sponsor, schaeffler group (german i think?) is tied to
the pronto people ...... one step further i think the pronto group owns parts plus, so essentially one company helps in a huge way to field two independent
teams, one in FC, and one in TF. ........ IMO i see the two teams remaining separate with their separate team owners (jim head and rick ware)

 

[BOO BOO]

All about dollars. Jim Head can tune a nitro car as good as anyone. Isn't this the first year for a full time primary sponsor in a while, Pronto? Many years theirs no sponsor and they don't run the full tour. Can't remember the last time they were in the countdown. Takes a lot of cash to run in 3.80's, Jim has plenty of money but how much do you want to spend out of your pocket? Pretty sure he has spent a lot. Oh, and Blake can drive, he's having a blast, 7th in the points. Good for them, wonder if they will be a in the championship hunt next year. Fun watching them this year.

Didn't they make the countdown last year , then Head went on vacation during one of the race weeks?

 

[z28]

Didn't they make the countdown last year , then Head went on vacation during one of the race weeks?

they were #11 after Indy so not in

 

[mick]

Didn't they make the countdown last year , then Head went on vacation during one of the race weeks?

sure was fun watching them win @ BIR this summer. they were on a rail all weekend

 

[Custom Body Fan]

The last two events (TX and LV), Blake got past the first round, and, sooner or later, lost by going up in smoke. It looks like Jim refuses to tune the so it can lose by going slower - he tunes it so either the car maintains traction and puts down a great number, or it goes up in smoke. Unfortunately going up in smoke seems to usually be what happens.

For that matter, Blake went up in smoke at the two prior races (Madison and CLT 2) in round one, but I will cut them some slack because they could have misread the track in round 1. But once the day gets going and they win a round or 2, Jim appears to eventually set the car on kill and just hopes for the best.

 

[z28]

The last two events (TX and LV), Blake got past the first round, and, sooner or later, lost by going up in smoke. It looks like Jim refuses to tune the so it can lose by going slower - he tunes it so either the car maintains traction and puts down a great number, or it goes up in smoke. Unfortunately going up in smoke seems to usually be what happens.

For that matter, Blake went up in smoke at the two prior races (Madison and CLT 2) in round one, but I will cut them some slack because they could have misread the track in round 1. But once the day gets going and they win a round or 2, Jim appears to eventually set the car on kill and just hopes for the best.

when you're racing Prock that's pretty much what you do.

 

[Just Paul]

The last two events (TX and LV), Blake got past the first round, and, sooner or later, lost by going up in smoke. It looks like Jim refuses to tune the so it can lose by going slower - he tunes it so either the car maintains traction and puts down a great number, or it goes up in smoke. Unfortunately going up in smoke seems to usually be what happens.

For that matter, Blake went up in smoke at the two prior races (Madison and CLT 2) in round one, but I will cut them some slack because they could have misread the track in round 1. But once the day gets going and they win a round or 2, Jim appears to eventually set the car on kill and just hopes for the best.

It’s tough. Procks have a pretty comfortable 3.81 tune up in good conditions, and there is more left in it. When you can run 3.81 with consistency, you can back it off and run say 3.84 pretty safe. The other guys (Other than Jack) are having to step out of their comfort zone just to try and run .84. Plus if both drivers stage shallow, Austin is going to get you .015-.025 on the tree on average, so now you need to run .82 to beat his .84.

Case in Point, Paul Lee rolled it in .020-ish and still left 2nd by .024. He would have needed a 3.80 to win. And that’s 3.80 rolled in .020, so a shallow 3.78 (Quickest run in history) to win.


Hats off to Paul Lee and the team though. His .83 was probably an .81 in the semis. When you get multiple shots at a great track, and make the trip every time you can really learn something. They swung for it, and it stuck.

 

[z28]

It’s tough. Procks have a pretty comfortable 3.81 tune up in good conditions, and there is more left in it. When you can run 3.81 with consistency, you can back it off and run say 3.84 pretty safe. The other guys (Other than Jack) are having to step out of their comfort zone just to try and run .84. Plus if both drivers stage shallow, Austin is going to get you .015-.025 on the tree on average, so now you need to run .82 to beat his .84.

Case in Point, Paul Lee rolled it in .020-ish and still left 2nd by .024. He would have needed a 3.80 to win. And that’s 3.80 rolled in .020, so a shallow 3.78 (Quickest run in history) to win.


Hats off to Paul Lee and the team though. His .83 was probably an .81 in the semis. When you get multiple shots at a great track, and make the trip every time you can really learn something. They swung for it, and it stuck.

If you have a 3.95 car vs Prock your approach is run 3.95 and hope he messes up. If you have a 3.84 or 5 car you try to get a little more so you can stay with him

 

[Nitro Fiend]

Does Blake still have the Pronto sponsorship ? In Vegas it appeared that the car had Heads company as the major sponsor. Pronto is a part time major sponsor ?

 

[Chili]

Does Blake still have the Pronto sponsorship ? In Vegas it appeared that the car had Heads company as the major sponsor. Pronto is a part time major sponsor ?

I believe that Pronto is only on the car in regions where they have a footprint. I was thinking it could be a brand new body and they just put on the Head stickers with Pronto not being in the Vegas market. They asked Blake in an interview over the weekend about his 2025 plans but he wasn’t going to announce anything yet.

 

[vern]

Jim has always had great looking cars. Now seeing them running well is awesome. Hopefully. they can find some extra funding.

 

[Nunz]

I believe that Pronto is only on the car in regions where they have a footprint. I was thinking it could be a brand new body and they just put on the Head stickers with Pronto not being in the Vegas market. They asked Blake in an interview over The Weeknd about his 2025 plans but he wasn’t going to announce anything yet.

I think they mentioned that Head's car did in fact have a new body on it.

 

[aakar]

Jim has always had great looking cars. Now seeing them running well is awesome. Hopefully. they can find some extra funding.

The carbon body with gold lettering looks totally badass, all business, no nonsense

 

[sammi]

It's good for the class to have two more quality cars (Lee and Alexander). Now, if we can get Blake some media training...

 

[z28]

It's good for the class to have two more quality cars (Lee and Alexander). Now, if we can get Blake some media training...

I kind of enjoy his interviews. He shows his emotions