For a decade, John Gaydosh Jr. has fulfilled a dream and competed in NHRA’s Pro Stock class.

Well, no more.

The Baltimore, Md., driver, who competed in the Dodge Nationals in Reading. Pa., last weekend, is walking away from the class he loves because he can no longer financially afford to compete.

“We’ve stayed out here for 10 years trying to get everything done and we did follow all the rules, and even when they changed the stuff we followed right with it,” Gaydosh Jr. said. “We fought a good fight. We just don’t have the funding and money (to keep going). Then, they are going to be changing stuff again for next year because they are talking about bringing in the Mountain Motor Pro Stock cars in here and that’s just going to make more changes for us and cost us more money.

We don’t get the TV time we deserve, which we were told would be changed and we were going to get. I lost a huge sponsor over that (TV time) deal. They watched last year when I went three rounds in Norwalk and the whole Pro Stock class got two minutes and 27 seconds of air time in a three-hour show. My (potential) sponsor was looking at this and he was like how am I supposed to spend $1 million a year when the whole class basically gets two minutes of air time and it was 33 minutes of John Force.”

Gaydosh said he took his concerns to the top of the NHRA ladder at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis recently.

“I confronted the new (NHRA) president (Glen Cromwell) at Indy,” Gaydosh said. “We had a meeting at Indy and after the meeting I told him straight up how I felt. I said ‘you’re killing the class. Little guys like us can’t survive now.’ I told him we just can’t. It’s not like it was back in the day where Warren Johnson and all of them could come out and build their cars at their house and come out and race. You must have corporate money and corporate sponsors around. That’s just how it is. We have tried. We have done everything we could. I thought for sure after being out here for 10 years we would get some sponsorship, some help. If it weren’t for the sponsors I had, we wouldn’t have been out here for the last three years. For me to be able to compete with these guys, I need a new car and I priced a new car and I’m looking at $170,000 for a new car. Close to $30,000 of that is a set of shocks. So, where does it end? I tried and did my best and I think I did well for a little guy and we’re just done. Maple Grove was my last race.”

According to Gaydosh, he no longer has a car to drive as his 2013 Camaro has been purchased by another racer.

“A guy from Sweden came over and watched the car run Saturday and Sunday (at Maple Grove) and gave me a deposit on Sunday and the car is being shipped to Sweden in two weeks,” Gaydosh said. “He’s going to run the car over there in the European Pro Stock class. It is a great car and I’m sorry to see it leave, but it was outdated for me to use. I will not run anymore classes. If I’m not running NHRA Pro Stock I will not race unless I can find major funding to come back. I will not be back.”

Gaydosh acknowledged if it weren’t for the Pro Stock team of Lester, and his son, Chris McGaha he would’ve had his Pro Stock career end early this season.

“If it weren’t for Chris and Lester, I would not even been able to race at Gainesville (Fla.) (in March),” Gaydosh said. “I blew up the last motor I had in Bradenton (Fla.) testing. I packed up and I was going home, and Lester came over and asked me what I was doing. I told him I was going home, and he asked “Why?’ and I said I’m done. I blew up my last motor, I’m broke, and I can’t do this anymore. He said let’s sit down and talk about it. Lester said we need cars out here and let us help you get you through the year and Lester and Chris McGaha helped me stay out here this year, if it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t been out here this year running.”

Despite his plight, Gaydosh is keeping things in perspective.

“I’m not frustrated at all, I’m very happy of what I achieved with what little I have,” he said. “I’m very grateful and thankful for all the opportunities I’ve had, I love running the class, but I think I can be more competitive. I have great horsepower from the McGahas. They are giving me all the best parts, I just need a new car. The car is not updated to meet everybody else’s specifications. Four or five thousandths (ET) is huge. I’m five off the pace of where I need to be. Without having a new car, and I can’t afford $170,000 new car, I’m going to be behind.”

With Pro Stock in the rear-view mirror, Gaydosh is focusing on his job as a diesel truck mechanic.

“I’m going to continue to be a diesel truck mechanic here in Baltimore at Del’s Truck & Auto,” Gaydosh said. “I’m going to take some time off and spend new time with my girlfriend and just relax and enjoy life. I would love to come back to Pro Stock if I could get the right amount of sponsorship because I want to run this class more than anything in the world. I love racing Pro Stock, but I just can’t afford to do it anymore, the way I’m doing it.”