NHRA to allow any accepted engine/body combination in Pro St

[Mike Jones]

Originally Posted by John H186

The purist Pro Stock guys obviously wont like it and I agree with that but being able to campaign a Dodge or Mustang with power that can win a race and breaking up the 16 car Camaro field with different bodies will be a good thing.

I suppose it would, but as a kid, when I realized that the Funny cars were all hemi powered, I didn`t look at the bodies or manufacturers the same way.
Mike A114

[Tom P]

If they had done this in the 70's and 80's would the Chevy guys still be as accepting of the class full of 351 Cleveland Vegas and Boss 429 Camaros?
Wonder if that is the real reason Allen Johnson retired/quit the class?

[Bobby DiDomenico]

Originally Posted by John H186

The purist Pro Stock guys obviously wont like it and I agree with that but being able to campaign a Dodge or Mustang with power that can win a race and breaking up the 16 car Camaro field with different bodies will be a good thing.

Since the Camaro bodies look nothing like a street Camaro, the fact that now a Ford Mustang will have a Chevrolet motor in it holds no interest at all for me. Pro Stock was/is built around true brand rivalry. (Kinda like a certain Buick GS Top Stock car, the fans were thrilled to see Mr. Rix still had Buick power under the hood rather than a Chevy) It may have been diluted some to this point though nothing like this change will do to Pro Stock. Someone mentioned the trucks and the lawsuit...

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by Tom P

If they had done this in the 70's and 80's would the Chevy guys still be as accepting of the class full of 351 Cleveland Vegas and Boss 429 Camaros?

Good post, Tom
Would never fly back then.
That's when people understood why the word "Stock" was still in the title.

[Ed Fernandez]

I read an article where John Gaydosh said it might bring in the younger crowd with their toyotas. That would really be a kick in the nuts. Looking more like Nascars failed program with Toyotas, world car bodies and spec. engines.

[goinbroke2]

I lost all respect for "the pro's" a long time ago...now even pro stock is a joke.

This must be so all those homeboys wanting to run their Toyota's and Honda's in pro stock but were denied can race now...yeah, that's it...

As long as Toyota is spending the big $$$ to buy advertising like nascrap I guess its all right huh? 5 years maybe and you'll see a field of Toyota's.

Whatever, as was said, someone please turn the lights out. It's over.

[voltdr]

While the NHRA decision to allow any car/engine combo to race has brought out a lot of opinions about it........
None of our opinions matter. It's only the opinions of the paying spectators that matter. The bottom line is and will always be about the dollars. The opinions from sportsman racer matter very little. It's been a very very very long time since I have sat in the seats to watch any pro class make a pass.
Dan

[Todd Boyer]

This could be the stupidest thing NHRA has done ever. They should change the name of the class as there is absolutely nothing "stock" about it anyway.

[jmcarter]

Perhaps an attempt at twisted humor but see that Competition Plus started a poll asking their readers which body would they like to see approved for the "new body" in PS. See below:

Choices
DODGE CHALLENGER
CADILLAC CTS
FORD MUSTANG
TOYOTA CELICA
CHEVROLET CORVETTE
DODGE CHARGER
FORD FUSION

Like which manufacturer would make the investment to get any of those approved (excluding the already approved Mustang of course) just to see another GM motor leased from KB, Gray or Elite slid between the frame rails? Geez...but think I'll vote for the Toyota in keeping with NHRA's ongoing mockery of Pro Stock. Slide a PS class into Comp (ala PST) and promote Comp and give them decent $$$ and be done with it. Pro Mod will keep throwing the dirt in on the grave of PS. Having seen the early PS cars of Grumpy, Sox&Martin,Booth, Gapp&Roush, etc. in action this is sad indeed.

Change is inevitable but this will likely be the end of PS.

[Mile High]

Last few years it's been a Camaro class. With this change the teams will go with the most aerodynamic body and all cars will be that body. If they wanted more than one body style in competition this is not the answer.

Jeff