Ford leaving NHRA Pro Classes

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I'm sure that some of us have already learned that Ford is pulling out of the NHRA Mello Yello racing series after the 2014 season, but they will continue to support their sportsman series. Good move, bad move? Plus, what will teams/drivers like John Force Racing, Tim Wilkerson, Larry Morgan and Bob Tasca III do?

This will hurt Tasca the most since a heavy majority of his sponsorship is tied to Ford (Motorcraft is also their primary sponsor). With his family's LONG association with Ford, I can't see him running anything else.
 
Although it is hard to say, it is a good move. Ford determined that financially it does not make sense for them to continue. Also there really isn't any technology transfer between drag racing and production vehicles. Ford technically pulled out of F1, Champ Car and IRL (Ford built the Chevy engines for a while) when they sold off their stake in Cosworth Engineering.

I can see Corvette Racing as they have actually used components off of the racecar to test production Corvette parts.
 
Not much Ford stuff there besides the money. Big teams like Force will be able to pick up other companies with deep pockets I am sure.
 
Not really surprised attendance has been down over the last few years and I just don't see the NHRA being able to stop the slide. People like to watch the rivals and with Ford leaving it will make even more people decide to part with their money on alternative venues.
 
Originally Posted By: zloveraz
Not really surprised attendance has been down over the last few years and I just don't see the NHRA being able to stop the slide. People like to watch the rivals and with Ford leaving it will make even more people decide to part with their money on alternative venues.

Few years back I took the wife, son and neighbor kid for a couple days at the Fram International with pit pass and all.... it was not cheap. And of course I had to also find a vendor with good BBQ to feed us well with lots of fixin's.
But then i do the same at the state fair, haul 4 extra kids along and must think I'm the money tree man.
There are cheaper tracks around, but sure nice to be where the big ones run and experience it. And i was so close to going to the Sonoma runs this time. Other things came up.
 
I can't see it affecting anyone on a large scale except Tasca since his sponsorship is from Ford.

Larry isn't getting any factory support. JFR gets money but I'm sure a big name like JFR can come up with another source of money to take it's place. While Wilk runs a Mustang but I don't know if he has an associate deal with Ford to really affect him.
 
JFR claims they are the only team to run an actual brand motor in their car.

they run a ford block. not a keithblack. may or may not affect JFR.

JFR can pickup any sponsor he wants to run. it wont affect him at all.
 
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