Ford Racing has announced that the close of the 2014 season will mark the end of their sponsorship programs with NHRA racers like John Force (and his fleet of cars), Tim Wilkerson, Bob Tasca, and the like. Other racers that may be in a bind include guys like Larry Morgan. While Morgan receives no money directly from Ford, he does purchase his parts though Ford Racing, so if they stop making said parts as facet of this program, Morgan and other Ford pro stock racers will be in a bad way and will need to swap manufacturers or close up shop with respect to their pro stock teams. As an aside, Ford has been the official vehicle of the NHRA for several years now as well.
The announcement that Ford made a couple days back was as follows:
“Ford is not getting out of drag racing. We are fully committed to continue our support of grassroots sportsman drag racing with our Mustang Cobra Jet, parts support and contingency programs. Enthusiasts and production-based racing is at the heart of what we do. We have, however, made a business decision to conclude our team sponsorships and support in the NHRA Mello Yello Series at the end of the 2014 season. This decision was based on an ongoing assessment of our motorsport programs’ effectiveness and the strategic alignment with our company objectives globally.”
While this certainly hurts the large professional teams that we have mentioned previously, we’re certainly happy to hear that Ford will remain active and invested in sportsman level racing. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to piece together the logic behind this decision making as 8,000hp race cars that look absolutely nothing like a production car probably aren’t the effective sales tools they were a generation ago when the vehicles were at least somewhat similar in appearance to their road going counterparts. Even the cars (on the professional level) that do bear some visual similarities are powered by 500ci engines topped with carbs and other than driving the same set of wheels (the rear ones) share virtually nothing mechanically.
When Wally Parks made the decision to classify anything other than automotive engine powered cars as “exhibition” vehicles he laid the groundwork for an NHRA that relied on Detroit manufacturers becoming invested in the sport and embroiled in the competition. For decades they were. Divisions of those massive companies were dedicated to engineering machines that outperformed their crosstown rivals. A small flicker of that fire exists today with the Drag Pack Challengers, Cobra Jet Mustangs, and COPO Camaros, but it was once a fight contested with bazookas and flame throwers. For Detroit manufacturers, the thrill is largely gone from professional level drag racing and Ford’s announcement is the latest proof of that. With rally teams getting more funding, events like the X-Games further entrenching themselves into the culture and minds of younger car buyers, and the math seemingly going the wrong way for organizations like NASCAR and the NHRA, this isn’t the first nor the last time we’ll be seeing announcements like this made.
Our hope for the future is buoyed by the fact that someone, somewhere, at Ford went to the mat for the Cobra Jet program and sportsman racing at Ford Racing with a case to keep it alive. Then again, so long as Cobra Jets sell for nearly $100,000 and aid the bottom line (in however small a percentage) those cars will continue to be part of the landscape (as will the COPOs and Drag Packs).
The guy we feel worst for in this situation is Bob Tasca III who revived one of the great family names in drag racing history with his steady rise through the ranks of alcohol cars into the nitro burning funny car ranks. There’s a lot of irony that he’s having the rug pulled out from under him at the close of the 2014 season by Ford, the company that he and his family have been so closely aligned with.
After all, it was “Big Bob” Tasca himself who created the Thunderbolt which was later produced by Ford as a factory drag machine. It was also “Big Bob” and his crew of dealer mechanics that created the mighty Cobra Jet Mustang package (they called theirs the KR-8) which was adopted as a production model for Ford. It was the famed Tasca sponsored Mustangs, driven by Bill Lawton that evolved from stock and super stock cars into A/FX machines and later into nitro burning funny cars, winning races from coast to coast that made the blue oval a feared brand on strips.
Tasca believed in drag racing because he knew it sold him cars and every time Lawton went clear across the country and killed ’em all on the way (as he did winning Factory Experimental at the 1965 Winternationals, and cleaning up at many races during his storied career), the phone would ring at the dealership. It was drag racing and an unyielding devotion to the Ford brand that made the Rhode Island dealership one of the most successful in the country and the Tasca family one of the most respected in the Ford corporate universe. The story has been relayed to us in several different ways, but most romantically (in physical circumstance only) was the chance encounter between John Force and “Big Bob” at the dealership during a snowstorm one night in Rhode Island. Force was in town on business and apparently had to make a vehicle purchase. That meeting (mythical or not) led the Force becoming a Ford driver for nearly the next two decades right up until today.
