FEEDBACK ARTICLE –  BOBBY BENNETT: WHERE HAS THE MUSCLECAR PRO STOCKER GONE?

AMEN!  Only the Mustangs look like cars we would want to rush into the showroom to purchase.  And most of the others don't even look like the brand of car they're trying to promote. – John Martin

 

FEEDBACK ARTICLE –  BOBBY BENNETT: WHERE HAS THE MUSCLECAR PRO STOCKER GONE?

AMEN!  Only the Mustangs look like cars we would want to rush into the showroom to purchase.  And most of the others don't even look like the brand of car they're trying to promote. – John Martin


Good article. As a lifelong Pro Stock fan, I would like to see the
Camaro/Challenger out there along with the Mustang. The $$ amounts you discussed to develop a mule and body tooling are "drops in the bucket" compared to the marketing budgets for these products. It's a matter of the right people making the decisions and pulling the trigger at GM and Chrysler. For the past 20 years, bean counters have been running these companies and the results have been obvious.

Maybe the "New GM" and Chrysler will look at things differently. (Let's hope!) Perhaps the resurgence of Ford in the class will provide the impetus for the others to wake up. - John Nechiporchik


I agree with what you posted. But, we all know that NHRA will not make a real decision about what to do with Pro Stock when it comes to the fans or the racers. Run the cars that are being produced i.e. Challengers, Camaros and the Mustangs. You can implement fuel injection with a standard set if rules requiring certain configurations etc. Then give an option of a hood scoop etc.

Yes, it would cost a lot of money but NHRA does not care what it costs the fans or the racers all they really care about is there politics and the short term financial gains that they can make. But at what future expense? So in conclusion force the factories to submit a "new retro" body, 500ci, fuel injection (2-4bbl style), 5 speeds etc. But, make the cars look like the factory! In primer you cannot tell one car manufacture from the other. Sad. - Robert Simpson


Pro Stock is my favorite class. At least it used to be. I think Super Stock has replaced it and even that ain't like it used to be.

I too lament the passing of "True Pro Stock" and really wish it would return to using REAL cars. "Body in White" was a common term for a factory body delivered for the purpose on conversion to a race car. Not the carbon fiber shells that don't even look much like the car they are supposed to represent. "Funny Car with doors."

These things called "Pro Stock" now have no basis in reality in my mind.

"Factory Hot Rods"? I don't think so.

To (sorta) quote Robert Duvall in Days of Thunder, "There's nothin' stock about a Pro Stock car."

Then again, maybe I'm just an old fart stuck in the past. - Mike Lawless


I couldn't agree with you more.  You want to talk about good press; this is the way to do it.  The class is no longer factory hot rods as it was intended.  This would be a huge boost into a class struggling for an identity in the world of the ever popular Pro Mods and 10.5 cars.  At least it would have an identity of factory hot rods with the new gen studs of the line-up and EFI.  

Actually, EFI would just be a bonus and allow the cars to look more stock, but isn't even as big of a deal as body style.  

I like Allen Johnson a lot, but that car is hideous.  Though I love the sport and enjoy the class, I would never buy an Avenger or Cobalt. - Justin Levitte


I have to agree with Bob at least on the body styles issue.

When Alan Johnson came out with the Avenger it was too much. At least the Gapp and Roush Maverick actually had four operating doors.

Pro Stock is only a tweak away from funny car with the mods that, without paint, would be hard to recognize as an actual car.

Get them Camaros and Challengers out there! Are they afraid of Ford? - J. Fred Brown



You hit a nerve with this article. The whole tube cage race car being called a 'stock car' makes me ill we ran that class back in the late 70's at least the 80 Camaro body we had had real fenders and roof the carbon fiber stretched out creations today are UGLY I know there are set up to be stable at the speeds they run today but they all look the same and the scoop even with the roof really looks great ... not  There used to be a rule that you couldn't droop the front end of the cars to gain aero now they do that and so much more put a 2011 Mustang pro car next to a production mustang sometime. We have another heads up super stock class now SS/AH but all the same make and the cost of building one of these cars comes darn close to a pro stocker, oh well nuff said.

I'm glad I raced when I did because I could never do it today or even want too. - Joe Mangano



I concur with this. Bottom line, manufacturers are not going to put money into Camaros, Challengers, and so forth to run Pro Stock, only to have the body lines changed before they hit the strip. This could only confuse potential customers, and casual race fans. It’s no wonder Pro Modified is doing so well. - Mike Zelinko


On Nov 11 2008 I wrote in Nitromater that ONLY Mustang, Charger, and Camaro bodies should be allowed in Pro Stock. Also, fuel injection should be made available. The fan appeal and the brand rivalry needs to be brought back. These changes, would, for the lack of a better word, "blackmail" factory involvement. - Bob Tangen

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