ADRL Does About-Face, Outlaws EFI In Extreme Pro Stock For 2013

The idea of technology always moving forward was struck a blow last week when the ADRL, in a curious move, outlawed the use of electronic fuel injection in their Extreme Pro Stock class for the upcoming season. Just one year after permitting competitors to enter the 21st century with their engine combinations, the ADRL’s tech department did an about-face with the release of the rules for the 2013 season. 

The ADRL’s statement regarding the change –

All decisions made regarding rules are made with the best interest of the entire class in question in mind. The ADRL cannot make rules to benefit a few racers or sponsors at the expense of the overall health of any class. After careful consideration and lengthy discussions with several Extreme Pro Stock racers and car owners, we felt this decision was in the best interest of the class as a whole. The decision to allow EFI was made last year against an overwhelming opposition from the Extreme Pro Stock contingent. We had the opportunity to correct what we felt was a mistake, so that is exactly what we did. We are all enduring a very difficult economy and we feel strongly that now is not the time to implement rules that would require our racers to spend tens of thousands of dollars needlessly. We realize this rule will affect a few teams and that is regrettable, however the overall health of the class has to take precedence. Whether you agree or disagree, we truly value your opinions and thank you for supporting the ADRL.

The backlash was immediate, and not all positive. 

We spoke with current (and two-time) ADRL Extreme Pro Stock class champion and record-holder (and carburetor user) Cary Goforth regarding the decision. Goforth is currently running carburetors on his hotrod, but doesn’t discriminate – he is just looking for large car counts and solid racing.

Goforth says, “I’ve always been for allowing it, and we were actually the first people to test EFI in one of these Pro Stock cars – we did it last February. We had hurt that engine in a couple of passes, then put the carburetors back on and ran all year that way. We did test again with it before Dallas last season, and if it was faster we were going to run it on one of our two cars – we just want to run what’s fastest.

“The issue that I have is with the way things were handled. I got up this morning and saw the statement from the ADRL on why they were going to take it away, and I was surprised. The way the statement reads, you’d swear they took a nationwide poll on what to do. I’m not angry or anything, my deal is that my dad’s one of the original car owners in this class and I’ve been the champion the past two years, and nobody called me to ask what I think. We didn’t get a phone call – don’t you think they should have called us to see what we thought about it?”

The issue that I have is with the way things were handled. I got up this morning and saw the statement from the ADRL on why they were going to take it away, and I was surprised. – Cary Goforth

As there are currently some competitors who struggle to make it from race to race, due to expense, Goforth doesn’t feel like this is the right decision to make in terms of class stability. With the emergence of the X-DRL for the 2013 season, racers are already being forced to make a decision about where to race, and thinning out the talent pool even more doesn’t seem to be in the best interest of the racers.

“We’re not thinking about the overall health of this class – Extreme Pro Stock was the only class in the ADRL last season that had full fields at every race. I don’t understand why they want to screw that up now. And why wait until January 23rd to make this decision? Everyone’s pretty much going forward on what they need to be doing for 2013. It just looks funny that ADRL is making changes, and it seems like the only changes they’ve made are to do away with a couple of the rules that were brought in last year.

“These sanctioning bodies aren’t working together, and I don’t know whose fault that is. I’m sure each one’s going to blame the other one. We’re not thinking about the overall health of the class, and we’re just going to hurt this deal. We’re going to hurt attendance, but I hope we don’t. And they’ve scheduled the May races on top of one another, which is going to force racers to have to make a decision on where to go,” he explained.

Goforth doesn’t care whether the fuel injection is in or out, but as it was already permitted in the class for a season, he doesn’t think it’s right to back up on the idea now. 

The only competitor to win an event with electronic fuel injection in 2012 was Todd Hoerner, who took the trophy at the Gateway Drags IV event in St. Louis last June. From the information we’ve been able to glean, there are approximately eight competitors as of this writing who have made the switch to fuel injection, so what do they do now? All of that money invested for what currently appears to be no reason. The X-DRL, however, has maintained their stance that EFI is legal in their X-Treme Pro Stock class, albeit without traction control of any form, so will we see the affected competitors shift in that direction? Just a little while longer until racing season starts…is anyone else tired of the snow?