With GM’s epic financial collapse and near overnight evacuation from serious “front door” drag racing sponsorships, Ford’s announcement to leave, and a fleeting amount of direct sponsorship from Mopar, the “factory” situation at drag racing’s highest level is tenuous at best.
On the rear of the great series of “Mystery” Tasca Mustangs that Bill Lawton drove were the French words, “Suivez Moi!” That translates to “Follow Me” and the NHRA is hoping that no other entity which owns an automobile factory does anytime soon.
Let’s face it, the NHRA no longer has marketing appeal that it once had. Sagging attendance, and the raping of sportsman racers has done nothing to help the NHRA. With so many other entertainment options, a slow economy, and high ticket prices, Ford made a wise choice.
your right about two things the ticket prices and the economy but as far as attendence i would rather sit at a drag strip and watch than attend any nascar event with there soap opera crap every weekend pretty much who is pissed at who crap.those drivers now adays are nothing but a bunch of whiney ass sissys.and as far as ford is concerned GOOD RIDANCE.
I wholeheartedly agree with that! NASCAR is just a bunch of drama-queens these days playing it up for the TV audience, while NHRA still has the element of competition to it. Witness the Danica 500 (oops, I mean Daytona 500) this year. Because Patrick won the pole, that’s all that was discussed on all the news. She hasn’t won a race and doesn’t have what it takes to compete with the big boys, but she gives the sports media ratings. And that’s all that matters evidently. ENOUGH WITH HER!! Drag racing rules! Time to cancel that Mustang GT order and price up a Challenger SRT8 instead.
Read the whole article. Ford will still support the grass roots racers, those with Mustang GTs.
I hate to see it, but when you start seeing Toyotas in the Funny Car class, you know the end is near. I was always more tuned to Pro Stock than any of the fuel classes, but this sounds like the end of what Fords were present in any class.
Amen to that!!!
I quit watching drag racing when the muslim prince bought his way in
Here here !!!! Me too!! Im a huge Ford fan, but when NHRA went to 1000 ft, and Allen Johnson pulled out and joined the prince…….and anyone who flys a Kuait flag on our soil…..I’m tired of it. NHRA and NASCAR both. I’m going out in the garage and building hotrods.
Have to agree here….just feel that my brand loyalty to the Blue Oval just doesnt matter anymore. I heading out to the garage as well and may have attended my last NHRA event.
and i’m sure every part you buy is mad in usa! along with your tv and microwave
If you want to exclude guys who spend their own money to go racing you’re going to have a hard time filling a 16 car field. BTW, that was also a no class racist post.
The downfall of drag racing was when it went from who came to the track with the biggest cubic inches to who had the biggest bucks! Until then there was no problem filling the fields.
Glad to hear I’m not the only one who felt that way!!! It’s disgusting!
Amen to that Joe.That team makes me want to throw up. No drag team should have to compete with a country.
Well said Joe. Im not a big fan of them either. And also tires of seeing toyotas in NHRA And Nascar.
Sponsors have left the NHRA in droves. When you are reduced to sponsorships from dog food, building contractors and arab sultans instead of beer, oil and car parts, you are in trouble. Why shouldn’t Ford leave? Nothing in the pro classes resembles anything you could buy at a Ford dealer.
This sport has been reduced by poor management to competing with late night informercials on ESPN, the Ocho.
I quit watching and following Pro drag racing when the NHRA left the race at 1000′. I don’t support the sponsors on fuel cars either for the same reason.
Amen………..
if you don’t watch it, why are you commenting on it?
Just as I predicted, Ford’s idiotic 1970 pull-out of American racing is beginning to repeat itself.
