It’s been more than three months since the National Hot Rod Association revealed the sweeping changes in store for its Pro Stock eliminator in 2016, and the days and weeks since have allowed us to meditate upon it all and listen in to what the fans and the racers feel about the most significant changes the factory hot rod category has undergone since 1982, when the organization did away with its pounds-per-cubic-inch format in favor of 500 cubic inches for all.

The response thus far has been, well, not good.

Recently, NHRA officials revealed the final pieces of the puzzle that will comprise the Pro Stock category beginning at Pomona in February, by spelling out the new wheelie bar length and hood guidelines. For those of you that may have missed the original announcement, the NHRA, in an effort to right the ship of the struggling Pro Stock class, revealed that beginning at the Winternationals, all cars will be required to switch to a mandated electronic fuel injection system and do away with the traditional hood scoops in favor of flat, stock-style hoods. As well, the wheelie bars would be shortened to allow for more entertaining starting line antics for the fans.

It was announced in early August that Holley’s HP EFI ECU system would be the exclusive unit used for fuel injection and ignition control; it also serves as the governor for the new 10,500 rpm engine speed limitation. Holley is also the sole supplier of the throttle bodies and injectors. That has now been followed up by the reveal of a maximum 66-inch long wheelie bar limitation, along with a reduction in minimum weight on the rear axle of 10 pounds (most likely intended to help produce more wheels-up launches).

The NHRA certainly is to be commended for taking action to improve their on-track product, rather than allowing it to continue its downward slide. NHRA President Peter Clifford, who took the helm of the series in July, wasted little time in showing that he’s a man that can get things done, and within weeks of his promotion, Pro Stock became his focal point. But, the majority of the voices out there believe that what the NHRA ultimately conceived to help save Pro Stock missed the mark. And, we’d be inclined to agree.

The drag racing community was quick to point out that the changes to the category will, first and foremost, result in significant costs to the race teams, who are already struggling with annual operational budgets well beyond what anyone could’ve imagined just 10 or 15 years ago. Sure, the cost of a set of throttle bodies, injectors, an ECU, and new wheelie bars isn’t enough to put any team at this level out of business, but what has to be considered are the tangible and intangible assets and the research and development costs of catering their chassis, suspension, and expensive engine programs to this new package.

That is where the expense is, and at the end of the day, when 2016 dawns and the remaining race teams have spent all that money, what is the net outcome expected to be?

The reality is, little will have changed, with fuel injection systems that few will appreciate serving as the only major difference. And, in a matter of time, the cars will be back running straight as a string with all the impressive-but-mundane finesse and sophistication we’ve come to know of Pro Stock. It’s, unfortunately, that mashup of factors that makes a round of Pro Stock the time that fans head for the concession stand.

At a time when Pro Mods and Drag Radial cars rule the doorslammer world — a position Pro Stock once unanimously owned — it’s become difficult for the factory hot rods to capture the hearts and minds of racing fans. It’s certain to be even more of a challenge for Pro Stock to establish an identity in the midst of the competitive landscape it finds itself in.

Pro Modified, for its part, represents the ultimate in doorslammer performance and on-track unpredictability. In terms of pure speed, power, and sensation, the class undeniably trumps Pro Stock in entertainment value. Radial tire racing, meanwhile, is every bit as exciting to watch, but has the added fortune of brand recognition and the ability of fans to relate to the cars — something Pro Stock sorely needs. And so, you can understand why the NHRA has an interesting chore on its hands of creating a product that slides somewhere in between these two existing eliminators, without simply taking one or the other and re-badging it.

So, what is the answer? There are varying opinions here; some are simply of the “kill it and replace them with Pro Mods” scorched-earth mindset. Others believe the factory-built race cars from Ford, Chevrolet, and Chrysler were tailor-made for racing heads-up in front of large crowds and representing their brands on the professional level. Neither seems the appropriate fit from where we stand, but the use of GM’s LSX engine, Ford’s Coyote, and Chrysler’s modern Hemi, paired with superchargers, turbochargers, nitrous oxide, and smaller tires is an excellent place to start if the NHRA wants to develop a class with brand identity and entertainment value.

However, it might not be that easy; at least not just yet.

What must be kept in mind here is the unenviable position that the NHRA finds itself in, as their hands remain tied, so to speak, in making the all-encompassing changes that might be on their drawing board. The crop of Pro Stock teams out there already have countless millions invested in parts, equipment, and priceless knowledge that can’t simply be tossed to the wayside, no matter how necessary such a move might be. With the Pro Stock Truck debacle still fresh in their minds, the NHRA has to be particularly careful about just how much change they bring to Pro Stock, and it may be for that very reason why what we’re going to see in 2016 is little more than a band-aid solution. It’s a tricky situation, to be sure.

If you’re to believe the rumors that are circulating, at least a couple of the familiar faces in the Pro Stock pits may not be around when February arrives. We’ve reached out to some of the teams in question, but they’ve either not responded or simply declined to comment on their plans for 2016 and beyond.

Regardless, given the attrition that we’ve seen over the last handful of years, it’s all but a certainty that at least one or two teams will step down or scale back their schedules next year due to the rising costs and time commitment. And, if that pattern continues, it’s very likely that the NHRA will get another shot at this thing down the road … and do it the right way. Unfortunately, they may be retrieving the ship off the ocean floor when that time comes.