December 4th, 2017 will be a date that’ll live forever in the annals of NHRA pro stock history. Why? It is the date that the NHRA announced that pro stock teams will be able to run any accepted engine combo in the nose of any accepted body. That means you’ll see cross branded engine and car combos. That also means that you’ll see a couple of new bodies out there as well. Jerry Haas has publicly stated that he’s got a couple of Mustangs under construction right now and there are already rumors swirling about a potential import body on the horizon as well.
The decision comes at the behest of teams who were asking for it and it comes with the approval of the OEM manufacturers who are decided more concerned with how things are contested in the SAMTech.edu Factory Stock Showdown series which has expanded and will continue to showcase factory built cars with factory based engines.
You don’t have to have a degree in advanced physics or reasoning to understand what engine will be the mill of choice for many teams and it isn’t the pro stock Mopar hemi. Nope, it’ll be the “Chevy” engine that finds its way into virtually all things at this point.
The class will be contested at all 24 races next season, it will be run as 16-car fields, and it’ll be that way because pro stock team owners have guaranteed the association that there will be a minimum of 16 cars at each event. There will also be loads more collaboration behind the scenes between the larger teams and the smaller ones as has been mentioned in many stories over the last month or so but more prevalently in the last couple of weeks.
Before you flame the NHRA for the decision, remember, this is a request that came from the teams to start with.
Here’s an excerpt of the NHRA.com announcement, click the image below for the full NHRA story –
In a history-making decision made at the request of the teams, NHRA will allow Pro Stock racers to run any currently approved engine combination in any currently approved body, regardless of the manufacturer, during the 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season.
“The NHRA Technical Department worked very closely with the Pro Stock teams and the vehicle manufacturers in finalizing this rule change,” said NHRA Vice President-Technical Operations Glen Gray. “The cooperation from all of those involved in the process was very encouraging and we look forward to the 2018 Pro Stock season.”
The decision, which was announced today in a letter to Pro Stock teams, should provide fans with a wider variety of entries in the class, including more Dodge Darts and Ford Mustangs. Chevrolet Camaros have been the bodystyle of choice the last several years; Dodge pilot Allen Johnson was the last non-Chevy driver to win the world championship, in 2012.
“Even before this announcement I’ve had some interest from people wanting to run Mustangs, and I’m sure that as soon as the announcement gets out there, I’ll get more calls and interest in the Dodges, too” said Jerry Haas, who has been building Pro Stock chassis for four decades. “All three of the bodystyles – Ford, Chevy, and Dodge – are so close aerodynamically that there’s no advantage or penalty for choosing your favorite. They’re all so close its unreal.”
A wider variety?? I imagine it will be all cookie cutters as the trick body of the week becomes what every team will use.
A sad day for the class! Though if this had happened in 1985 this Ford guy would have loved seeing all the Boss 429 Camaros out there!
It’s all the same to me… I quit watching 30 years ago from boredom & lack of any ”connection” to what they race & what you can buy…
Speaking of buy,…Bye, Bye,…NHRA…
-member, racer, from 1964 -1973 before being outspent
Time to put Pro Mod under Coca Cola’s current Mello Yello Pro banner and put what’s left of Pro Stock out to pasture. It hasn’t been the same since Alderman got busted.
That was a sad day when Scott and Darrel got busted. You do what you have to to win
What happened? Who got busted for what? What’s the story?
This happened to F/C waaay back when. Too bad really because the underdog aspect of GM and Ford racers really livened things up. Hemi converts were initially scorned and called “Wacky Racers”. NO more “stock” left in Pro Stock now. Unblown, left steer funny cars with restricted wheelbase and of course DOORS.
Let’s give it a chance. It might be fun. The last I saw, every funnycar whether it being Chevy, Ford, or Mopar runs some form of a Chrysler hemi.
True, but TF & FC make no presumption of being stock. Pro Stock was intended to be the pinnacle of what could be done with a \”stock\” combination, – stock meaning the engine matches the body like all other Stock/ Super Stock classes.
I remember in … 1971 I think it was, that small blocks could run in small cars, and Bill Jenkins in Grumpy’s Toy dominated pro stock,non a V8 Vega
It was good for the sport and great for Pro Stock. So. Give it a chance guys, and complain in late 2018, not yet.
IN a V8 Vega
The difference with the V8 in the Vega, it actually was a Vega!