They’ve already abandoned F1, Indy Car, and WRC. Now they’re dumping everything but an extremely token presence in drag racing. And Roush’s NASCAR program is increasingly uncompetitive.
It probably won’t be long until “Government Motors” torque-steers back into the NHRA vacuum. And that will again result in another generation of talented ex-Ford racers shilling for other brands, and chocking up huge numbers of wins for the wrong team . . . .
Too bad they don’t fire the idiot bean-counters at FoMoCo instead of the racers!
Ford is the master at figuring out ways to blow leads. So sad. So predictable.
I quit watching when they shortened the race to 1,000′. Start racing the full 1/4 mile and you might be surprised.
Outsider, Ford is a Business, and run as such. Hate to see ’em leave Prostock, but those cars are mere caricatures of what’s on the showroom. As far as gov’t motors getting involved, how about they fully repay the bailout first. NHRA,NASCAR, etc are more like Pro Rasslin these days anyway..
AMEN BROTHER!!! Isn’t funny how no sooner did Uncle Sam bail GM out that they immediately went to racing and blowing OUR MONEY on toys. While most of us couldn’t afford to go to the races!!!
NASCAR took a hint from the fans and made changes to bot Nationwide and Sprint Cup cars to bring back some resemblance to production models. If the fans can’t relate to the cars, that’s a big disconnect.
That’s the first thing the NHRA needs to do, especially in funny cars. Then go back to 1320 feet.
Its not just funny cars, pro stocks look nothing like the street versions. I’ve been following drag racing for almost 40 yrs and haven’t watched an event live or on tv for 2 yrs.
It is sad to see Ford go, but who can blame them. The old idea of “Win on Sunday, sell on Monday” just doesn’t work anymore. In the funny car ranks, there is no resemblance to the maker anymore. I find NHRA more and more boring with every race. It is obvious, that NHRA is in trouble. I think the 1000 foot thing has hurt them, but it has accomplished little as far as safety. It was a band-aide, trying to cover the carnage at the top end. Instead of shortening the track, or those rediculous oil down penalties, NHRA should address the problem of all these blown engines! I am beginning to believe that they like the idea that blown engines and crashes sell tickets! I, for one, am fed up with them. Thank God for Nostalgia racing!
not a Ford fan, but still sad to see racing sponsorship dollars go away. However, perhaps this will be the sunset for the dog and pony freak show they call Force racing.
You have to give credit to or e its grueling to get up and do what he does every year same as any professional sport and hard working man or woman but the racing world has flipped its lid when the government bought out gm rebuilt all the dealerships with our money then gave Chevrolet millions for NASCAR to entertain at least give tax payers the empty seats ! Nd glidden dominated as force did and Chevy has NASCAR locked up and always will i
i guess you can call it a dog and pony show when you’ve won 15 championships! lets get real, the sarge is the first to win with the big money backing!
they factory hotrods are not racing in pro stock like it used to, and the carb, lol no longer used, fuel i njection is ! i like drag racing , parts and pices devloped may be but it needs to be production based ! so cost is lower 1 #, #2that sales car off the show room floor thats being raced!#3 the top fuel engines are not a newer production engine with some mods !#4 cost of producing parts period is over the top the bottom line its not saling any new engines or cars period! nascar has switched to get more manfactors involed!#5 there is no 500 c.i engines in production now!#6 whats nhra going to do toto get ford ,chevy , mopar involved?more and help out a fellow american musle #7 if they have a plan needs to get it going bye holding talks , whats a top fuel team spend on parts ? 20 million? and funniy car 16 million? pro stock 7 million?if they spend this amount what is there return in sales 1 million maybe?dothe sale engine parts to teams that are in production ? and relvant to moderan production?
The Pro Teams are pricing themselves right out of a career with sponserships. Erica Enders has a car, team; great racing credentials, but can’t afford to race down the track without the almighty sponsor. Yep, NHRA is really helping this sport to grow.
The NHRA (no hot rods allowed) is one of the worse run organizations out there. In the fuel classes, it’s turned into the Don and John show. And pro stock is all but over. They can’t even field a full class anymore. The cars don’t resemble anything out here. The tickets are sky high, and for what? The same 5 of 6 cars win every week.
