Looking Back/Looking Ahead

With Indy upon us it can only mean one thing, another season coming to a close.   So far, Mean Streak has traveled almost 5000 miles this year and while I love the competition and seeing so many friends, I am ready for a break.   Looking back, this was another great year for the Pro Stock Class.   Both the 160 ft. and 180 ft. national records were reset and a new points champion is ready to be crowned.   Since 1999, there has not been a repeat champion and I think this speaks volumes for the class and the level of competition.   Now, for looking ahead, I think the one thing that is going to plague this class is the skyrocketing cost of racing.   Fuel costs continue to rise, no help at either the registration or payout windows, and the reality of having to spend 20 to 40 thousand dollars for a motor is slowly pushing the small guy out of the class.   At some point the NMRO has got to put restrictions on the spending, whether it is a cubic inch limit or a weight per cubic inch rule - something must be done.   Now before all the crying starts I pose this question - If there are no restrictions or limits, then how is someone on a small budget or new to the class going to compete? Racers are competitive by nature.   This is why there is very little recirculation of old parts.   Very few people can see the value in an existing and proven combo when there is no end in sight to cubic inches and the perceived lack of competitiveness.   We need to help find ways to bring more new blood into the class, and if spending is allowed to go unchecked, then the class will collapse under its own weight.   The time has come for Pro Stock racers to band together and create a set of fair rules and, if need be, enforce them ourselves.   Without taking these steps or ones similar, this class and the sport as a whole will never gain any national respect or the ability to attract a major marketing partner that will help the sport grow, the way Winston did for NASCAR.   Change will not happen without effort, so to all who read this, if you have any ideas for improving the Pro Stock Class please let me know.

What's in a Name?

The "nmro" calls Class 3 one of its Pro/Touring classes. So why is it still called Super Stock? Back in the day, a high winding small block or a 454 with Super Swampers was the hot ticket. Most trucks still had lights and street-related equipment in place. Today, a small block is anything under 600 inches, 4 links, fiberglass racing body, and racers carrying the front end for the first part of the track is the norm. If the "nmro" is going to let the class evolve this way, then should we not have a proper name, aka PRO STOCK? How many of us can quickly look at our racers and measure the investment in the tens of thousands of dollars? How many of us have purchased enclosed trailers and traveled thousands of miles already this year? I think that a simple name change in not only order but would show some progressive thought (ha ha) by the "nmro". How about having the top five in each class carry their points ranking like the NHRA does? Next year, Jason Massie would cary P/S 1 so people would know he was the man to beat. I feel that these are just a few of the improvements that could be made with very little cost to the "nmro". Now I don't have a particular axe to grind, but if we are expected to pay for 2 passes and travel the way we do, i.e. act like professionals, then shouldn't our sanctioning body do the same?

P.S. I am going to start carrying the Pro Stock results from each race and will do what I can about points. I'd like to get some feedback so please feel free to email me at meanstreakracing@gmail.com.