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http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=12&ved=0CGYQqQIwCw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tirebusiness.com%2Farticle%2F20130828%2FNEWS%2F130829910%2Fmopar-responds-to-ford-pullout-from-nhra-pro-levels&ei=bCMfUpfiMMSciAfCzYGgCQ&usg=AFQjCNGmL3rbqS3crStY8dN8KZKshrHXTA&bvm=bv.51495398,d.aGc&cad=rja

(Crain News Service photo)
Mopar supports several NHRA drivers, including 2012 Pro Stock champion Allen Johnson.


By Mike Pryson, Crain News Service
DETROIT (Aug. 28, 2013) — Chrysler Group L.L.C.'s Mopar division's commitment to NHRA drag racing remains steady.
In the wake of the announcement of Ford Motor Co.'s pullback of its support for NHRA Mello Yello Series professional drag racing teams following the 2014 season, Autoweek magazine, a sister publication of Tire Business, asked Mopar CEO and President Pietro Gorlier his thoughts on the announcement and how Mopar's participation may be affected going forward.
Mr. Gorlier said that while Mopar remains committed to the NHRA, there are no plans at present to bring the Ford teams in to the Mopar stable. Ford will continue to support drag racing at the grassroots levels, but will no longer support NHRA Funny Car teams John Force Racing, Tasca Racing, and Tim Wilkerson's nitro team after 2014.

 

[con383]

OOPS I KINDA SCREW'D UP WITH MY SPELLING ON THE HEADER , THAT WILL TEACH ME TO DRINK AND WRITE .... HICCUPP .... :runaway:

 

[Beentherebefore]

Let's hope Mopar stays commited. I've heard this kind of stuff before and then suddenly there are big cutbacks in their support. I'm glad they aren't thinking of picking up John Force. He makes a good boogeyman, especially if he goes back to GM as I suspect that he will. I would like to see Mopar add another Pro stock team or two, with a different engine builder. They are still outnumbered 3 or 4 to 1 by GM teams. Stanfield would be a very good choice, imo - he does a lot with very little.

Also there is room for them to step up their sportsman support. Don't know what the new "426" package is that they are referring to. They will need a blower on it to match the times of the blown Mustangs - well down into the 8 second zone in Stock. That's 7 liters (approx). I have gone over the whole entry list in Stock and SS and don't see a single Gen III 7 liter motor listed so I doubt that they will be running in this year's "factory stock showdown". Hopefully, next year.

 

[ImperialCrown]

Fixed topic header title.

 

[con383]

Fixed topic header title.

Thank you..

 

[dartndodge]

I would think that Mopar will pull out shortly.

The interest in drag racing seems to be waning.

Its not the 60s anymore where people could buy 10 different models from each manufacturer, with big v8s and 2 doors.

SUVs, Vans, trucks or the "import Ricer" scene are the big drivers.

When Camrys and Accords are the 2 biggest selling cars, you know the end is near.

Still be a market for outlaw cars, street racer cars etc, but I can see the big money sport drying up...like Nascar.

The World is a changing.........Of course Electric car drags are growing...at least you wont need ear muffs....

 

[dana44]

If Camry and Accord is the standard, it is time to raise the bar. I stood at a corner waiting to cross and I swear, I started counting the 2door cars going by. I thought they didn't sell any more. Oh, and they were mostly Honda come to think of, to which I think the Dart as a 2door would then have some performance value.

 

[Beentherebefore]

If Camry and Accord is the standard, it is time to raise the bar. I stood at a corner waiting to cross and I swear, I started counting the 2door cars going by. I thought they didn't sell any more. Oh, and they were mostly Honda come to think of, to which I think the Dart as a 2door would then have some performance value.

You live in Calif, I see. I was just reading in the LA Times business section that Toyota is #1 in Calif (by far) with 21% of the market. Honda is #2 with 13% and Ford is #3 with 12% (including all the trucks they sell). Not surprising then, that you see a lot of Hondas. I own an Accord, among others, and I can tell you that it is a very good car, if not a street racer. At one time, our family owned 5 Mopars between us all but that was when the company competed in all major US racing series and dominated in many of them. Being a family of racing fans, we have been slowly drifting off to buy other brands that do support major league racing and that have good reputations for reliability. Still own one Mopar but that one may be replaced too if we don't see revived interest in major league racing by Chrysler. I give Honda credit for having the guts to go after Chebbie (and beat them!) in IRL. I'm not a big IRL fan, but that's a good enough effort to get me to consider purchasing another Honda.

 

[MoparNorm]

. At one time, our family owned 5 Mopars between us all ...
.