And don’t even mention how the NHRA treats it’s Junior dragster class. It’s as if it doesent exist. The numbers here are dropping off too. You would think the NHRA would get their head out of thier ass and let the jumniors run an exibition on Sunday race days so that the word gets out to any new fans in the grandstands.
When the focus becomes more about the drivers and less about the machines, you better look out!
It needs to be more about the drivers and less about the machines, Fans go to see drivers. The casual fans don’t know much about the cars other than they are loud and fast. Identifying with the drivers is what gives fans an emotional involvement and what puts them in the seats. How many people go to a baseball game to see the Mizuno gloves or Louisville Slugger bats?
I go the Hot Rod Reunions to see big block four speed cars stand up on two wheels. I go to Hot Rod Reunions to Oldsmobile powered Ford coupes stand up on two wheels. I go to Hot Rod Reunions to see blown Hemi powered model Ts (AA/FA) get sideways on two wheels.
I understand Ford’s decision to pull out of NHRA…. Just look in the stands at the attendance there are no people in the stands. The average family can not afford to attend a race . The ticket prices are out of this world as well as NASCAR,GOODGUYS, NSRA etc etc. I have been a hot rodder and racer all my life .I have followed drag racing since I was a kid. I’m still involved in building street rods. Money is money but GREED has taken over all the car programs. It is not about the fan anymore it is about who can get the biggest sponsor .I have always been for the little guy.. perfect example Don Gartlis he never was a big fancy guy.. Just a little man and smart. He is what racing was all about in the early years. Today racing programs are about money not you and I .If MOPAR pulls out of drag racing NHRA will fold. The TV people are not showing very much racing any more…. I know I’m just a little guy in a big world.
i totally agree, but what sport isn’t that way? most people would rather sit on their couch and watch!
Wow! This could be the knife to the heart for NHRA. I got hooked on the drags when I was 11, nothing like a 32 or 64 funny car field and seeing a funny car on a open trailer. The sponsors were few and it made for an fairly level field. You could not find a seat to plant your butt!!! I can’t blame any sponsor who want out now days, were not going anymore, it is not that attractive because it has lost the way it started. We follow outlaw racing, nostalgia racing, pro mod cars and the like. Because it is damn exciting to watch ordinary people bring there stuff to the track after working all week, and make a fast pass on a 10.5 or 8.5 tire! The nostalgia stuff, I can’t get enough of. I’ll take my family to that before an NHRA big show, because it is grassroots and it is what 98% of us can relate too. Hate to see Ford leave(or any large sponsor) I don’t blame them at all. The people at NHRA just don’t see the elephant in the middle of the room!!!
Slow the cars down and limit the use of exotic metals and materials. Use a spec chassis and a spec fuel engine with spec heads. YUP spec heads, pistons, fuel system, clutch.
Funny cars provide just as good of a show at 280mph and at 1320. They don’t need to go 300 mph to be exciting the same for Top Fuel. Every time NHRA puts a limit on the teams they find a way to get around them. That’s what racers do.
80% and 1320 Limit the electronics in all classes. The 8.90 and 9.90 crap is a joke who wants to watch that. Remember how exciting the Grump and Landy were? Leal banging on that 4 speed Hemi? We need that feeling back again. When the guy pulling the trailer with his pickup and had his life wrapped up in that funny car like Bazemore did and won a National event. WE NEED THAT AGAIN. OR MAYBE IM LIVING IN A DREAM WORLD. BUT DAMN IT WAS FUN TO GO TO THE RACES THEN.
it was fun, my dad was a bracket racer (10.90) but hello it is 2013
Yes, it’s 2013 and fans are not in the stands anymore. There is no drag racing on TV you can pick up with an antenna.
You hit the nail on the head!!
