Ford leaving nhra drag racing

[bdcardinal]

Ford pulled out of F1 and Champ Car years ago and those cars are at least a little more relevant to road going cars than a car that runs 1/4 mile and doesn't turn. The major reason for manufacturer involvement in motorposrts is advertising, "win on Sunday, sell on Monday."

Don't get me wrong, I love drag racing, but it is play time. At least with GM and the corvette Racing program there have been actual parts developed for the racecars that have made it into a production model. I just can't see from an engineering standpoint how Top Fuel drag racing produces better production cars.

 

[SinisterX]

I hope they continue the Cobra Jet program

 

[Coiled03]

Ford was simply making a "smart" business decision in mid-1980's when they were going to make the Mustang a FWD 4-pot import wannabe too. Sometimes the bean counters get things wrong. Sometimes they need the fanatics to tell them such. Had a bunch of spineless jellyfish been the only "active" enthusiasts back in the 80's, we wouldn't have a Mustang today.

The correlary to that is that if hardcore enthusiasts were the only people running the business, Ford wouldn't exist anymore today. There's a balance to be found. If you can't understand that, you need help.

If there's as much outrage over this decision as there was over potentially cancelling the Mustang, then I'm sure Ford will revisit the issue. In the meantime, they have to operate in a financially responsible fashion.

If professional drag racing can't get any support from the enthusiasts in an enthusiasts forum, then I must admit that our testicles have fallen off. At least I can share memories with my kids about the Mustang kicking @$$ in Fuel Funnycar. My grandchildren will just have to make due with stories.

I don't see anybody here not supporting drag racing. People are simply defending Ford's decision to pull out of the sport given the current economic climate.

Ford, this type of die hard brand loyal base is why Toyota couldn't make appreciable market share gains from you in the truck world. If you want to pander only to the low information, casual automotive shopper who just buys what they're told to buy, then fine. But when you stop supporting the things that made your hardcore base HARDCORE, it will cost you that base. Maybe not in the next 10 years, but that base will wear away over time and not be replenished. It takes years to build that kind of brand loyalty...

The "low information, casual shopper" makes up probably 90% of their sales. They don't have a choice BUT to pander to them to some degree. The remaining 10% are so hardcore, it probably wouldn't make a damn bit of difference what Ford does, they're still buying their products. I guess we'll soon find out who's right, won't we?

I don't know what you expect, really. I challenge you to find me a company that knowingly continues to pour money into a money-losing operation over the long haul. It's not gonna happen.

 

[FineLineMtrSprt]

Hmm...someone does make a ctsv funny car body now. And with that said I really don't see shy Ford woukd oullout now since the new stanf bodies would be out next year....but that's just another of my 2 cents. Ford will never put money into prostock like they did back in the bob glidden/probe days.

 

[HYBRED]

At least with GM and the corvette Racing program there have been actual parts developed for the racecars that have made it into a production model. I just can't see from an engineering standpoint how Top Fuel drag racing produces better production cars.

Don't forget Cadillac. All I ever see on Caddy's FB and Instagram are their V racecars.

 

[F8L SN8K]

As for Cadillac getting into drag racing this is what they had to say in a letter to someone wanting to build a NHRA Stock/Super Stock eliminator car. Mind you this person was putting 100% of his money into it. GM only had to submit the technical specs(measurements)

What I was trying to explain relative to "swim lanes" was how we divide up our brand markets. In motorsports, Cadillac uses Road Racing where competitors complete (Audi, Volvo, Porsche, Mercedes Benz) to promote their vehicles and generate leads with potential customers. Chevrolet uses NASCAR (Toyota, Ford), and Drag Racing (Toyota, Ford, Dodge) to promote their vehicles. We have invested significant resources in building and promoting Camaro in NHRA. We each have a "lane" that is used to market our vehicles to the desired customer base.We won't compete "against" ourselves. That is a no-win situation.Whether you agree with that strategy or not, that is our plan. This is something that I do as part of my job responsibilities....assuming my management and the divisional marketing folks are in agreement. In the case of a Cadillac in drag racing....it is not the target market of Cadillac and would probably not get their approval. Chevrolet Camaro is the "brand" chosen to represent GM in drag racing. I think we all can agree that Cadillac has not been in the forefront or on the drag racing sence for sometime now. Interest from a dealer would certainly help getting management to consider this but at the same time there are "swim lanes" that the divisions are allowed to play in (you don't see Cadillac in NASCAR or Corvette in Drag Racing)

 

[VictorySong]

I thought Force died years ago. I remember seeing him giving interviews about his "last year." It got old seeing NHRA try to be NASCAR light with the fake drama so I stopped following it.

 

[ibleedblue65]

Serious question for you guys that follow it more than I do, what kind of returns do the manufacturers get out of endeavors like this?

How could you possibly quantify that?

Ford was simply making a "smart" business decision in mid-1980's when they were going to make the Mustang a FWD 4-pot import wannabe too. Sometimes the bean counters get things wrong. Sometimes they need the fanatics to tell them such. Had a bunch of spineless jellyfish been the only "active" enthusiasts back in the 80's, we wouldn't have a Mustang today.

If professional drag racing can't get any support from the enthusiasts in an enthusiasts forum, then I must admit that our testicles have fallen off. At least I can share memories with my kids about the Mustang kicking @$$ in Fuel Funnycar. My grandchildren will just have to make due with stories.

