What did drag racing do for Ford?

Ford’s decision to downsize its NHRA presence is a great disappointment, but not unexpected. I’m not a Ford guy, but know how important it is to drag racing. Today, the name Ford has the greatest recognition in drag racing than any other vehicle manufacturer.

Think about it, you can’t go more than a few minutes these days, whether on TV or in the grandstands without hearing the word. If it’s not John Force Racing acknowledging the manufacturer in an interview (and, let’s face it, that’s pretty much all the time, these days) or attending the event live and seeing John Force Racing on the Jumbotron, it’s the can’t-miss row of a bazillion John Force transporters in the pits.  And yet, Ford still made the decision to reduce its presence in NHRA.

So why, even with its high visibility in the sport, was that decision made? Let’s examine what drag racing is, present day. Drag racing has, indeed, morphed into something very different from what it once was. As a forty-eight year old who attended his first drag racing event in 1972 and was immediately hooked, I have seen the changes and their inevitable negative consequences on the sport. Change is constant, for sure. But change in the right direction is what brings in a new generation of fans. Admission prices that far exceed the value, shortening the tracks to 1000 feet, allowing FC bodies to shape-shift into bubble topped squared boxes, allowing highly funded teams to dictate the cost of the machinery needed to go faster. They all add up to the empty grandstands. Let’s face it, just painting the tail lights and headlights and slapping a manufacturer decal on it doesn’t make it what you call it. And when you start adding more of everything to make it go faster, you start breaking away from the lower funded teams. Fans want to see parity. Going 300 miles per hour is just as fast as going 330 miles per hour to the naked eye.

One more observation. Being able to see far-away NHRA national events live online is a huge plus to drag racing fans. And, when you add up all of the above, it’s very tempting to simply log onto ESPN and catch the event live, even when it’s taking place just down the street. Does it give you the same thrill as actually being there? No. Does it keep you from going broke?  You bet. Does the NHRA brass know we don’t all have six-figure incomes?

Fernando Solano
Mesa, Arizona

Does it look like a Ford?

Jeff, great article on the Ford product and thoughts about leaving NHRA. Here is my take.

NASCAR did something about the way cars look, compared to what is raced. They’re not quite there, but at least they’re trying. NHRA, on the other hand, has let the funny car class get away from them. Simply look at nostalgia funny cars; they look like their counterpart street cars. Today's bat cars no way resemble what’s available to the driving public. Tasca will continuously rave about driving a Ford Mustang with a Ford motor. First, take the decals off, for that matter, take them off any of today's funny cars, and the average person would have no idea what he's looking at.