IS FORD LEAVING NHRA?

Has everyone seen this article in Drag Racing Online today?

http://www.dragracingonline.com/burksblast/xv_7-3.html

oh well.....

I don't know if they're getting out for good or not, but I agree with what was stated in the article ,when Bob Glidden was done, Ford was finished.....

Eddie Trone wrote:Has everyone seen this article in Drag Racing Online today?

http://www.dragracingonline.com/burksblast/xv_7-3.html

I may not be the only one who thinks NHRA is slowly committing suicide.

maverick wrote:

Eddie Trone wrote:Has everyone seen this article in Drag Racing Online today?

http://www.dragracingonline.com/burksblast/xv_7-3.html

I may not be the only one who thinks NHRA is slowly committing suicide.

You're not alone Mav.......

Final reason not to watch NHRA anymore. I quit going to the national events a couple of years ago. Guess I'm a small track liking racer.

Nhra has gone overboard with some "safety" regulation, things that are purely commerce related. In a bad economy that pushes people out of the sport, and tempts more into street racing.

This is just my opinion only, But Sponsoring JFR or any type of nitro car for that matter,never excited me into wanting me to go to the dealer the next day and buy a new Ford. On the other hand,when Lem had that new CobraJet on his showroom,that made me want a new Mustang,so we went and bought one. I think if the Big3 wants NHRA to sell cars for them,they will have to give those super cars like the SCJ and the COPO Camaro some TV coverage on sunday,otherwise no one sees them unless they go to a event. jmo

Little guy racing is exciting. Soap operas are not. Ditch the electronic throttle stops and give the little guys some exposure.

bbf-falcon wrote:This is just my opinion only, But Sponsoring JFR or any type of nitro car for that matter,never excited me into wanting me to go to the dealer the next day and buy a new Ford. On the other hand,when Lem had that new CobraJet on his showroom,that made me want a new Mustang,so we went and bought one. I think if the Big3 wants NHRA to sell cars for them,they will have to give those super cars like the SCJ and the COPO Camaro some TV coverage on sunday,otherwise no one sees them unless they go to a event. jmo

maverick wrote:Little guy racing is exciting. Soap operas are not. Ditch the electronic throttle stops and give the little guys some exposure.

I agree 100% with everything stated above... I had the guy I went to the Vegas race with back in April ask me why I didn't like the fuel cars and would leave when they came up... That's exactly what I told him, is that IMO, those fuel cars, and the alcohol, Top Sportsman etc, none of them sell vehicles for any of the big 3... It's the little guys, like Stock/Super Stockers that draw people from the tracks to the showrooms... IMO, the big 3 should work together on this issue... This particular problem isn't just about bragging rights.....

maverick wrote:Little guy racing is exciting.  Soap operas are not.  Ditch the electronic throttle stops and give the little guys some exposure.

I guess I'm confused. How does throttle stops affect little guys. This is the only equalizer in any category that isn't pro. If you think it bores the crowd, you have just describe everything except top fuel and out of control overpowered stock body cars.  

If you want to put butts in the bleachers, ditch the electronic throttle stops.  Everyone who has recently attended an NHRA national event will tell you the same thing...Where fan interest is concerned, Super Gas and Super Comp go over like a fart in a crowded elevator...suddenly, everybody's getting off at the next floor.  To get exposure and coverage for "little guy" racing, someone has to be interested beside the competitors.

Fans (and most racers) like heads up stuff, for one, and mind-blowing door cars for another.  ADRL has it goin' on for that reason.  I might also point out that index racing with no throttle stops allowed is becoming huge down south.  Going as fast as you can is cool, but but a pair of cool door cars trying to run a dead-on 4.70 gets a lot of attention down here.  I've seen some actually dragging the parachute to slow the car near 4.70.

Personnally, I miss the days of Modified Production classes and things like the old "weight per cubic inch" rules. Simple, effective, and actually ENCOURAGED innovation instead of killing it.  In those days you might see a '55 Nomad racing heads up against an Anglia.

Curt wrote:

maverick wrote:Little guy racing is exciting.  Soap operas are not.  Ditch the electronic throttle stops and give the little guys some exposure.

I guess I'm confused. How does throttle stops affect little guys. This is the only equalizer in any category that isn't pro. If you think it bores the crowd, you have just describe everything except top fuel and out of control overpowered stock body cars.  