I havent been to a national event in years. This year I got Friday and Saturday tickets to the Epping Race. It was very well organized and the place was packed. I cant imagine how many miles I walked that Friday in the heat with the sun pounding on me. After it was over it took over an hour from when I got in my car until I pulled out of the parking lot. Saturday I stayed home, had enough, why would I bother with that again when I can set my DVR (add 2 hours recording time because ESPN does not care about drag racing and will run the Indonesian womens ping pong quarter finals when the racing should be on), watch it on a 55″ HD, start, pause, rewind from the comfort of my couch with the A/C on, not have to pay $3.00 for a bottle of water, or $6.00 for a burger that tasted like what they scraped off the starting line. Granted you cant beat the sound and smell but to me it wasnt worth going back.
did you want a limo ride to the starting line? if you had to walk that far, i guess it was a success for the track.
If it wasnt for the Mopars in Pro Stock, I would not even watch, we got an Arab Sheik, Toyota and Force prarading his daughters around like its Playboy, The stands are empty just like they are in CashCar full of Toyotas and no Mopars, I hope Penske chokes on Ford but feel bad for the non Force racers.
then why do you watch?
Yeah, what was the deal with ‘ESPN – The Body’ magazine with a naked Courtney Force?? That’s not racing – that IS Playboy!
It’s all over Boys and Girls. Once NHRA put an office in El Kabong Raceway where the sand n , I mean the muslim prince is from it’s certain the boy prince will own the whole organization before to long. NHRA is dead and from the looks of the lack of attendance at the Brickyard this past weekend, Nascar is not far behind. I have never seen so many empty seats for any race at Indy. Say good night Gracy. { Us old guys know what that means }
Nascar and NHRA have both went off the deep end. I’d like to see RWYB (Run WhatYou Brung) racing take over. Too many rules and regulations. Let the good ole racers run racing like they used to. I know that there has to be rules to protect the fans,and I’m all for that,but if some ole boy drags in a four engined,3 sec contraption to the track and has the guts to drive it–MORE POWER TO HIM!!. If it goes up in a mushroom cloud half way down the track,well,that’s his problem. If it doesn’t,then let every body else play catch up. Drag racing will be fun to watch again. Right now,it’s more fun to me to go to a little strip and watch the guys drag their grocery-getters and pick up trucks.
Call it like it is: This is all caused by the BAD management at NHRA.. Those jerks need their wife’s to dress them.. How much money did they make to kill off what we all grew up with and loved.. Wally is doing a spin dance in his grave.. Get rid of the BUMS!
Bring back the AHRA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Could you tell the difference between a Ford, Mopar or Toyota funny car body if it wasn’t painted or logo’d ? I want to see REAL Mustang, Camaro and Challenger bodies. I’ll even accept a Camry or a 4 door Charger, as long as it looks real. I don’t care if the lack of aerodynamics slows the cars down. If so, maybe we can go back to 1,320 feet. I’d kill right now to see a 16 car nostalgia F/C field here on the east coast like you guys have in Cali. Keep the nitro noise & stink, just make the cars look like REAL cars.
I agree, bring back the days when you could tell the cars apart on the starting line. Pro stock was once my favorite class when you had guys like Sox& Martin, Dyno Don, Bill Grumpy Jenkins just to name a few of the long list. If you were a fan of A manufactured car you went to see these guys take them down the track. Why would you watch NOW, take the names off the cars & the fancy wraps ( i don’t think they are even painted any more) & no one would know what kind of car is being run. Just put the drivers name on the car,With that said would you put your money in if the fans could not tell the cars apart setting in the stands. Come on people the cars need to be able to be real. FYI I would rather watch Super Stock than Pro or Funny now. Bring on the Mustangs,Camaros,& Chargers.
3nine6, you should check out the Hot Rod Reunions. There are also Nostalgia Top Fuel and Nostalgia Funny car meets from time to time.
I have to agree with what everyone is saying here because you all have valid points. Haven’t watched drag racing on t.v. for a long time, I know I havent missed much because its always the same winners. I like pro stock equally as well. Never seen a pro race however did get to see a live burnout by a top fuel funny car here in my home town on main st. Very cool! I will miss the raw horsepower of top fuel but I agree with y’all that the little weekend warrior outlaws can have the track back and a family could afford the drags again. I personally have a 10 second 67 firebird that is tons of fun, so I guess it austa LA vista NHRA, welcome home outlaws!…..