My California wife and myself, a Wrangler, Liberty, Dodge Chassis/Cab, Dodge W200, CJ7, Grand Wagoneer, FSJ Cherokee.
Daughter, Dodge Journey, Grand Wagoneer.
Daughter, Patriot (looking for a new Wrangler)
Brother, Durango, Ram, Wrangler.
Sister, Durango.
Nephew, Wrangler
We just feel it's a matter of national survival to support American industries, as long as they don't export jobs.
If Americans fail to understand that, this economic downturn is likely permanent, a result of "globalization".
About 70% of autos here are imports.

 

[Beentherebefore]

We just feel it's a matter of national survival to support American industries, as long as they don't export jobs.
If Americans fail to understand that, this economic downturn is likely permanent, a result of "globalization".
About 70% of autos here are imports.

My Accord was built in Ohio by American workers. I still carry the build-slip around in my glovebox in case that kind of discussion comes up during intermissions at the racetracks (as it often does) .

Your family motorpool looks like ours USED to, back when Chrysler management supported bigtime US racing series.

 

[Dave Z]

Yes, your Accord was built in Ohio by American workers. And how much engineering was done in the United States? If you want the USA to be a colony of China, this is a great way to argue for it. We'll provide the unskilled labor and the agriculture, and we'll buy the skilled labor and finished goods from Japan, China, and Germany. Our government leaders will talk a lot about USA #1! and lay on the jingoism while our power fades to nothing, because we have no domestic skills. But that's OK, because we'll be making Hondas in Ohio, and assembling Macs (from imported parts) in Texas (or wherever), and Archer Daniels Midland will be selling lots of grain to China, so there will be new ag jobs.

 

[dana44]

I'm with Norm on this one. America as a nation is moving in the wrong direction. There are those that believe we have too much power and influence on the world and that is a bad thing. I see it as a stability and something to look forward to in the future when it comes to other countries. We have had the largest number or people leaving the United States to become citizens of other countries in history because they see the American Dream disappear before their eyes. Still, compared to other countries, we have more that still come to this country to be illegals, so all is not lost quite yet.

Building a Honda in the United States does not fix the problem of us losing an edge of being the best, it just means part of the cost to build the car is still kept inside our borders, but the major profit still goes to that host nation, and that's still billions of dollars. The mentality that it's OK simply means we are the Roman Empire II, not the shining light on the hill for others to aspire to emulate.

As a side note, I just received my certificate to shift my name from the Navy's standby reserve list to the Retired list for 30 years of service. The certificate was received yesterday, but was dated November First, Twenty twelve. Nice framable certificate.

 

[Guest]

We have been moving in the wrong direction for many years. All can argue when this took place, but we just go around in a circle. That is why we are purposely distracted by issues that we as the public are very passionate about, guns abortion, immigration, gays, etc. We are involved in a shell game, they keep us locked in senseless debates about these issues so no one has to fix the real problems. The marble is always under the shell that we don't pick.

 

[dana44]

Couldn't agree more. It should be required reading of the Federalist Papers by our founding fathers to understand what they set up for us, and get back to what has made us great as a nation. There were a whole lot of pitfalls that were forseen by them, many of which we have tried to find the bottom of these pits. Never let a crisis go to waste is not a strategy, it is a tactic, and as I say, if this is such a horrible country, simply leave.

Back on topic, after reading the JFR and Castrol articles, it really doesn't say why they are pulling out support of John Force, just that 2014 is their final year. If John is just retiring, what about his daughter continuing? Doesn't hold a lot of clues really.

 

[Beentherebefore]

Yes, your Accord was built in Ohio by American workers. And how much engineering was done in the United States? If you want the USA to be a colony of China, this is a great way to argue for it. We'll provide the unskilled labor and the agriculture, and we'll buy the skilled labor and finished goods from Japan, China, and Germany. Our government leaders will talk a lot about USA #1! and lay on the jingoism while our power fades to nothing, because we have no domestic skills. But that's OK, because we'll be making Hondas in Ohio, and assembling Macs (from imported parts) in Texas (or wherever), and Archer Daniels Midland will be selling lots of grain to China, so there will be new ag jobs.

I wasn't going to turn this into a political discussion, but since the rest of you have, I'll add my 2 cents worth. The argument when I bought my Accord years ago was whether or not any American workers could even build a car with world class quality. Every joint and/or connection under the hood had a paint dab or mark showing that somebody checked it BEFORE it ever left the factory. I've never seen that on any American car, even to this day. Honda may be HQ'd in Japan (not China) but it's US operations are now bigger than their Japanese one and most of Honda's owners are US pension funds and mutual funds. I've seen them listed in the funds that I own.

