2017 NHRA "Silly Season" Rumors - Post 'Em If You Got "Em

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ocdart

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Just like after the 2015 season, how about posting the NHRA "Silly Season" rumors you run across all in one place?
Let's see what really transpires before the start of the 2017 NHRA "Pick 'Em" game.

Here's a few to start with:
* As previously announced, the Morgan Lucas Racing Top Fuel team has shut down operations and disbanded the entire operation due to his increased responsibilities running the family business.
* Just read on NHRA.com that Del Worsham has left the Kalitta Motorsports stable and is rejoining his dad with the family-owned Funny Car operation. The article said a new driver for the DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car team has already been selected and will be named in the near future.
* John Hale will not be back as the driver for 'Big Jim' Dunn's Funny Car in 2017. Jim Campbell (who drove the California Safety & Fire Specialists Funny Car in 2016 during his rookie season) has just been signed for the 2017 NHRA season.

 
Just like after the 2015 season, how about posting the NHRA "Silly Season" rumors you run across all in one place?
Let's see what really transpires before the start of the 2017 NHRA "Pick 'Em" game.

Here's a few to start with:
* As previously announced, the Morgan Lucas Racing Top Fuel team has shut down operations and disbanded the entire operation due to his increased responsibilities running the family business.
* Just read on NHRA.com that Del Worsham has left the Kalitta Motorsports stable and is rejoining his dad with the family-owned Funny Car operation. The article said a new driver for the DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car team has already been selected and will be named in the near future.
* John Hale will not be back as the driver for 'Big Jim' Dunn's Funny Car in 2017. Jim Campbell (who drove the California Safety & Fire Specialists Funny Car in 2016 during his rookie season) has just been signed for the 2017 NHRA season.


From what I understand one or two seasons is all most drivers can take of "Big Jim" Dunn.
 
From allpar...
Mopar dropping Pro Stock

Mopar dropping Pro Stock
by Bill Cawthon on Saturday, November 19, 2016

After a disappointing season in NHRA Pro Stock drag racing, Mopar has chosen to drop Elite Motorsports — and will not be picking up a new Pro Stock team for 2017.

Mopar chief Pietro Gorlier said they will focus on Don Schumacher Racing in Funny Car and Top Fuel, and expand their presence in the Sportsman class.

NHRA-Johnson-2015-Pomona-Web.jpg


Last year, Mopar ended its 20-year deal with Allen Johnson, who drove a Dodge Avenger to the Pro Stock World Championship in 2012. Johnson brought in Jeg Coughlin Jr. for the 2013 season, and Coughlin took the top honors. At the end of the 2015 season, Johnson collected the last Mopar Pro Stock Wally with his win at the Auto Club finals in Pomona.

Coughlin retired after the 2014 season, but kept his foot in the door with a few events driving Camaros for Elite alongside Erica Enders, who won the championship in 2014 and 2015.

After the 2015 season, in which Johnson saw only two wins in five final-round appearances, Mopar struck a deal with Elite to put Coughlin and Enders into Dodge Darts. Johnson made his own deal with Marathon Oil.

The 2016 season was a disaster for the Elite team. Despite having had three consecutive world championships, neither Enders nor Coughlin ever made it to the final round, and they barely qualified for the Countdown to the Championship.

Long-time Dodge driver V. Gaines retired early in the season, saying it was no longer fun. Dodge’s only bright spots were when Johnson won the Mopar Mile-High Nationals and got to the finals in the New England Nationals and the U.S. Nationals.

With Mopar officially out of Pro Stock, just three Dodges are in the running for the 2017 season at this point, driven by Allen Johnson, Alan Prusiensky, and Deric Kramer. See Dodge/Mopar racing.

AMP version.
 
Maybe one less Mopar as word on the street has Deric Kramer selling his equipment. Also sounds like JR Todd stepping out of the SealMaster TF to drive the DHL FC for Kallita Motorsports. More details to follow this offseason...
 
