More Bad News for JFR

[Tomsk]

Now Castrol is also leaving after next year!

http://www.competitionplus.com/drag-racing/news/26122-castrol-changes-marketing-strategy-to-honor-force1

I'd like to think this news will cause the suits at the NHRA to realize that the sport is in trouble, but then again, look at who the execs are:

[Jakester]

Man, perhaps all good things must come to an end, and 29 years is several lifetimes in 'racing years', but John's gonna take a huge hit with both Ford and Castrol gone.
2014 may be an icon's swan song. Let's hope he's able to find new sponsors, even if 'the old man' has to retire, JFR is a fixture that should continue.

[Red Byrd]

I don't know if this is still the case, but just a few years ago Ford and BP (who owns the Castrol brand) had an agreement where Ford products "recommended" BP brands. My mother's 2006 Escape, for example, says on the gas cap "Ford recommends BP Invigorate! gas". If that is still the case, Castrol leaving Force is just collateral damage to Ford leaving.

[Sweaty Teddy]

They seriously need to hit the reset button with NHRA Drag Racing. Top Fuel and Funny Car would be more compelling with a circa 1984-85 rules package and Pro Stock rules could go all the way back to 1970 as far as I'm concerned. With obvious nods to modern safety knowledge of course. Put the stock back into Pro Stock and eliminate most of the downforce from the fuel cars.

[ARROWZ46]

If I read the article correctly... John & his daughters still have some sort of personal service contract with Castrol until 2016.

This seems to mean it would be tough to replace Castrol with Mobil 1, Pennzoil, or Valvoline.

[Tomsk]

They seriously need to hit the reset button with NHRA Drag Racing. Top Fuel and Funny Car would be more compelling with a circa 1984-85 rules package and Pro Stock rules could go all the way back to 1970 as far as I'm concerned. With obvious nods to modern safety knowledge of course. Put the stock back into Pro Stock and eliminate most of the downforce from the fuel cars.

+100

To the stuff you mentioned I would add nitro teams would only be allowed one engine rebuild per day (eventually shifting to one per race weekend and then no rebuilds per weekend), take the fuel cars back to a 1/4-mile (because they won't be going as fast due to the reliability requirements), allow turbocharging in the nitro classes, and allow overhead cam multivalve engines and EFI in Pro Stock.

Embracing variety and innovation would bring a lot of old school fans back, and the lower running costs for fuel cars would all but guarantee full fields.

[nitrofan]

+100

To the stuff you mentioned I would add nitro teams would only be allowed one engine rebuild per day (eventually shifting to one per race weekend and then no rebuilds per weekend), take the fuel cars back to a 1/4-mile (because they won't be going as fast due to the reliability requirements), allow turbocharging in the nitro classes, and allow overhead cam multivalve engines and EFI in Pro Stock.

Embracing variety and innovation would bring a lot of old school fans back, and the lower running costs for fuel cars would all but guarantee full fields.

if this was facebook I'd click 'LIKE' on this one.