Sad that this is happening
 

Re: Sad that this is happening
 

It does appear to be the end of an era, but I don't know if it's what I would call sad. Lots of things have come and gone in drag racing, and the sport just moved on. I don't think anyone would disagree that Pro Stock has lost its way, but I think the sport in general has become far less relevant to the average young American man or woman that it used to be. What's been lost is the history of drag racing, and from that, the ability to put the sport in context. None of the young people participating today have much of a sense of where the sport came from, so it exists in the present, rather than having any historical foundation. The average 60 year old vividly remembers the beginning years of Pro Stock, and that memory "connects" today to the past. When a Pro Stock race takes place today, the 60 year old is unconsciously thinking "Oh man, I remember when Grumpy raced Ronnie Sox, and this is still a lot like that", where the young person of today just sees two Pro Stock/Pro Mod/Top Sportsman/Everything Looks the Same cars fly down the track, oftentimes driven by young people who never actually even work on the car. In the hero days of Pro Stock, it was man against man, hero against hero, because each car literally represented the brains, creativity, hard work and driving skill of the owner. Those days are gone, never to return, and the guys that miss them most are the guys who remember how incredible Pro Stock was.

Re: Sad that this is happening
 

This is a great post....Thank you !

Re: Sad that this is happening
 

X2 Sad, but accurate.

Re: Sad that this is happening
 

Pro Stock used to be my favourite class, especially back in the the early to mid 1980's. The glory days of Reher-Morrison-Shepherd, Iaconio, Glidden, WJ. There seemed to be more personality involved, I guess you could say that about the other Pro classes as well. Personally I loved the dry hops, hood scoops and carbs, but the sport must evolve.
Now my favourite class is stock eliminator,like many I grew up with these 1960-1990's cars roaming the streets.They are cars I can relate to and dream of owning one day. I will be sad if P/S ceases to exist.

Re: Sad that this is happening
 

You may see FS in some form or another take the place of Pro Stock. You already have the big 3 involved and big name drivers competing.

Re: Sad that this is happening
 

What I find encouraging is that Drew Skillman finds "value" in staying involved esp with S/SS, after being at the supposed "pinnacle"

Butner, Jeg, have roots in S/SS and with FS growing it seems to me as if our universe is expanding which can't hurt.

To me....as classes get away from wheelstands, be it COMP, HEMI SHOOTOUT CARS, Pro Stock etc.....the repeated sameness looses fan appeal

Someone somewhere posed the concept of no wheelie bars.....hmmmmm

Re: Sad that this is happening
 

Cannot forget that the trickle down affect of PRO STOCK ENGINE DEVELOPMENT is found in all the new FS cars as well as Comp, Superstock, Stock and every other class. I for one do not want to see that go anywhere. So they loose some names in PS..... Not the end of the class and hate to see the talent leave but hopefully they can be replaced.

Re: Sad that this is happening
 

"Enders said last week that her Elite Motorsports team isn’t going anywhere: “As far as I know, myself, Jeg Coughlin, Vincent Nobile, Alex Laughlin . . . our team will remain intact. Richard [team owner Freeman] will be a fifth car at times. Matt Hartford, I’m not sure of his plans, but I would assume that he will continue to run off of us. We’re doing our part. We’re trying our best to make it happen. I wish Drew wasn’t leaving. I hope that Bo’s not leaving. But we’ll just have to see what happens in the silly season."


In Top Fuel @ St. Louis: 5 MLR cars and 6 DSR cars for 16 spots.
A Pro Stock team with 4 or 5 cars...
Hard to compete against that much of everything.
Mike A114

Re: Sad that this is happening
 

I still think the FS motors in Stock body but with a pro stock chassis is the way to go. Do away with the aero bodies and use factory built NHRA sealed motors. They could start by transitioning into the motors first for a year or two while they develop the chassis for the stock body.