It’s sad that Ford is pulling out,but I fully understand.I would have thought it would have been NASCAR first.Take the decals off,they all look alike.I’ve been a Ford racer and car and engine builder for about 40 years,but things have gotten way out of control.I remember when you could go to your local car dealership and purchase most of the engine parts that were in these cars,except the the fuelers.I would love to see nascar and pro stock go back to a real body and let everybody be able to buy the engine parts,block and heads,and keep it AMERICAN.
I agree. How many Ford parts are there in John Force’s Mustang? Or Karl Edward’s Fusion. I can’t tell a Mustang from a Toyota sitting in the staging lanes.
I am going back to watching cars with a frame (not tubing), working doors, and a trunk lid!
Hey Jimmie Johnson, put some P205 tires on that Chevy and see how fast you can go around in a circle.
I have been bummed out with NHRA ever since the sheik up & canned Larry Dixon. It is still secret what really went on with that. I believe Larry deserved better being as iconic as anyone ever & such a spokesman for NHRA. Something pretty crappy went on there. I’ve never had the same enthusiasm for the sport since. Hell, I’ve even sold both my cars & walked away. It was getting too expensive even as a sportsman class racer. I hope they can right the ship. Aloha Ford…. Aloha NHRA.
Well…. where do I start? I am a die hard Ford guy with blue blood. Brian Lohnes can vouch for this. I own an F150, a Transit Connect, just bought a 2013 Fusion Titanium EcoBoost and race a Big Block 94 Mustang. Am I disappointed in Ford pussing out? You bet your fanny I am. Do I understand it? Maybe.
I think that NHRA is a big factor in this. It’s becoming cost prohibitive to both racers and fans. One problem I see as a Sportsman racer is the cost of participating in NHRA. The faster I go, the worse it gets. From ridiculous SFI requirements on some items to an outrageous membership fee that gets me a decal, a hat pin and a trade rag that really doesn’t hold my interest while I’m on the hopper.
I too went to the Nationals at Epping – all four days. It’s my home track and I was going to support them, no matter what. These are my friends. Would I travel to other tracks for a National event? Probably not. The cost to bring a family to an event could possibly be a week’s paycheck for some people.
With the classes of racing that are touted as “Pro”, you’d have to be naive to think that butts in the bleachers equate to feet in a dealer showroom nowadays. In a sense I can understand factory thinking if that’s how they’re measuring things.
Most people cannot relate to Funny Cars, a car that doesn’t resemble the real deal – I certainly can’t. Sure they’re fast, loud and colorful but let’s face it. I’m not going to my Ford dealer to buy a Funny Car any time soon.
Pro Stock – hands down my favorite Pro Class. Not enough Fords to make any significant impact. As an aside- why doesn’t Tasca field a car or two in that? If they need drivers, there are a few guys that come to mind up my way; Ondrejko, Cultrera, Horton to name a few.
Cobra Jet Program? That’s for guys with more money than brains. Cool cars but the average guy can’t afford them.
So, what should Ford do? For starters, Ford doesn’t need to pull out of NHRA Drag Racing. They need to bolster it.
I know one sure-fire way to do it and I’d be happy to share that with Ford for a nominal consulting fee. Bring me to Detroit and I’ll put a plan on the table that will send their Mustang sales through the roof – probably at a 25:1 ratio (or better) over the Cobra Jets. And, you’d be tripping over them in the pits at any dragway, anywhere.
In any case, I’ll still be a Ford guy. Although I’d miss seeing my brand represented, the reality is; I’m in it for me, not for Ford.
-Lance
“Nominal consulting fee?” Why, I’d GIVE my ideas to Ford for FREE if they’d just listen.
Ford has hundreds, if not thousands of employees who likely already know what to do, but the impenetrable “Glass House” bureaucracy and the “not invented here” risk-avoiding politics of the career “desk jockeys” allows short-sighted “bean-counter” mediocrity to rule.
