Thread: Ford in NHRA Pro Stock?

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[QUOTE=jerry clayton]Yep---kick the clutch in , yank the shifter( remember when the shifter/handle was a big thing?) ball, pistol grip, t handle?
And try to keep it wide open and going straight while banging the gears????
QUOTE]

I was a T handle guy for years, though of course it had to be at just exactly the right angle!!!!! The last few I've gone to the pistol grip, well actually gone back to the pistol grip... Had one of them on the Hemi 4 speed behind the 440 many moons ago in a Super Bee!

Funny you guys say this cause' when I took my wife to our first ever NHRA event at Englishtown back in June, we could only stay for Friday qualifying, so we arrived early in the morning in order to watch and enjoy the support classes, which I think began at either 8:30 or 9. She questioned why I wanted to go so early? She was really only interested in walking Nitro Alley in an effort to meet the Nitro stars (and Justin Humphreys) and then the two Nitro qualifying sessions later in the day. She changed her tune when we sat to watch the support divisions race throughout the entire day! It is awesome seeing 63' and 64' Fury's and/or Belvederes. 64' thru 70' Mustangs, a variety of Camaro's from 67' up thru the 80's, Goat's, Challengers, Cuda's, even a Ford Fairmont....you name it! All somewhat resembling what we see cruise our local strip on Frdiay nghts in the summer and at local car shows and cruise-in's. Sure the Nitro categories and Pro-Stocks were impressive and really cool to see. However, I think I enjoyed the support classes the most for simply the reasons you guys stated.

Yup, the Sportsman Racers IMO are still where it's at!!!! I would dearly love to run Pro Stock, but age and the checkbook both make it an unrealistic goal... Stock and Super Stock has gotten quite spendy over the years, but still affordable with a couple good sponsors and fairly deep pockets..... I've settled on the "Super" classes with the 7.90, 8.90, and 9.90 breakouts depending on the class.... My own car is usually easy to pick out of the crowd, I'm the idiot running the 5 speed against all those 'glides!!!!! Most tracks around here run a "Quick Eight" deal also. The quickest 8 cars from time trials are asked if they want to run, then the keep going down from the original 8 to make the field and everybody runs on a dial in.... Lots of fun. Heck, at the 2 day events, I like to get in a bit of first night extra action running a Gamblers Race, again a breakout deal. Everybody bad mouths the break outs, but if it wasn't for them it will usually come down to a case of the biggest checkbook wins.....

Class racing is great fun, but IMO the rules are a bit too tight to allow much creativity. Bracket racing or any class with a breakout rule is a matter of knowing your car very well, how it reacts to changing track and weather conditions, and remembering to race the track and not the guy in the other lane. Sure do wish I could afford to run the heads up Pro classes, just not in the cards I guess.....

Who ya like'n this weekend Dave??!! I wanted to stay off the NHRA website so I can watch ESPN II tonite without having the slightest clue. I gonna check out to see how qualifying shakes down! Then maybe I'll share some prognositcation!!....and then maybe you can let me know what your thinking.

Originally Posted by mikes65gal

As a fan of NHRA drag racing, I'm wondering why Ford is not more prominent in this class? I know that Jim Cunningham has attempted to make several fields this year but I believe failed in each time. I somewhat followed John Nobile in the IHRA, where he did compete with a Ford. However, I believe the NHRA field's he qualified for this season was in a Pontiac. Is it a technical issue??........Is it that Ford does not fund and/or support NHRA Pro Stock teams more prominently or devoutly. I am really curious and would love to read any theories and/or facts that any one here could provide. Thank you, Mike
PS,(keep an eye out for Beckman this weekend at Vegus in Funny Car......that is one bad-azz hot rod of late!)

Ford in NHRA, ewww.

Originally Posted by mikes65gal

Who ya like'n this weekend Dave??!! I wanted to stay off the NHRA website so I can watch ESPN II tonite without having the slightest clue. I gonna check out to see how qualifying shakes down! Then maybe I'll share some prognositcation!!....and then maybe you can let me know what your thinking.

Looks like Schumacher jumped to #1, got to say I'd like to see him take this one too--just cuz it's such a huge history deal if he would.

Anderson and Lines in Pro Stock-and as usual one of them will be on it and one will screw up in the first round!!!!

Gotta be for Hight, even though he's the long shot.....

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Gotta be for Hight, even though he's the long shot.....

I don't know about that, Wilkerson runs very competitively with "minor" sponsorship, tunes his own car, and drives................gotta love that!!!

Yeah, well Densham is in that catagory too..... But I still gotta be for the Force cars... Always have been, even before he was fast....

After looking at the ladder, I think Cruz has the best shot. I think Tony can get around Hight and John will take out Wilkerson.

All them Cruz kids have been tough since the first time they strapped into one of these rockets!!!!! They come by it quite naturally, Dad sure wasn't no slouch of a racer!!!! The first round in all the Pro classes has some very interesting match up, and being the last even of the season, everybody is going to be loaded for bear.

Though I do think Robert is gonna strap one on the Cruzer!!!!!!!

Way deep inside, I'd really like to see the #1 Force car trailer them all today!!! Old men deserve a good day once in awhile too!!! Tired of seeing all these kids get the glory

From a purely fan standpoint, just love those Force team Mustangs....especially the Boss's! However, I think it would be good for the sport to see someone like Wilkerson pull this whole thing out simply for the reason that Bob stated earlier. I'm very much looking forward to seeing that Wilkerson Mustang in '09! Beckman's a class act as well....but that first round red light in Vegas pretty much ended any shot that he had.

Well, Wilkerson gave it away!!!! A red light against John!!! I seldome redlight anymore, too dang slow!!! For me it's a good light if I leave on the right day!!!! Then Ashley won 1st round!!!! Gonna be close!!!

Looks like my predictions came true, that's unusual for sure. Maybe I'll try Powerball on wednesday.

Yup, Cruz got it!!! Tough year, but he certainly deserved it... and still has problems talking about his Dad without a few tears.... Them Pedregon kids are ok!!!

All of are nice kids---they used to hang around our shop when they were growing up