NHRA and NASCAR are having the same sort of issues.They have let corporate sponcers tell them their every move. And now people are staying away. Pro Stock everyone knows is the Camaro show .And only fans of new Camaro’s stay in the stands to watch.They have ruined the fuel classes as well . I went to Indy this last summer,it had been 10 yrs or so since I was last there. The second round of pro gualifing was a joke.The pro stock ,funny cars and long cars almost all made bi runs. I asked what was the reason to a couple people in the stands . They all said ,sponcers want there car seen .And in the middle of funny car qualifying they stopped we had to watch a 10 minute Camaro commercial on the jumbo tron TV. And this was Indy with great weather not to hot . And the stands were maybe 70 percent full. We used to set shoulder to shoulder all weekend. What I’m getting at is they are trying everything they can to put asses in the seats. Hey how about trying this . Its called Pro S T O C K . Make them run a manufacture part number block .And a factory tub from the car body they are racing .Get the brand loyalty back .Heck I bet the sponcers tell them what type of toilet paper the drivers and crew have to use . Me I’m a charm’n man myself.
KCR, you have described SS/GT. Or has the NHRA abolished that class?
And the death rattle of Pro Stock and NHRA just got a little louder. Going, going…
Just put it out of its misery. Whoever thought this shit up is a window licker. It’s supposed to be brand wars. Make it so! You’ll never see the day I watch a mopar pro stocker run a GM engine.. Time to change the channel..
“Whoever thought this shit up” was the teams, who came to NHRA with the concept and NHRA granted them what they wanted.
Brian, the teams that went to the NHRA are are probably competing Chevrolet teams. The have the only engine package with \”factory\” support. They just didn\’t like the idea of having to fight for 8 qualifying spots.
No Fords, MAYBE two Mopars now that AJ has retired….
Pro Stock died when they went away from factory roof & quarter panels. Today\’s carbon fiber bodies are a joke. How many Camaros do you see on the street that have the windshield laid back like today\’s PS cars?
Bring on the Class cars and the Factory Stock Showdown.
PS is BS nowadays.
I have said it many times before, its just Pro Mod w/o the power adders. Stick a fork in it cause Pro Stock is done.
It will still be boring.
How can it be called Pro Stock if any engine is allowed in any body?
Not that I could care as I get my kicks from watching Pro Mod….
This might even up competition a little, but it will still cost a fortune to run the cars and no one will care about them. Sounds like trying to patch a problem rather than facing the fact that the class is dead- let it die.
But when you do, do an autopsy and figure out why it died so that you can prevent it in the future. If that is possible.
Not giving it a chance, not in a million years. So, they let the loonies run the asylum. That’s their excuse? Turtle shell bodies that need the brand name at the top of the windshield to make sure they can be identified. Stick a fork in Pro Stock and NHRA, they are both done.
Little or no concern to me. When NHRA allowed the factory dimensions morph into what these cars are now, I was no longer interested. Which is fine. Just redefine the class and call it Pro Camaro. I’ll stay an active participant and fan of the stock/super stock classes.
Pro Stock teams will be able to run any accepted engine combo in the nose of any accepted body, isn\’t that class already called Pro Mod?
As many have said already, there’s NOTHING stock about pro stock, especially the bodies being used.
Same as NASCRAP, NHRA wants variety as long as a Chevy or Ford wins. The Mopars would’ve been more than competitive since the rule change to FI but they were royally hosed by the RPM limits. NHRA was WELL aware of this but of course since it was THEM, NHRA had NO intentions of ever changing the rules to be in their favor much less just putting them on even ground. Decades of Hemi powered vehicles getting handicapped out of existence made that obvious.
I’ll just continue to NOT care. The past few years I’ve been watching the entire telecasts on super fast forward because I had very little interest in it. Now I might only watch the sportsman coverage and skip the other junk completely.
Pro motorsports is dying a slow death both at NHRA & NASCAR. In the name of \”cost\” they have killed what was once great in both places. Toyota pro stockers can\’t be far off. \”Give it a chance\”, nope I won\’t just like I\’ve turned off NASCAR too. N/A Pro Mod should be the new class name. Of course the teams want this, 99.9% already run the Chevy motor and they see the writing on the wall. When does it matter what the paying fans want? Hopefully the Factory Stock Shootout continues to grow but I have my doubts about that too. NHRA will screw that up too!!!
Just what I want to watch a Chevy powered mustang or challenger-NOT. How will this get people cheering for their favorite make? If I was a manufacturer I would be pissed if someone was running our body with another engine. No sponsor money coming from any of the engine swapped makes.
All of of motorsports (and all the industries related to it) is trying to find the right combination to revive the sport. Ain\’t gonna happen. The real problem is the fans that grew up with hot rods and muscle cars are all dying off and there\’s nobody to replace them. The latest generation has no interest in motorsports at all. Many of them don\’t even care about driving. If they need a ride they just call UBER. Us old guys have seen the rise and fall of the internal combustion engine and everything related to it.
In what universe is a modern top fuel or funny car engine a Chysler hemi? Or a pro stock powered by a Chevy engine? As counterfeit as a $20 with ink still wet. Same problem in NASCAR. Now the ultimate sin, brand mixing? LOL!