Then there’s the enviro-geek Executive Chairman, Bill Ford, Jr. His idea of a competitive team is apparently . . . the Detroit Lions . . . and his tree-hugger regime has done well at making FoMoCo racing the automotive version of the hapless Lions . . . .
All I have been reading in all these post is how people stopped watching after they changed this or they changed that. People have to understand that racing is going to evolve because of the reason to be better then the other guy. A racer is going to take every advantage to get ahead of another racer. I understand that Nascar and Nhra have become big time money sports and yes it sucks but that is just the evolution of the sport. Nothing in life will stay still everything will evolve sooner or later and change. Its sad to see Ford leave the sport but I feel you have to blame the fans that said oh hell they changed this or that Im not going to pay attention to that anymore. Because of that it is one of the reasons we see the attendance dying out for Nhra and Nascar. Ford is going where the money is and that is the rally car and drifting scene and the reason for that is because the young generation(which Im a part of at being 23) will come out and support the event no matter what changes happened. They dont care if there is a change here or there or what not they just come out and support and sooner or later that is where you will find all the sponsers going because that is where the money is. Hell even the drag strips by me I have seen Honda days and Audi days get big time support because a bunch of kids come out to support yet for big 3 days and stuff nobody wants to come out because they dont like the change. I own a ford mustang myself and im very sad to see Ford leave Nhra but that still wont change me still going to Nhra races and supporting the event. I might be a young kid to most here but I learned something very important years ago “If you dont support events sooner or later they wont be there anymore” and that is what we are seeing now. I bet if more people started to support Nhra and Nascar I bet you would see alot of sponsers come back and you will see backed stands. But untill then I guess we will continue to see them fail.
no more boss fiction 500 engines
I’ve never been a fan of the fuel cars, so that doesn’t matter to me. I got out of NHRA racing a few years ago because they were screwing the Sportsman Racers. And, NASCAR is the WWE of racing, but I’ll watch it once in a while for entertainment value. But, SHAME on you all that say “no NHRA, no NASCAR, I’m going to my garage”. Hello! They aren’t the only game in town! If want to watch drag racing, go to an Outlaw Street Car race. If you want circle track, go watch a USAC or WoO Sprint Car race or Dirt Late Models, or whatever is at your local track. Those guys work hard and appreciate the fans that show up. It’s not about corporate dollars with them, it’s about racing. GO SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL TRACK!!
I have owned three Fords in my lifetime, the first being a ’66 Mustang which I still have. This dumb decision made by a bunch of suits that have no idea what they are doing pretty much guarantees that I will never buy another one.
but you’ll go buy a GM or MOPAR that took our tax dollars?the same companies who filed bankruptcy and let billions of consumer dollars go down the drain (stock holders)?some people just really don’t make any sense.
It’s the reality of the world, everything is run by bean counters. When you have shareholders to answer to you must put their interest first. I say booooo to Ford for pulling out but can understand the decision. Being 55 I grew up on drag racing in the late 60’s and 70’s, those were the glory days of drag racing. Now it’s so corporate it’s pathetic. I still watch though because it’s interesting to see the drivers interactions, I’m watching the Sonoma finals right now actually.
If you look at the advertising of 60’s and 70’s and their win on Sunday sell on Monday attitude everything was focused on the young men market, they were the ones who were going to be buying ZL1’s, 429’s and hemis. Ford has figured out that they have get back to those days and the NHRA no longer attracts the 20 somethings to the track. There is still a strong youth movement in drag racing thanks to the imports, fox bodies and other inexpensive cars to run, but the NHRA is not interested in giving them air time. What the kids see now is rally cross, drifting and such events so that’s where Ford will focus their advertising.
Maybe this will be a wake up call for the NHRA, it could turn out to be good thing. Time to back to open trailers, Snake and Mongoose, Grumpy Jenkins and run what you brung.
Get out and support your local track and racers!