Those NHRA index classes were originally created to allow low-buck guys to compete...after all, how hard is it to build a car capable of a 9.90 e.t.?  Good idea in the beginning, but those class racers have figured out that there's an advantage to being the faster car.  Look at SuperGas now.  How many of us little guys can compete with a pro built, state of the art cusom roadster with 700+ inches of alcohol injected power and space shuttle electronics designed to slow the thing to 9.90...when it's capable printing 7 second time slips like a xerox machine?.

Sure, it's conceivable that a guy could take a 9.90 capable Foxbody and win at SuperGas...it just isn't likely.  I think this is where the "took a knife to a gunfight" metaphor originated.

no prep seems to be getting popular........ stands is packed

http://m.youtube.com/index?&desktop_uri=%2F#/watch?v=j8eGMr_8y3g

I believe, "IF" this happens, that JFR will just do an about face, and follow the money... He's a business man, plain and simple... I'd bet a dollar to ten, that if he was asked to choose between splitting his "Ford Money" with the Pro Stockers and Sportsman racers etc, and leaving for another brand and not have to share, he'd follow the money and kick everyone else to the curb... When I met him in Vegas, he was an arrogant SOB and acted like it was an imposition that fans would ask for an autograph or a photo opp...

After that, when I was talking with Larry Morgan, and got his autograph, he signed his name directly, and completely across John Force's signature... When I asked him if I was sensing a little annamocity there, he just looked at me and said "I can't stand the SOB" ...Strictly because as long as he was running for Ford, nobody else would see a dime from Ford...

That's enough for me...

And he's a PIMP.!  

Just my opinion and not trying to sway anybody here...

If satelite tv had coverage of "little guy" drag racing events I'd be watching it all the time.  It'd be on a flat screen in my shop everytime I was out there wrenching or just hanging out with a beer or 2.  I can watch guys run 9's to 13's all day slugging it out.  Throw in coverage of nostalgia events and such and I'd be watching it at work on my tablet too. A little coverage of guys thrashing in the pits to get ready for the next round/grudge match.  And that to me would get folks interested in making trips to a dealer.  Either for a new model or to visit the parts counter.  Your average Joe don't watch a top fuel or a pro mod and think "Hey I want to buy a new Mustang because the Ford sponsered funny car won Sunday."  Unrealistic.  But he see's a Mr. Nobody's twin screw 5.0 handing it to a ZR1 and he goes "hmmmmmm....  I can have one of those."  

Look at how popular Pinks, PassTime, and Street Outlaws have been.  Like 'em or not, they have all been good for the sport -no denying.

I can agree w/that. 

I agree, and that was the beauty of speed, before it went all NASCAR. Used to see IHRA coverage from start to finish, had great coverage or WRC, hell even pretty damn good coverage of formula 1. Also had stuff in there with off road, score, HDRA, had swamp buggy racing, truck and tractor pulling, we could see applications of HP, driver skill, and variations of autos from around the world.

Now we get NASCAR, the pre race, race build-up, the interview of the crew chiefs, the pit crew, the comentators interviewing each-other. There is some 45 hours of time sucked up each week covering the same race event by the same people, saying the same thing. Then there is the actual race......... now don't take it wrong, I like NASCAR, ill attend a race every year or so, I follow a few drivers. But I don't need to see a show about a show about the guy who met a guy that washed the wheels of the truck that hauled the car to the track.....

I love the sights, sounds, and feel of the top fuel thunder, but when it comes to the better "drama" of drag racing its definatly found in the sportsman ranks, versus pro. Low/no budget guys making it work week in and out, trying to just have fun.

Agree 100% . I like to watch stuff I can relate to. Things a normal person could actually own and race. And not a bunch of cars that look like their tied together. Nhra is just like NASCAR ,a bunch of dictators that want to tell everybody what to do. Like with NASCAR I don't want to see a 50 car blob moving around the track, I want to see someone lap the field. It's become all about money and not about good old fashion ingenuity. It's all so far out of reach of the common man.

they still aint mailed my license renewal back........ NHRA can suck my nuts.

"Things a normal person could actually own and race."

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Does a "normal" person build wooden cars?

richter69 wrote:they still aint mailed my license renewal back........ NHRA can suck my nuts.

Sounds kinky  

Anyway......untill NHRA offers the 7.3L diesel class I'm not watching that crap  

I wouldnt watch it if they did.