Ford, this type of die hard brand loyal base is why Toyota couldn't make appreciable market share gains from you in the truck world. If you want to pander only to the low information, casual automotive shopper who just buys what they're told to buy, then fine. But when you stop supporting the things that made your hardcore base HARDCORE, it will cost you that base. Maybe not in the next 10 years, but that base will wear away over time and not be replenished. It takes years to build that kind of brand loyalty...

Agreed.

The "low information, casual shopper" makes up probably 90% of their sales. They don't have a choice BUT to pander to them to some degree. The remaining 10% are so hardcore, it probably wouldn't make a damn bit of difference what Ford does, they're still buying their products. I guess we'll soon find out who's right, won't we?

He's talking about creating hardcore fans, not keeping them.

I thought Force died years ago. I remember seeing him giving interviews about his "last year." It got old seeing NHRA try to be NASCAR light with the fake drama so I stopped following it.

I don't watch nhra on tv so I guess I contribute to why it is a "dying" sport but I love going to races. It's awesome seeing those cars go down the track and watching the guys building them in the pits for the next round. I could care less about the drama. I'm a ford guy and it saddens me to see them leaving the sport.

 

[F8L SN8K]

Americas testicles are based around a archaic test of traction and a short straight line?

If thats the case, America didnt have much balls to begin with.

What MustangC is referring to is people having the testicular fortitude to stand up for what they believe in.

 

[HerNameIsPonie]

Am I the only one who will still buy a ford even if they pull out of all racing?

 

[F8L SN8K]

Do not be mad at Ford for not buying a product(NHRA/ESPN) that is not meeting their needs. I blame the ridiculous times that racing is on sometimes being shown at 1-3am and constantly pushed back because they need yet another hour for baseball reports, youth game, tennis or basket weaving and knitting. Sponsoring a racing activity is a Buisness and people come and go all the time. If they don't have a ROI they don't stay usually. It you're a racer or race fan I encourage you to bring others with you to the track. Show the neighborhood kids, bring your friends let everyone know when a race is taking place Big or small.

Ford stated that they were going to keep and even grow the grassroots/Sportsman racing. This is not an indication they are going NASCAR. They do see merit in the sportsman stuff like the Cobra Jet program, and other racing in other avenues. They are not pulling out of Drag Racing all together. They are simply putting the money were it is giving them the best ROI. It's a Business choice.

This is from Jesse Kershaw(Ford Racing Parts and Drag Racing competition manager)

"The Cobra Jet program is alive and well. We hope to see all CJ owners at the Cobra Jet Showdown as part of the Norwalk NMCA race, and I’ll be at Indy to talk with all our Sportsman racers with any question they have about the future."

The Cobra Jet Shootout is August 23-25 at Norwalk Ohio sponsored by Diversified products/BuyFordRacing(one of my partial sponsors). Jesse will be there so come out to show your support for Ford drag racing. The US nationals is on August 28th-September 2 in Indianapolis Indiana. Both of these races are always full of Ford racers, Engineers, Managers and leaders within Fords organization. Show your support for keeping them in Pro Ranks in Drag Racing.

Regardless if Ford was in racing or not. I'd still be and am driving and racing a Ford. Period. All the manufactures have pulled out of racing at some point or another and some have came back. I love when the manufactures are because to me auto racing is a big part of the automobile to me.

 

[Bullitt 3309]

As far as I'm concerned with the Pro classes, Ford left NHRA when it abandoned the Glidden's in Pro Stock... Sponsoring a TF Funny car has nothing to do with product development compared to what Bob Glidden did for the wedge head in racing. Glidden and Ford dominated Pro Stock for years, with the lessons in head design trickling down to the sportmans classes. Good to see the CJ cars staying the course.

 

[cobrakidz]

Wasn't too happy when I heard that this weekend during the NHRA race--actually sucks. Pretty soon they will all be driving Toyota bodies. Especially bad for Tasca as he owns a Ford dealership.

 

[mustangc]

I wonder how the guys at Ford Racing are taking this? Jesse Kershaw? Jamie Allison? Of course, we'll never know publicly. Everyone has to keep to the party line. My guess is that Jesse (responsible for drag racing) probably fought the decision. Jamie Allison (Ford Racing chief), well, based on the interviews I've read from him this just seems like it just happens to be a consequence of his current job more than a passion. Which is fine. It takes both kinds to make a successful program. It's just that things get cooler when the car nuts within Ford go to bat for us and win. O. John Coletti comes to mind. Or even Brian Wolfe.

I was glad that they are continuing to support the Cobra Jets. If I had to chose one or the other, I'd have kept that program, too.

 

[mach14604]

I wonder how the guys at Ford Racing are taking this? Jesse Kershaw? Jamie Allison? Of course, we'll never know publicly. Everyone has to keep to the party line. My guess is that Jesse (responsible for drag racing) probably fought the decision. Jamie Allison (Ford Racing chief), well, based on the interviews I've read from him this just seems like it just happens to be a consequence of his current job more than a passion. Which is fine. It takes both kinds to make a successful program. It's just that things get cooler when the car nuts within Ford go to bat for us and win. O. John Coletti comes to mind. Or even Brian Wolfe.

I was glad that they are continuing to support the Cobra Jets. If I had to chose one or the other, I'd have kept that program, too.

I am speculating here but I almost think Allison and Kershaw had something to do with this decision. I felt when Brian Wolfe was part of Ford Racing things were going in the right direction for Ford and Drag Racing.