Please give me a break…explaining the history of the racers you support is all a smokescreen..NHRA fans are the truest group of fans and the support for FORD by people is amazing when u see it in person..seeing all the fans that have dedicated their lives to Ford, either by the vehicles they drive or the Ford tattoos they have to show lifelong dedication..FORD just made a bad decision..costing themselves thousands of fans and overall a drop in vehicle sales! But asFord says they are dedicated to only Nascar and their high dollar, overerly priced admisssion and no access to drivers..that’s their choice..its depressing.
Ticket prices in all the major racing series (NASCAR Sprint Cup, NHRA Top Fuel, Indy Car) have all gone out of sight. Maybe all the turmoil in the high dollar series will lead way to more fan support of the grass roots racing. Look at NASCAR Nationwide, you can get great seats for those races.
I was a huge Indy Car fan until they split into two bodies and the foreigners started taking over the driving duties. (I couldn’t pronounce their names, how could I pull for them.)
I then started watching more NASCAR. Some of there races are downright boring; different sponsors every week; changing teams every year.
In NHRA I pull for any driver that races against Alanabi and all the female drivers (I am a male). I hate to watch races where the lanes are not even, when most everyone goes up in smoke in a certain lane. I really like Pro Stock. Those races are always close.
I’ll root for female drivers too, except for Erica Enders. Her disgraceful reaction to winning her first Pro Stock race against Greg Anderson was unprofessional at best.
Yeah,Erica went over the top when she beat Anderson for the Wally,But it could’nt have happened to a nicer guy.I get so sick of looking at his smirk when he wins.
To sum up. The old guys want to go back to a time that no longer exists or makes sense. The young guys want to spend money on something that’s relevant to what they drive, not some 50’s pushrod technology. Republicans want Japanese and Kuwaiti sponsors to be banned, and Democrats want more women drivers (maybe some of other persuasions as well). The poor want the prices to drop, and those with money don’t care as long as they enjoy the racing.
Let’s face it. Whatever you offer the public, it has to represent value for dollars paid. Nascar is stuck with a bunch of old drivers when its leaders is looking to expand its younger demographic. New blood is stuck at lower series racing, and none look like they’re ready for the Cup. Instead of facilitating discovery and development of young talent, Nascar pushes Danica into the series, with little or no credentials, except for the ability to attract sponsorship dollars. And what does that tell you about the stupidity of corporate America?
At least the NHRA has begun to inject youth into its lineups, like the Aranas, the two Force girls, Massey, Nobile, Enders, Hagan, and Antron. They still need more exciting personalities, and, probably, less “super teams” like DSR and JFR.
Pro NHRA offers a terrific experience to its fans. Sponsors should be lining up to back teams, but the NHRA management group has no clue how to market what it has to grow the fan base. Bring a big-time corporate CEO to a race, have his heart jump out of his chest when the tree goes green, and they’ll get it…right away! This sport offers emotions that are visceral and because of that attracts passionate fans. That’s what sponsors want. Come on NHRA. Get to the next level!!!!
Well I have been going to the Big Go for about 5 years. The attendance has done nothing but increase each year we have went. I went to the 4 wide this year and I would say the attendance was good it really goes fast. Drag racing is the most fan friendly racing there is.
Maybe, just maybe, if NHRA and NASCAR backed up 50 years where the cars were platformed from manufacrurer’s (Ford, GM, Mopar, etc,) the fan base would grow again. Looking back at old Hot Rod magazines you can see the Detroit iron including Hudsons, De Sotos on the race tracks. Talk about relating to a vehicle, that was one way to do it.
The all glass (carbon fibre) tube chassis of today have resulted in a departure from real identity by the spectators and grass roots racers who have the most impact on the value of manufacturers sponsorship $’s.
It will never happen but, think what it would be like if the rules banned the dogfood sponsored hybirds and spec’d that the cars must have steel bodied and suspensions from the mfg.
True, speeds would be down but, if racing is close you as a spectator can’t really tell the difference between cars running 200mph and 150 mph.
So, maybe “back to the past” may not be so bad for NHRA and NASCAR!!