Apr 08, 2015 the nhra states that any vehicle other than a motorcycle that is capable of doing 5 mph or better has to conform to the minimum safety requirements for a car that can do the quarter on 9. Weve all heard the rumblings and the joke that it isnt pro stock but rather pro camaro due to the overwhelming number of those cars in. It is the 65th season of the national hot rod association s top drag racing competition. We caught up with twotime nhra pro stock motorcycle national champion, matt smith, to see what really goes into building and racing one of these extreme, twowheeled machines.
This isnt an issue for the suzukisthe schumacher bikes and most others use factory suzuki cases. The late dave schultz is the alltime leader in pro stock motorcycle victories with 45. The official page for the nhra pro stock motorcycle class. If youre entering a car, youve got to have a single automobile engine. Most nhra pro stock bikes are powered by a 300 horsepower or more, 1,500cc 92 cubic inch suzuki engines. The most popular powerplant is a 7,500 to 8,000 horsepower crateengine version of the chrysler 426 cubicinch, 90degree v8 hemi. Pro stock engines use two carburetors and spec gasoline and are restricted to a maximum of 500 cubic inches. While the suzuki engine is an unsupported antique in this. Nhra spent countless hours speaking with the engine builders and manufacturers as well as the race teams to come up with the final engine specifications for 20, said glen gray, vice president of technical operations, nhra. Bes nhra stock super stock heads bes racing engines. Pro stock grew out of the super stock category, which used and still uses a handicapped start. Jun 05, 2009 i had the opportunity to spend the day with mike berry and his crew while they qualified and competed in the gator nations in gainesville, florida. The nhra further tweaked the rules in the offseason to gain even greater parity between makes. Motorcycles can only have a single motorcycle engine.
Before the dallas race last october, the nhra had threatened to limit the fields from 16 to eight and to erase the class from a handful of events. Vtwin design up to 160 cid inline 4 cylinder type up to 107 cid. Having it taken away because of a rule violation would be agony. To those who follow nhra pro stock, warren johnson needs no introduction. The current nhra pro stock motorcycle elapsed time record is 6. This exciting class, which recently broke the 200 mph barrier, will be competing at several new locations in 2020. Blueprint specifications contain information vital to building nhra legal stock and super stock engines. We think the new schedule will increase participation by relieving the economic burden and time commitment that comes with 24 events, which. Bes does nhra stock and super stock engines and cylinder heads. It was this factoring by nhra that would lead directly to the development of the vehicle known as the taxi. Call for pricing and details on what we can do for you. Nhra mello yello drag racing series 5th paragraph page ix 1092019 pro stock motorcycle is the twowheel category in the nhra mello yello drag racing series. There will be 19 top fuel and funny car events, 16 nhra pro stock events with three nonchampionship mountain motor formula events, and 14 pro stock motorcycle events.
Ahdra all harley drag racing association rules rulebook. He was named as one of nhras top 50 best drivers, and is a member of the international motorsports hall of fame. Nationals steve johnson clearly beats matt smith for the win in pro stock motorcycle but the nhra overturns the timing and scoring decision 2 days later. There are several pieces of the pro stock puzzle drivers and owners must put together to have success in this highlycompetitive nhra class. Some are for v6 or inline 6 cylinder engines only, while some permit or are limited to 2 and 4valves per cylinder. Pro stock motorcycle riders will once again compete at 16 of the 24 events on the series. Smith isnt the least bit intimidated by the factory harley davidson team and. Despite the speed bumps, or maybe because of them, the pro stock class is asserting itself in vying for value with sponsors, fans and the nhra itself. Pro stock motorcycles drag racing nhra 200mph race. Hot rod engine tech inside warren johnsons pro stock. By matt polito the turmoil in the pro stock motorcycle class has subsided from nearfrenzy earlier in the year as the nhra struggles to maintain parity between the now four different brands of motorcycle regularly competing. Dec 05, 2017 the pro stock class in nhra has been subject to many changes and resulting drama over the past couple of years.
So could the nhra pro stock team owners and drivers. First, hood scoops were gone, then carburetors were gone. Classbyclass regulations and requirements, racing procedures, and. Unlike the current rules for the 500ci nhra pro stock class, mountain motor pro stocks can still use carburetors or fuel injection, and that means hood. This cylinder head is eligible for pro stock motorcycle use only and is contingent that. There will be 19 top fuel and funny car events, 16 nhra pro stock events with three nonchampionship mountain motor formula events, and 14 pro stock. The nhra nostalgia supplement provides guidelines and minimum standards for the construction and operation of vehicles used in nhra championship drag racing and at membertrack events. Major pro stock motorcycle rules changes new fourvalve cylinder head approved for use by suzuki competitors tenpound weight increase for competitors using the 107cid suzuki engine fourvalve combo. I asked if different advance curves were used in different cylinders, and johnson echoed his answer about different cam timing. On march 25, 2020, the schedule was revised after the covid19 pandemic. Nhra pro stock motorcycle, pro mod kawasaki kz turbo duration. Critical dimensions, as well as casting numbers for cylinder heads, intake manifolds, etc. Following the nhras release of efi requirements for pro stock engines yesterday august, intake manifold design will be a highly coveted expertise in the next few months. Your cars engine must be equipped with a harmonic dampenerbalancer that meets or exceeds sfi 18.
