

NHRA distributed a letter to their Pro Stock teams Friday afternoon between qualifying sessions at the NHRA Toyota Nationals insinuating their intentions to scale their 24-races down to 16. The sanctioning body is awaiting feedback from the teams before making the move official, which management says this reduced schedule is not a done deal.

“We did send a letter to teams, but an official decision and announcement has not been made," NHRA President Glen Cromwell confirmed.

Initially, NHRA officials presented to the Professional Racers Organization [PRO] a proposal which suggested a reduced purse for a 24-race schedule in 2019 and paring down the schedule to just 16 races in 2020.

The letter, penned by incoming NHRA Vice President of Operations Josh Peterson, reportedly revealed the purse would remain the same for the 2019 season with lesser races.

Integrating the Mountain Motor Pro Stockers into NHRA's Pro Stock division looked good on paper. Unfortunately, that paper wasn't a bank statement.



Citing the expense... https://t.co/kABz95PIUB — Competition Plus (@competitionplus) October 16, 2018

NHRA also could consider reducing the fields to eight-cars in 2019 or later should the fields not attract 16-cars.

A source close to the situation has suggested NHRA is mulling a scenario similar to Pro Stock Motorcycle and the Mickey Thompson Top Fuel Harley-Davidson dynamic where the 500-inch cars could race 16 events while the recently exhibited Mountain Motor Pro Stock cars could run six to eight events.

We'll have more on this breaking story as it becomes available.