Editorial: What will we see in 2019?

The 2019 racing season is right around the corner, so it’s about time we discuss what everyone thinks we will see throughout the year.

There are more races and series than you can shake a stick at now-a-days though, so it may be tough to keep track of everything. Obviously the NHRA will stand strong. I do believe you will continue to see some much-needed changes. Pro Stock has already announced that they will only be running at 18 events next season and based on the people that I have talked to, this may be exactly what was needed to keep that class afloat. It is a dramatic cost savings to teams when you eliminate 25% of the races they will compete at. That is a step in the right direction, but until Mopar and Ford step it up with their support of the class, we will continue to see a group of Camaros fighting it out for a championship. Staying within the NHRA, it looks like there will be some changes within the fuel ranks. Our insiders have told us that there are still teams with multiple championships under their belt that don’t have funding for the 2019 season. There have already been a multitude of personal changes during the offseason as well. I have a feeling that 2019 will be the year of the smaller teams in the nitro ranks. Teams like Palmer, Millican, McMillen, Pedregon, Wlikerson, Diehl, and others. You have already started to see that in the last couple years. Lastly within the pro classes in the two-wheel terrors that are Pro Stock Motorcycle. Not sure there will be all that much of a shake up within the class. L.E. has announced that he is stepping back and spending more time with his family. Angelle has already announced her departure from the Liberty team. The class has officially broken the 200-mph range, so I think what you are going to see is tight racing and more 200 mph passes in 2019.

What about Pro Mod though? Well we could write an entire story on what may happen during the 2019 season in NHRA pro mod. The shakeups during the offseason have been monumental already. Stevie Jackson is still looking for marketing partners, Danny Rowe is stepping away from racing in the class, Steve Matusek has joined Team Elite, Laughlin announced that he, Erica, and Steve will run the entire pro mod schedule. Can Mike Janis make it two in a row? Will Jeremy Ray continue to be a top contender in 2019 after a great rookie season? There are top contenders that have not yet announced their sponsor departures as well. Rickie Smith and KH have resigned with Bahrain 1 and are going to be wheeling Proline powered turbo cars. That’s just a brief overview of what has happened in the 6 weeks since the season ended. I get the distinct feeling that the nitrous cars are going to need help if they are going to compete against those blower and turbo combos in 2019. There is still a big push for Procharger to be allowed as a combo in the 2019 season as well. Personally, I believe that you will see the ET record broken yet again, I think you will see multiple 260 mph passes made, and you will see a very tight points battle throughout the season.

Outside of the NHRA you will find some of the best racing in the world though. NMCA and NMRA have made some needed changes to both rules and classes. While ditching Radial Wars on the NMCA side of things disappoints some, the fact is that it had to be done. I didn’t see the class expanding beyond what it was, and there wasn’t the support to get it there. Both series are in the process of adopting the generally accepted X275 rules for their Street Outlaw classes, which will make the class much easier to police and makes it much easier for racers to run a series while also running at one off races. It will be interesting to see who chases those championships. The class that I am keeping a close eye on, for personal reasons though, is NMRA’s new Modified Street class. This is a new class that most racers will be running on a 275-radial tire in the quarter mile with a single power adder or N/A combo. The objective is to keep it around an 8.00’s class, though I think that won’t happen based on the rules that have already come out for the class. Keep a close eye on the class though, as I think it could become one of the more exciting classes that either two series have to offer.

Let’s look at some non-NHRA pro mod though. There is certainly no shortage of pro mod racing in the country. Whether you are on the East Coast, the South, or the Mid-West there is plenty of places to race. Two stand out series in the country outside of NMCA and NHRA and by far and away two of the most exciting series in all of racing are Mid-West Pro Mod & PDRA. The Mid-West Pro Mod Series is going into its third season during 2019, and the PDRA is going into their sixth season of competition. The founder of MWPMS, Keith Haney, could not be happier about the battle that happened at the end of the 2018 season as well as the continued growth within the series. Jonas Aleshire, Kenny Hubbard, and Daniel Pharris were class champions in 2018. As some many have already read here on E3xtreme, the 2018 Pro Mod Champion is facing the same issues as other drivers and that is a lack of funding to be able to defend his title. Jonas will be out there to compete if the funds are allowed. We have also heard rumblings that RvW Champion Daniel Pharris may be bringing his Mustang Pro Mod back out to play in 2019. Looking over to the East coast and the PDRA series, you will find changes and you will find some of the most wicked pro mods ever created. It was announced on Drag Illustrated a couple days ago that Bob Harris, who served as race director, has stepped down from his position to concentrate on racing with his son and 2018 Pro Nitrous Champion Jason Harris. In the mean time it appears that VMP General Manager Tyler Crossnoe will fill the role until a replacement is found. Pro Extreme is gone and not coming back as far as we know. From our understanding, pro mod superstar Melanie Salemi will be back competing in Pro Boost, while Tommy D'Aprile fights to make it two in a row.

The radial world continues to be one of the most popular and exciting forms of drag racing our there, and promoters like Donald Long and Tyler Crossnoe have no intention of letting that change. These two hold what are unarguably the largest radial based events in the World. Donald Long, love him or hate him, has been hosting the premiere radial events in the world for almost a decade now. 2019 will be host to the tenth anniversary of both Lights Out and No Mercy, along with the second annual Sweet 16. While Tyler will be hosting his sixth annual Outlaw Street Car Reunion in bowling Green, KY. Of course, Tyler and Donald aren’t the only two promoters holding radial events in 2019. Radials are including at almost any race you attend now. If you were to ask me what we will see within radial during the ’19 season I would tell you that I think we will see the X275 and Ultra Street records broken at least once. I think that the LDR can be and will be broken, but I do not believe that you will see the overall radial record broken. I don’t believe that you will see a 3.5x run on a radial in the 2019 calendar year in competition. Now that is my personal opinion, and I am sure others here at E3xtreme don’t agree with me.

One of the reasons that NHRA isn’t the only game in town anymore is because of promoters like Tyler, Donald, Wade, Monty, Keith, Tommy & Judy, Rollie, Mike Hill, and so many more. These promoters are putting on amazing attractions at a reason price. The thing that I can promise you, no matter where you go, what track you are at, or what tire they are running, you are going to see amazing racing all season long. Small tire, big tire, radial tire, slick tire, prep, no prep, time, or no time. There is really something for everyone out there. You can roll in and race. More and More of these once or twice a year races, and smaller series are putting on a better show than what the NHRA provides it customer base as well. In 2019 you will see records broken, new cars making an impact, and new ways of making this industry work. Stay tuned for many more opinions about the 2018 season and more coming soon.