You are right about our "domestic skills". The problem can be found in our education system. As "Trailduster 45" stated in his post #13, we are arguing about abortion, guns in our schools and teaching "intelligent design" instead of real science to our kids. Meanwhile students in China, Japan, Korea, and India get intensive training in math and real science and leave our kids in the dust in all comparisons. The Chinese, an oxcart economy only 40 years ago, are about to land a rover on the moon, according to our local paper's science section yesterday. After that they plan to land a man on the moon by 2020. India may be planning similar. Both of those countries turn out 10 times the number of Engineers from their colleges and universities than we do. Even the North Koreans can now build A-bombs and are working on missiles to reach the US. That's real "Rocket science". Any country that can do those things can easily engineer cars and other complicated gadgets.

You are probably right about the eventual outcome. A nation whose youth are mainly interested in becoming big sports stars, rappers, or wearing what the Kardashians are wearing, probably will end up as a nation of ag workers or store clerks. It won't be because I bought an American built Honda Accord.

 

[ImperialCrown]

Please let's get back on topic:

MOPARS THOUGHTS TO FORDS PULLOUT OF NHRA.
If this thread continues to drift into a political discussion, this topic will likely be closed. Please keep the discussion relevant, civil and apolitical. Thank You.

 

[MoparNorm]

As irritating as Force's personality is to some, what you see is what you get and the sport will be poorer, if he retires.
It would be kind of cool to see him in a Mopar.

 

[Mike V.]

As irritating as Force's personality is to some, what you see is what you get and the sport will be poorer, if he retires.
It would be kind of cool to see him in a Mopar.

Well said.

Thanks Norm and Imperial Crown for getting things back on track here.

Mike

 

[Bearhawke]

I would think that Mopar will pull out shortly.

The interest in drag racing seems to be waning.

Its not the 60s anymore where people could buy 10 different models from each manufacturer, with big v8s and 2 doors.

SUVs, Vans, trucks or the "import Ricer" scene are the big drivers.

When Camrys and Accords are the 2 biggest selling cars, you know the end is near.

Still be a market for outlaw cars, street racer cars etc, but I can see the big money sport drying up...like Nascar.

The World is a changing.........Of course Electric car drags are growing...at least you wont need ear muffs... .

You may be onto something there. 'Kids' (like most of us back when we started out modding cars) typically build what's available and relatively inexpensive. That typically means ca. 10 YO vehicles like Honda Civics, Ford Foci, etc, in 2013. and they're generally 4 door sedans. Although the V8 powered Mopar LX'ers have a definite following now but they're still a tad too new (and expensive) at the moment.

 

[dana44]

Dartndodge, you are actually on to something but I think there are other underlying factors besides just what you are thinking. I too have made mention of the cars of today are the kid cars of tomorrow, and quite frankly, there isn't much of anything left that the kids really like or are expecting to be around for them. Yes, you have the trucks, but they are around for everyone, but what in the past two decades is there for the street racer/highschool kid to play with? The Honda and Toyota was given to the kids because they were efficient and not too powerful, more difficult to get a kid in trouble when there isn't a lot of power to start with, and if you look, there are a lot of 2doors as primary, 4doors these days, but that is because they can't get a 2door (ask them, it is a historical thing, 2doors is the hotrod, 4 doors is the new option but always comes out as, I couldn't afford the 2door or I couldn't find the 2door, so 4 doors don't bother me). Kids will run and hotrod what they can find, and when aftermarket supports that, then things improve. Given Mopar has nothing sporty to fit this need, not really a bright future. I was watching a five tape series on the building of the 1939 Nash, which compared itself to about a half dozen other models. Frame design and strength (H and X combined, along with flat floor and body support prior to adding it to the frame), balancing pistons, rods, crankshafts, dimensional information, the design information and technology they put into this car was quite amazing for 1939, including the most body welds of any car at the time, something that was just starting. Dual spark plugs, higher compression, overdrives, designed by a frenchman, they had it all laid out nice and clean, still amazes me what they did back then. I look at that and look at Chrysler and I see the same darn thing happening. They can have the cars, think they know what the people want, do it better than most others, and in the end, instead of building what people buy, they are too worried about not being able to fit into some kind of category. Nash had a main problem that they made high quality cars for their categories, but Charles W. insisted people pay cash for their cars, no financing, so that isn't Chrysler's issue. Yes, the end is probably near again, and again, and again, I have to think every time Chrysler is in a situation what number time it is, and whether or not this is the big one. One thing it isn't going to be is the end because there are more Camry and Accord on the street, it will be because Chrysler hasn't proven or built anything to replace them.

If Chrysler doesn't fire every single advertising agent they have and get some good ones, it won't matter what they do because the only way they are going to overcome bad word of mouth is by changing that through good commercials and then the car magazines (which do have a large input, face it), are impressed with the product.

As far as Mopar pulling out of drag racing, that would be a bit of a mistake, I think there are still too many people that support it, but they should capitalize on the record, a win is a win, and a collection of wins is a good thing,