A Mini Cooper with a Hemi
I\’m all for saving NHRA Pro Stocks. Not sure why they just didn\’t raise the RPM limit, so the Hemi\’s would have been more competitive. But, it is what it is. Question: Why are they not encouraging the use of Dodge Challengers, instead of the Dodge Dart?
I’m all for saving NHRA Pro Stocks. Not sure why they just didn’t raise the RPM limit, so the Hemi’s would have been more competitive. But, it is what it is. Question: Why are they not encouraging the use of Dodge Challengers, instead of the Dodge Dart?
With the new set of rules pro stock is not the right name for the class.
Adios, Pro stock.
I’m done with ya.
If NHRA thinks Mopar fans won\’t notice that the hemi turned into a big block Chevy they are sadly mistaken. I feel this move was solely to allow Toyota to compete with a BBC under the hood. If they were concerned about dwindling numbers of Mopars, all they had to do was eliminate the rev limiter . A simple software change on the EFI controller.
I’ve said for many years that ” the NHRA needs an enema ” Getting around the same old – same old , is a good start . We’ll have to wait & see .
Interesting development though ……
When WINSTON left motorsports it died. Factory Pro Stock is the answer. The cars are there and ready so………. Fuel cars are a joke. Need 30 gal. pumps and 10-71 blowers, and a single 20 amp mag. Back to 1/4 mile.
And so ends the wonderful experiment that was called Pro Stock. It shall soon join Fuel Altereds and Modifieds in the dust heap of NHRA’s blind march to eventual extinction.
Goodbye,Pro Shlock.
You were really great once.
Goodbye.Goodbye.
You can go now.
Huge NHRA Fan and even a bigger Pro Stock Fan Kudos to nhra tech for making the call on running different body engine combos may bring the johnson back there will be some good competition
Right. Don’t really see the logic in your response. No manufacturer will spend the dollars for this, why would they? No fan will be fooled, who would root for a chocolate covered peanut ?
Nascar has endangered their sport by doing ridiculous things that have alienated their long time fans ! Looks like NHRA is going to follow suit ! Not a good idea !!
How about putting a cap on the money being spent by teams. Lets bring the price of a ticket down to where the average fan can afford to attend a race.
NASCAR AND NHRA have a SERIOUS case of CRAINIAL RECTOSIS!
Both are loosing fans due to stupid rules!
AND THE COST TO ATTEND A RACE SEE EXAMPLE BELOW!
What’s it cost to run a car today?
1 MILLION
2 MILLION
3 MILLION
NO!
MEGA MILLIONS!
I am 69 and SICK of the cost to go to a attend RACE!
Cost me. And me only $300.00 to go to Homestead from Key West Florida.
Buy a ticket $90.00 with PIT LANE PASS
NO HOT PIT PASS!
That was $50.00 more!
Rent a car $80.00
Gas to and from $30.00
Left home at 3:00 A.M.
Breakfast at IHOP $12.00 in Key Largo Florida at 4:30 A.M.
Got to the track at 6:00!
Had to wait in line 4 hours for it to open!
Parking $25.00 and still a 1/2 mile to entrance!
Program $10.00
Hot dog $8.00
Can of Beer $8.00
Hoggie sandwich $8.00
Another beer $8.00
Chinese food $10.00 HORRIABLE I THROUGH IS IN THE GARAGE!
Another beer $8.00
30 minute line to get to my NOSE BLEED CHEAPEST SEAT 60 rows up!
Great view of track!
Got a nose bleed from the altitude!
LOL!
My very very very last race!
Let me see!!!!
Pro Stock Cars? Not!
Pro Stock Bikes? Not!
Funny Cars? Not!
Top Fuel Dragsters? Not!
Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota NASCARS? Not!
I helped my Dad build a 1938 D GAS Chevy to race at Fremont California NHRA track in 1960!
It was FUN back then!
So, to resuscitate my flat-lined interest in Pro Stock, NHRA has decided we need Mustangs and Challengers….. Yet, they don\’t think I\’ll take offense to the Chevy engine between the frame rails?? Stupid-ass ideas like that only have a couple of places to originate…. Glendora, CA or Washington D.C.
\”Let\’s feed \’em shit, and try to make them think it\’s steak\”
\”Pro Crate Motor Stock\”, no thanks!
alderman and gefrions 440 used big block chevrolet blocks cast by catapiller (aftermarket block)
No Thank You.
Wow this just legitimized my LSX swapped S197…..
I used to love Pro Stock, despite a history of shackling Ford and Mopar. Now even dyno racing is infinitely more exciting, In fact NHRA could take a page out of Engine Masters book! Goodbye Pro Stock!
hemis are to much for the chevs thats why they wont give another 500rpms ,same way as nascar tolk away the the superbirds