[timetravel]

Over in "General Nostalgia Talk" under the topic "any info on this car" Tog mentions bringing back Pro Comp, something I totally agree with and think needs putting on a new thread. In the late 70's and early 80's some of the best racing was in Pro Comp when the Scandinavians came over in force to take on the British machines usually taking home the trophies but who remembers April '79 when the Pages with their Chevy powered T altered Panic and the Stones with their Chevy dragster Hemi Hunter met in the final having blown all the Swedes into the weeds despite them running imported machines powered by Keith Blacks and Donovans. In fact the Swedes were so rattled by the British performances they insisted on a fuel check. There were big grins on the faces of the Pages and Stones crews as Peter Billington declared all fuels legal. I think it would be great to see Methanol Dragsters and Methanol Funny Cars running together again in one eliminator which would produce 8 or even 16 car fields, maybe a few Altereds in there as well..... What do you think?

[muddytalker]

I agree with Tog and TimeTravel. Just because the American’s split the methanol divisions over there (and there’s more of them) we have to do it here and with less cars. Ever since I’ve been in touch with the Australian scene, those guys down under run dragsters against funny cars, and do it well making for better television coverage as witnessed on Motorstv not so long ago.

In the old Pro Comp days we were treated to some classic races, and not just over here at Santa Pod but at some of the European and Scandinavian tracks too. Guys like Martin Hopp, Steiner Stolen, Tony Donges, Jim Read, Graham Hawes, The Stones, and the Pages all provided some exciting side-by-side drag racing when Top Fuel all but fell by the way side, and the only nitro class worth looking at was Funny Car.

I’m sure now that this tread has been placed we’ll get to hear about some more terrific quarter mile epics and relive some of those classic photographic moments. I do believe a trip to the cellar is called for!

[MotorPsycho]

only problem I can see is issues between the NFAA and Pro Comp

there aren't enough nitro altereds to make the NFAA work, the alky altereds are performing better anyway so either a split in the NFAA (which Laurie has worked so hard to make suceed) or no altereds in Pro Comp, personally I love the NFAA and if people started going Pro Comp it would kill the class

however the Pro Comp/Early Top Alcohol days were awesome

[IanFeltell]

i think it will great to bring back the pro comp ,the only problem your gonna have is Dave wilson will possibly be in nearly every final!!!!!! .does Dave know this forum going on??i love to hear from more racer's old and young opinion.

[Sam]

If no one minds I think I'll sit on my hands while reading this post......

[ukdrn]

PC was great to see back then but I don't think it would be possible now.
As MotorPsycho said there aren't enough altereds to go round and it would cause a split in the NFAA which would be a crime.
The FIA is to big a draw for the Methanol racers these days anyway.
I also love the NFAA, it's one of the classes where you never know what's gonna happen in a race, hopefully it will grow even more over the next few years.
Who remembers 'Pro Drag'? that was a dark time in the sport.
Pro Comp was a great though, like muddytalker said some real photographic moments.

Image:Robin Pretty

[TimeMachine]

A class like Pro Comp is needed whatrever form it takes - somewhere for blown V8s in all out racing machines without the astronomical demand for money and time of the FIA tour. A place where the racing is close, the spirits are high, and everyone is out to have fun. At present the NFAA are providing that for altereds and I love it, but if altereds are not for some reason your persuasion then Super Pro is the only options.

I think there is a need for this class for two reasons - one because not everyone can afford FIA time and money and two because it provides a breeding ground for future FIA racers. We are beginning to see TMD racers bubble up through Super Pro (I'm thinking of a certain Gold car here, and possibly another one from within the class but that is my speculating wildly), but Alky Funny Cars are a bit thin on the ground which doesn't leave many to go Nitro :-)

[Millevanille]

Having competed in the Pro Comp class in the 70s/80, it was without doubt a very exciting class. However even in those days the dragster was king, and either you had a big budget to try and compete in a state of the art US funny, or you ran an altered which were uncompetetive by the late 70s. Even the best, ie Pages. Many changed, ie Hazeltons, or gave up in frustration, Graham Hawes, etc.
To resurrect this class would create the same problemns, whilst damaging the NFAA.
Plus the fact Grumpy would win every time!
Long live Pro Comp....in our memories!

[MotorPsycho]

A class like Pro Comp is needed whatrever form it takes - somewhere for blown V8s in all out racing machines without the astronomical demand for money and time of the FIA tour.

supercharged outlaws, but again not gunna get the numbers without the altereds and they aren't going to run at MSA meetings with highly prepped tracks - personally I don't think there's room for anymore classes without severely damaging others

regards IanFettel: doesn't Dave do that anyway in TAD?

[Besty]

supercharged outlaws, but again not gunna get the numbers without the altereds and they aren't going to run at MSA meetings with highly prepped tracks - personally I don't think there's room for anymore classes without severely damaging others

There's still a lot of things to sort, but the foundations are in place, and there's been a lot of interest from all corners, surprisingly, doorslammers.

There should be more info released soon

Had the SCO re-formation not taken place, some would be left to enter events as a RWYB...