Nhra spent countless hours speaking with the engine builders and manufacturers as well as the race teams to come up with the final engine specifications for 20, said glen gray, vice president of. For more on the first nhra pro stock championship engine, check out this enginelabs story. Street cars the following items are required for a vehicle and driver to pass tech. Mountain motors, run by the pdra eighthmile and at selected nhra events in 2019, do not have a 500cubic inch rule, with some engines exceeding 800 cu in. Is the new nhra pro stock motorcycle rule a kneejerk reaction. Run in conjunction with the lucas oil drag racing series program. New nhra pro stock motorcycle rules march 12, 2007 at the conclusion of the 2006 pro stock motorcycle season, the nhra made changes to the psm rules that promise to change the face of the class as significantly as the 2002 rule changes that allowed purposebuilt vtwin engines to compete. I cant fault the pro stock racers and the nhra for their efforts. In 20 the nhra made a rule change to limit the vrods. Pro stock motorcycle is the twowheel category in the nhra mello yello.
I look back and now that pro stock motorcycle is go go go. Nhra changes pro stock engine rules racepages digital. All other stock rules as found in the latest version of the nhra rulebook and nhra rulebook amendments apply. One major decision that has to be made is whether a team wants to lease motors or start its own inhouse engine program. Nov 11, 2018 the nhra announced today that in 2019, the pro stock category will compete in 18 events in the nhra mello yello drag racing series, which competitors believe is the sweet spot for the category. Given the present climate and trajectory of the class, they really had to do something. At 500 cubic inches, an nhra pro stock engine is an impressive naturally aspirated powerplant producing north of 2. The vance and hines vrod engine was never sold to anyone, nor are they required to. Hines won three consecutive championships from 20042006, won again in 2014, and in 2015 became the first and youngest rider to win five pro stock motorcycle titles since dave schultz reached that mark in 1994. Nhra is taking the rivalry to another level in 2018 with its pro stock category by allowing any approved engine to be installed in any nhralegal body. New billet 4valve cylinder head approved for suzuki nhra pro. Pro stock motorcycle is the twowheel category in the nhra.
Oct 09, 2019 new billet 4valve cylinder head approved for suzuki nhra pro stock motorcycle competition october 9, 2019 anne proffit drag racing, news, nhra, racing 0 even as the few riders in nhras mello yello drag racing series pro stock motorcycle class have used an outdated suzuki engine case from the late 1970s, suzuki hasnt shown much. Nhra adjusts pro stock bike engine rules speed sport. Up to that point, suzuki pro stockers had twovalvepercylinder engines based on the gs. Pro stock motorcycle, formerly known as pro stock bike, is a motorcycle drag racing class that.
Top fuel, funny car, pro stock, pro stock motorcycle, top alcohol dragster. The 2020 nhra mello yello drag racing season was announced on may 14, 2019 it is the 65th season of the national hot rod associations top drag racing competition. Safety regulations for nhra classes and brackets racingjunk. Nhra announces 2019 nhra pro stock schedule dragzine. Probably the biggest selling point was when a startup team had their new engine purchase shipped. Nhra pro stock engines are restricted to a maximum 500 cu in 8. The nhra technical department is increasing the minimum weight of the harley davidson, victory, erik buell racing and buell motorcycles. May 19, 2008 nhra rule changes rattle pro stock motorcycle. Class eligibility is based on requirements that include type of vehicle, engine size. Current rules require the use of a specific holley ecuits the same hardware as an hp model, but with a custom firmware that each racer is required to run per nhra rules. In the case of nhra mello yello drag racing, the series dictated new edicts for the pro stock class. The pro stock class in nhra has been subject to many changes and resulting drama over the past couple of years.
Along with his jmi racing pro stock motorcycle team, the squad will introduce fmt, inc. The doubleoverhead cam four cylinder engines feature eightvalve heads and rev to,500 rpm. Showcase performance directory nhra 101 nhra corporate careers nhra launch careers. It seems probable that from next year nhras struggling pro stock category will no longer be part of the full 24race schedule. Bryce has started a movement asking nhra and its fans why he cant purchase the same equipment vance and hines have won four championship titles with, a harleydavidson vrod psm. Recognizing this problem, the nhra took radical steps in 2002 to revitalize pro stock racing, rewriting the rulebook to make vtwinpowered. Get your official nhra national hot rod association rule book to stay compliant at the strip. Pro stock motorcycle news newspapers books scholar jstor july 2018 learn how and when to remove this template message. Competitors rely on spec racing gasoline to produce elapsed. Nov 01, 2017 the nhra pro stock motorcycle drag racing series is the pinnacle rung of professional motorcycle drag racing.
