Post by Spin on Nov 18, 2018 7:27:43 GMT -8
Is Pro Stock in big trouble?
The one pro category that closely identifies with the muscle cars on the street looks to be a dying class in the NHRA's world of "exhibition" top fuel cars (and bikes).
Rapidly escularing costs with little in return in the fuel-centric winnings and third class handling by the series and the tracks has put the class in jeopardy.
The NHRA hasn't done much to help the class. When the Ford and Dodge teams couldn't keep up with the Chevy's instead of making adjustments to those cars and engines they just made it legal for Ford and Dodge teams to run Chevy engines. Wonder why brand fans lost interest? Just one example of how they never learned from oval tracks fubars.
Which goes back to the biggest problem. They have not asked the fan base what they want to see. Are there Pro Stock fans out there going to races and watching on TV? They don't know. They assume everybody wants to see top fuel cars and bikes blasting down the track and often expolding. They nixed the plan to add mountain motor pro stocks, even with the rebirth of the big block engines in trucks and cars (pro stock is still based on the small block engines). The times are of course quicker.
Then there's the meddling with Pro Mod, where performance can be enhanced with turbos, superchargers, or nitrous. They have the option of running carriacatures of classic cars which a lot of fans like.. But they bring in full blown (pardon the pun) politics. Either one combo is allowed to run rampant, or they have what amounts to BoP.
Anyway, it all boils down to not regulating the class and watching it die, without considering that fans might just like watching stock appearing cars and engines race.
It works for oval track.
The one pro category that closely identifies with the muscle cars on the street looks to be a dying class in the NHRA's world of "exhibition" top fuel cars (and bikes).
Rapidly escularing costs with little in return in the fuel-centric winnings and third class handling by the series and the tracks has put the class in jeopardy.
The NHRA hasn't done much to help the class. When the Ford and Dodge teams couldn't keep up with the Chevy's instead of making adjustments to those cars and engines they just made it legal for Ford and Dodge teams to run Chevy engines. Wonder why brand fans lost interest? Just one example of how they never learned from oval tracks fubars.
Which goes back to the biggest problem. They have not asked the fan base what they want to see. Are there Pro Stock fans out there going to races and watching on TV? They don't know. They assume everybody wants to see top fuel cars and bikes blasting down the track and often expolding. They nixed the plan to add mountain motor pro stocks, even with the rebirth of the big block engines in trucks and cars (pro stock is still based on the small block engines). The times are of course quicker.
Then there's the meddling with Pro Mod, where performance can be enhanced with turbos, superchargers, or nitrous. They have the option of running carriacatures of classic cars which a lot of fans like.. But they bring in full blown (pardon the pun) politics. Either one combo is allowed to run rampant, or they have what amounts to BoP.
Anyway, it all boils down to not regulating the class and watching it die, without considering that fans might just like watching stock appearing cars and engines race.
It works for oval track.