NHRA Pro Classes Just Took A Huge Hit......

[Oldschool]

Al -Anabi just announced they are pulling all funding from their Top Fuel cars all the way down through the Pro Ranks in North America. WOW!     Lots of teams and drivers looking for sponsors now.    That is HUGE to the NHRA.....

http://bangshift.com/bangshift1320/breaking-news-al-anabi-racing-funding-terminated-usa-racing-teams-top-fuel/

..

[dfrazz]

It's sad but all of NHRA has taken a huge it over the past couple of years in fan support, network coverage, and funding.  Major sponsors like Ford and Castrol are gone.  I'm not sure how much it has to do with the track shortened to 1000 ft, marketing efforts, or that most all forms of auto racing in the US has lost popularity (Indy, F1, NASCAR, NHRA, SCCA, etc).

[Chryco Psycho]

I was just reading about it here - http://www.racingjunk.com/news/2015/01/05/al-anabi-racing-funding-terminated-in-north-america/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Burnoutnewsletter

 Good & bad , too bad for all the teams so close to the beginning of the new season , good to have the Muslim / terrorist ties out of racing , oddly I was not even aware of the sponsorship as they were tied to it while I was in Pnnama & away from TV 1

[Racer57]

good to have the Muslim / terrorist ties out of racing ,

Terrorist ?!?!?!?      LOL

[HP2]

Not surprised.  The whole enterprise is funded by and underwritten by Sheik Khalid bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar on his $5 mil a month allowance he gets from his Dad. He had planned on using this to develop all the infrastructure and talent necessary to start the Quater Drag Racing League and promote his own national drivers to racing positions while he was the top dog in the series. He comes into a sport, plays for a while, gets bored, then bails. He's done it in offshore racing boats and I believe horse racing as well.

[tman]

Got to be oil profits way down.

[ted]

will they even have 16 car fields?

[HP2]

FWIW, they only have 17 of 22 slots filled in all the Pro classes as of right now. Winternationals are running this weekend and typically have a pretty big turn out. Looks like the car counts may be down this year.

[vinb]

Get rid of the Pro classes and add more Sportsman ...

Pro's are really boring, they all have the same stuff and do the same thing (including Pro Stock which are pretty much gas power funny cars)..

Sorry to all you fuel fans,

I raced for 28yrs and I wouldn't go to a National Event anymore even if it was free.  it's just a big circus..

Divisional races are with real race cars with real engines...

Just my opinion...

[Racer57]

Get rid of the Pro classes and add more Sportsman ...

Pro's are really boring, they all have the same stuff and do the same thing (including Pro Stock which are pretty much gas power funny cars)..

Sorry to all you fuel fans,

I raced for 28yrs and I wouldn't go to a National Event anymore even if it was free.  it's just a big circus..

Divisional races are with real race cars with real engines...

Just my opinion...

Sorry, but Divisional races have never made the bleachers shake and my whole body feel like its going to explode when 2 cars pass by going 300mph !!   

[HP2]

So it appears Guy Fieri stepped up to sponsor the Alan Johnson team for a single race to get them into the Winternationals using his Knuckle Sandwich Restaurant as a sponsor. It worked because they pulled of  the win tonight.

[4406v]

Glad to see their cars out of NHRA. Hopefully Alan Johnson can find a domestic sponsor.

[Chryco Psycho]

I won't watch a drag race , if I cannot play I stay home