That's for sure. they might as well just spec race those Camaros.
seriously, top fuel and funny car ? I don`t even watch them, their about as far from a car as you can get. way, way rather see fast doorslammers .
 
seriously, top fuel and funny car ? I don`t even watch them, their about as far from a car as you can get. way, way rather see fast doorslammers .
Me too...After Pro Stock I go to the concession stand during Top Fuel and Funny Car..then come back for the Sportsman classes. Screw the Fuel Classes!!
 
Seriously, why not push the reset button on Pro Stock and use Cobra Jet Mustangs, COPO Camaros, and Drag Pak Challengers? I've been saying that for years! I think most fans wouldn't care that much that they're a little slower if there's a little more variety to the class.
 
Rumor posted on competitionplus.com today says Jimmy Prock has left DSR and is heading back to a team he's very familiar with.
Could that possibly be John Force Racing?
Stay tuned...
 
Also sounds like JR Todd stepping out of the SealMaster TF to drive the DHL FC for Kallita Motorsports. More details to follow this offseason...

Notice on CompetitionPlus.com today confirms J.R. Todd as the driver of the DHL Funny Car for Kalitta Motorsports in 2017.
Troy Coughlin Jr. is replacing J.R. in the seat of the SealMaster Top Fuel ride.
 
Courtney's got a new multi-year sponsorship deal...

cforceaap.jpg


Traxxas involvement is currently undetermined according to what was posted on CompetitionPlus.com


 
Rumor posted on competitionplus.com today says Jimmy Prock has left DSR and is heading back to a team he's very familiar with.
Could that possibly be John Force Racing?
Stay tuned...
It's been mentioned in a forum someplace but the word I'm getting is the Prock Rocket is headed back to JFR and Austin Prock will start being groomed as a driver. Austin (Jimmy's youngest son, named after Mr. Coil) is a pretty good dirt track driver last 6 or 7 years. John can't drive forever.
And yea, a reset on pro stock to true factory race cars is overdue. If you think fuel cars are boring and all the same, holy cow with the pro stockers. In fairness though, all the pro classes creativity is hindered by the rulebook. Either reset to the factory race effort days of old or create a new pro class that fits the Cobra Jet type offerings for the manufacturers to shoot it out. Could be great PR for everybody if done right.
 
Item posted on competitionplus.com today that Cruz Pedregon has hired Aaron Brooks as Crew Chief for his Funny Car.
 
Rumor posted on competitionplus.com today says Jimmy Prock has left DSR and is heading back to a team he's very familiar with.
Could that possibly be John Force Racing?
Stay tuned...


Notice posted on both competitionplus.com and NHRA.com today reinforces the above rumor posted on this thread back on November 30.
Today'
s notice says 'Fast Jack' Beckman's Infinite Hero funny car will be tuned by a trio of co-crew chiefs made up of Dean Antonelli (new to DSR from JFR), John Medlen and veteran U.S. Army Top Fuel assistant Neal Strausbaugh.
Another rumor posted on competition.com today says Shawn Langdon's TF dragster has been parked pending obtaining adequate sponsorship to run the entire 2017 season. The team hasn't been disbanded - just parked for the time being.
 
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Notice on NHRA.com today that Chad Head has opted to leave the seat of the family Funny Car in order to devote more time to the family business.
The empty seat will be filled by Jonnie Lindberg, the two-time and reigning Top Alcohol Funny Car champion.
 
Rumor posted on competitionplus.com today says Jimmy Prock has left DSR and is heading back to a team he's very familiar with.
Could that possibly be John Force Racing?
Stay tuned...

Confirmation posted on competitionplus.com today that Jimmy Prock has returned to JFR and will tune John's funny car with Chris Cunningham as co-crew chief.
Mike Neff returns as crew chief to Robert Hight's funny car with Jon Schaffer and Jason McCulloch as co-crew chiefs.
In addition, Austin Prock (Jimmy's son) is joining the driver development program at JFR toward getting a ride sometime in the future.
JIMMY PROCK RETURNS TO JOHN FORCE RACING; WILL TUNE JOHN FORCE | Competition Plus
 
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