NHRA has revealed this week an adjustment to their plans for Pro Stock class racing beginning next season…
The NHRA announced that the Pro Stock Car category, which will continue compete at all 24 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series events in 2018, will feature 8-car fields at nine selected events and 16-car fields at the other 15 events.
The change in field size is intended to elevate competition and spark renewed interest in the Pro Stock Car category, bringing more exciting qualifying to events with historically fewer entries in the category. The 8-car fields will be at the following events: Houston, Topeka, Epping, Englishtown, Bristol, Denver, Sonoma, Seattle, and Brainerd.

Since it’s evolution to EFI cars — NHRA’s Pro Stock class has seen some waining participation as well as single brand domination – both consequential.
NHRA has been working closely with Pro Stock teams for several years on initiatives to improve fan engagement and interest. Changes have included switching to fuel injection; facing cars forward in the pits so fans can see the teams work on their engines; holding burnout contests and more.
“We hope this change in field size at selected events will help increase excitement and fan interest,” said NHRA president Peter Clifford.
NHRA will continue to work with Pro Stock teams and manufacturers this year, carefully evaluating key metrics and supporting targeted initiatives by the teams to generate interest.
Posted by NHRA Communications
Editor’s Commentary : Of course there are a lot of residual rumours circulating around this new NHRA revelation and what may or may not eventually evolve.
The harsh reality is that while “officially” NHRA will continue to work with Pro Stock class racers towards furtherance for the category – the exact formula for what could be future success is subject to much speculation.
There is no denying that for fast door slammer racing action – NHRA’s Pro Mod class category now far exceeds Pro Stock racing in the performance, participant and (fan) preference categories. That set aside we would also argue (again) that the fast growing interest in the FS/XX (Factory Car Shootout) which already features pretty ferocious completion between all of the “big three” manufactures offers NHRA a serious template opportunity. Will FS/XX class cars eventually become a new platform for Pro Stock? Right now — no — but I would not rule that out in a kinder gentler world.

NHRA’s Factory Stock Showdown category provides advantages – not the least being lower entry level costs and also sincere “Big three” factory interest.
DragRaceCanada File Photos by Bruce Biegler