Follow us for updates for all drivers in the class. Winner of six pro stock world championships, the professor was also the first to exceed 180 mph, 190 mph, and 200 mph in an nhralegal pro stocker. New billet 4valve cylinder head approved for suzuki nhra. Aug 14, 2015 holley, teams offer insight into new pro stock efi rules by mike magda august 14, 2015 following the nhras release of efi requirements for pro stock engines yesterday august, intake manifold design will be a highly coveted expertise in the next few months. Competitors in pro stock motorcycle have a choice of two drastically different powerplants, both of which are capable of 6. Motorcycle drag racing veteran and seventime nhra winner chip ellis will make his return to the nhra pro stock motorcycle class on a ebr buell owned by matt smith at the seasonopening gatornationals, mar. Pro stock engine grumpy jenkins smallblock chevy race.
New billet 4valve cylinder head approved for suzuki nhra pro stock motorcycle competition october 9, 2019 anne proffit drag racing, news, nhra, racing 0 even as the few riders in nhras mello yello drag racing series pro stock motorcycle class have used an outdated suzuki engine case from the late 1970s, suzuki hasnt shown much. Carbureted, fuel injected or supercharged single or. For 20, harleydavidson and buell will both be allowed a maximum 160cubic inch displacement cid, for a 60degree, twovalve, pushrod engine. The nhra has the widest tentacles in the sport, with access to a smorgasbord of eliminators and machines to put on the finest show in drag racing. We brought in about 15 new teams and ended up selling 60 of those pro stock engines worldwide. The nhra states that any vehicle other than a motorcycle that is capable of doing 5 mph or better has to conform to the minimum safety requirements for a car that can do the quarter on 9. That is emphatically not a smart solution for the sanctioning bodys. Nhra engine blueprint specifications blueprint specifications contain information vital to building nhra legal stock and super stock engines. Early 500inch pro stock engines using the old bow tie block had a bore around 4. Below lie the complete set of rules for pro stock eliminator in the year 1974. They can rev to more than 10,500 rpm and make in excess of 1,300 horsepower. Nhra pro stock rules specifically state that the engine must be designed and manufactured for a production motorcycle. Navigating the nhra pro stock motorcycle series with vance. The 2014 nhra pro stock motorcycle series kicks off with the amalie oil gatornationals in gainesville, fl, with the competition in the class looking to be as tight as it ever has.
Basic nhra safety rules all cars must meet nhra rules and pass technical inspection this is general information only and you should always refer to the current official nhra rule book. For 20, harleydavidson and buell will both be allowed a maximum 160cubic inch displacement cid, for a. Today, nhra officials released the 2020 schedule for the pro stock motorcycle category of the nhra mello yello drag racing series. Jan 21, 2014 up to that point, suzuki pro stockers had twovalvepercylinder engines based on the gs. One of the key parts of these rules is the factoring numbers that are near the top of the rules.
March 1417 amalie motor oil nhra gatornationals, gainesville, fla. Nhra announces 2020 pro stock motorcycle schedule racer. As a result, we believe nhra fans are in store for some exciting sidebyside racing in the pro stock motorcycle category in 20. Nhra to allow any accepted enginebody combination in pro. This means there are certain driver credentialing requirements as well as safety clothing requirements for all competitors. Engine nhra s pro stock rules in 1974 favored a compact car with a small engine, so jenkins maintained his efforts with a 331ci smallblock using the stock 3. The nhra pro stock motorcycle season opener may have been postponed but for rider marc ingwersen the exitement is still off the charts. The 2020 nhra rulebook is now online and viewable by all who wish to compete in the nhra arena.
Top fuel dragster engines must follow strict guidelines set by the nhra governing body when competing in championship drag racing events in the united states and canada. Oct 26, 2010 star racing owner and nhra legend george bryce, 56, is calling for change in pro stock motorcycle. In a historymaking decision made at the request of the teams, nhra will allow pro stock racers to run any currently approved engine combination in any currently approved body, regardless of the. The biggest effect with change from carburetors to electronic fuel injection is not the efi, says robin lawrence, efi sales manager for holleythe company that will supply mandated fuelsystem. National hot rod association masthead remove all of page iii page iii 1092019 introduction. But this something isnt going to save pro stock any more than flat hoods and fuel injection did, and may well serve to drive fans away at a greater rate than any other previous ruling has. Four, 6 and 8 cylinder cars are all permitted in different classes. When it comes to rules in racing, theres both the letter and the spirit of a new rule. Nhra announced changes to the pro stock motorcycle category.