Did Anybody Else Catch This?!

[voltdr]

Originally Posted by novassdude

Did any one else notice the grandstands being used to hold big banners rather than spectators?

Those grandstands are closed by the FAA due to their proximity to the flight path of
aircraft at the nearby airport....

[Rose Racing]

Originally Posted by Tom P

True enough, it is all types of racing and other car stuff, show cars, restoration, trucks, etc.

But it's still an automotive trade show and what was disturbing to me was there were hardly any or no line ups to get an autograph from Don Garlits, Tom McEwen, Don Prudhomme, Richard Petty or Mario Andretti (the last two guys mostly ran in circles, just a little drag racing) but the lineup to see some MMA fighter there was a thousand people long. As many "Affliction" shirts as there were car event shirts.

Sure some cool drag stuff there though, the Mach IV and Backup Pickup in Galpins tent, the MT tires booth had the monocoque 70 Mustang funny car and Challenger1 speed record car, newly restored Joe Shubeck AA/FD in the front hall, the EMPI Lightning Bug in the "window tint building" that Gale Banks diesel dragster, etc.

But Warren is right, the attendance is also misleading since many people are just there for the noise and to get drunk and can't be counted on to sustain the sport. If fuel cars next year were almost silent but running 2's at 400mph those people would not be back because they aren't the automotive diehards the sport used to have and still needs.

Because they have fastly over the years been alienating us diehards! I have a very hard time watching Pro Stock and pro Mod or any Door Car class between all the Nitro Nuts running up and down the stands on Sundays at the Nationals Event at Norwalk and next year im only going Thursday because of all the hassles and most of the diehards have left because of the BS that NHRA has become and I cant even watch NHRA telecasts anymore heck i got more entertainment this summer watching the Cinci Reds and Cleveland Indians than watching the NHRA telecasts and im actually getting National Dragster for the first time on the hope that I get Sportsman coverage but an dredding all the extra crap in em with the Pros. IHRA was a great organization for the diehards when it was real racing back in its days till about 07 4 days for 40 bucks and more Sportsman and awesome pros(Mountain Motor Pro Stock and Pro Mod) and half the BS and Crowd! I dispise all this gimick crap that NHRA and Competition Plus wants to put on with Social media outlets and shorter race days and crap Drag Racing is A LOOOONG Days Sport like Baseball your not going to shorten it or make it go half the time.Drag Racing lasts a full day if you dont want to be at the track for a full day dont come. Rant Over sorry for the long post

[Todd Boyer]

Originally Posted by Carguy49

The cost is ridiculous. Pro Stock has advanced to the point of not being interesting anymore. What part of the car is "stock" anymore. They look more like Pro Mod cars with carburetors. We need to roll back the clocks a few years and make the cars look more like production vehicles.
Same goes for Funny Car. I know that is a little off subject, but it's just how I feel. Just so you know, many of my friends feel the same way. And yes, we are all over 60.

I'm 45 and I agree wholeheartedly that Pro Stock cars should look more stock. I remember when a PS car had to have factory steel roof and quarters with fiberglass replicas of the rest of the parts. They looked like actual cars. When I see the current PS cars, I just shake my head. I actually like Pro Stock more listening to it on the audiocast than I do watching it on TV.

[Todd Boyer]

Originally Posted by scott smith

new mustangs, camaros,challengers. 500 cubes, fuel inj throttle bodys, no tube chassiss just full cages, 5spd trans, has to fit a factory body template, my idea of the future of prostock will defintly bring interest back to the class, just a thought,

Basically a Super Stock chassis with the specs you mention would be awesome !!! More like the original Pro Stock cars. They could use current engines so they wouldn't lose megabucks worth of R&D. Wouldn't be a stretch to get the cars to 3000#.

[bigshow2966]

Originally Posted by Todd Boyer

Basically a Super Stock chassis with the specs you mention would be awesome !!! More like the original Pro Stock cars. They could use current engines so they wouldn't lose megabucks worth of R&D. Wouldn't be a stretch to get the cars to 3000#.

You already have that with the SS/GT classes and Comp. The stands are way more empty than when P/S runs.

I like Warren because he is one of the Old Guard. However, whenever he fails to qualify he goes on a rant about costs. Funny, he never cried about costs when he was on top and one of the ones escalating how much it cost.

It is very possible it's time for WJ to make good on his "School's Out" tour and retire from driving. He could have twice as much money then to put in Kurt's car and head back to the front again.

[Gary Smith]

I saw the clip today, and sounded like he answered a rather pointed question with an equally pointed answer. If you've ever talked to him before, you'll know he never minces words with anyone about anything (me included). And this is coming from a life long Glidden fan.

[blkjack]

Originally Posted by Todd Boyer

Basically a Super Stock chassis with the specs you mention would be awesome !!! More like the original Pro Stock cars. They could use current engines so they wouldn't lose megabucks worth of R&D. Wouldn't be a stretch to get the cars to 3000#.

[Ed Wright]

There ya go!

[joespanova]

Originally Posted by Alan Roehrich

He didn't lose his edge so much as he lost all his backing. That tends to stop the wins and the development in a class that costs as much as Pro Stock does.

Unfortunately, he may be right. This country is not the "car loving" society/nation it once was, there are not even that many real "car people" in the OE automotive businesses. The economy is not great, and will not be for a while, if not a long while. NHRA has been trying to strangle all of the geese laying the golden eggs for a while.

I'm not saying it's time to pack it in. I am saying that we've seen far better days, and will not see them again without changes. And the changes are not likely so long as some of the people now in power remain there.

I'm not one of the regular "clic" here.....but to throw my .02 in anyway..........this is spot on for sure.
I went to the Southerns ( Atlanta ) this year and the vender participation was non existent , the number of fans way down and the appeal of the racing overall just doesn't have the same "feel" as it did 20 years ago.
The countdown is dumb and should go away , Pro Stock needs a complete overhaul as it is anyway ( to small blocks / fuel injection / turbos ) and the guys driving ( most of them , Coughlin comes to mind ).....those cars probably aren't car people anyway and certainly don't turn wrenches on anything. I have no respect for the pure "drivers" at all.
The NHRA is an archaic santioning body that has no clue as to what fans want , apparently.
Too bad its not up to me.....
Funny car would be dropped completely.
Pro Stock would change
Pro Mod would be included at every national event ( since they have a lot of fan appeal and are just generally pretty cool anyway).
Nostalgia Gas would become a new permanant class
Drop all Super classes ( comp , gas and street ) at national events.

[Dan Fahey]

One of the cool attributes of early Pro Stock were the launches.
Another was raising the launch rpm and screaming high rpm shifts.

None of the current pro cars can do wheelies and live.