MORE DRIVERS SPEAK ON WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN WITH PRO STOCK
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t’s no secret, numbers are down in the Pro Stock. At almost every race, there hasn’t been a full field of 16 racers. There are 14 Pro Stock cars at the Mile-High Nationals.
There have been a lot of people with different opinions on how to improve the health of the class. One rumor circulating is NHRA is asking about including mountain motor Pro Stock cars at some point in the future, possibly weighing 2,700 pounds. The Pro Stock cars now weigh 2,350 pounds.
Greg Anderson, a four-time NHRA Pro Stock world champion (2003-2005, 2010) addressed the rumor as did season points leader Bo Butner and most recent national event winner Drew Skillman.
Back in 2015 at the Mile-High Nationals, NHRA announced it was making wholesale changes to Pro Stock class.
On Jan. 1, 2016, NHRA required all Pro Stock teams to equip their cars with electronically-controlled throttle body fuel injection systems, making engines more relevant from a technology standpoint. In order to reduce and control costs for the race teams, an NHRA-controlled 10,500 Rev Limiter will be added to the fuel injection systems.
With the EFI changes being in place for 1½ seasons, other Pro Stock drivers talked about their thoughts on the state of the class.
“EFI is really good and there are a lot of good things about it,” Line said. “I wish we were allowed to do some different things in this particular class that we are not. We are kind of stuck in a very small box. So, what you’re going to get is everybody running the same. It would be nice if they would open it up to some other vendors and that would certainly bring more folks into the sport.”
Allen Johnson, a fellow Pro Stock world champ like Line, offered sharper criticism about the change to EFI.
“I don’t think it’s done anything for the class as far as reducing cost or increasing participation,” Johnson said. “I don’t think it accomplished any of that stuff. It’s sort of fun to fiddle with. It’s something I enjoy doing but as far as doing anything for the class, it did nothing.”
Matt Hartford, who races around a dozen races a season, also hasn’t seen EFI giving the class a boost either.
“It cost everyone a lot of money for zero performance gain,” Hartford said. “It is easier on engine components. That is a fact. The engine components do last longer. It should have been done when Warren Johnson wanted to do it 20 years ago. They’re very late doing it but it was the right answer. It needed to happen, but it just happened way too late.”
Johnson offered this suggestion to improve Pro Stock’s car count.
“I think they pay more money first round, that’s how you fix it,” he said. “They have the same problem with the fuel classes. They’ve got four or five fillers that are not full-time racers. If they decide not to come they’ve got 12 or 13 cars too. NHRA has been telling us for the last couple of years they’re going to (increase the purse). We’d like to see it in the first round and that will fix the problem. First round if you qualify, first round money is double what it is, and more people will come up.”
Hartford concurred with Johnson.
“I think the question is, why are we only looking at fixing Pro Stock?,” Hartford said. “Top Fuel barely gets a full field. Funny car barely gets a full field. Pro Stock barely ever gets a full field. Comp never gets any cars. Super Stock is down. This is not a Pro Stock problem. And everybody that keeps talking about how Pro Stock has a problem is blind to the fact that drag racing has a problem. Is 16 cars a lot of cars in Top Fuel? No, it’s a full field. Zero extras. Funny Car only has 16. So, like I said, the more people keep picking on Pro Stock, the worse it hurts the class by continuing just to say Pro Stock is hurting because there’s no car count. That drives anyone who would want to come to the class away. That’s how I feel about it.”