By The Numbers: 15 Years Of Pro Stock Entries At Indy

Upon returning from the marathon-like NHRA Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at the Lucas Oil Raceway, kicking back on the sofa, and firing up the DVR to take in the recorded ESPN2 coverage of the Big Go, we couldn’t help but catch color commentator Paul Page’s comment during Sunday’s qualifying show that there were “Pro Stock cars everywhere” at Indianapolis.

Truth be told, during a time of economic struggle when just going racing period, much less at the sport’s top level, is beyond the reach of most individuals, and in a season that’s seen one short Pro Stock field already, to have 28 cars attempt to qualify is quite impressive. But take a look back just a few short years and you’ll quickly see just how far the economy and the overall cost of going Pro Stock racing has forever altered the landscape of the factory hot rod category into one reserved for the independently wealthy and the handful of well-funded racers.

At the 1997 edition of the U.S. Nationals, traditionally the site of the largest turnout of Pro Stock cars on the NHRA calendar, there were 40 entries in the category. A year later, there were 47. In ’99, there were 40 once again. Subsequent Nationals saw fields of 37, 45, 44, 46, 38, 34, 31, 33, 28, 31, and 31, prior to this year’s 57th running of the sport’s most prestigious event. During many of those years, Pro Stock at Indy was one big free-for-all in which – just like the old days – everyone prepared and brought their best stuff. And the result was a lot of big names headed home on Sunday evening.

Like the days of 100-plus Top Fuel entries at any number of Southern California strips in the 1960’s, the days of upper middle class racers acting upon a dream and putting together a Pro Stock entry to be one of nearly fifty cars competing on drag racing’s grandest stage at the Big Go is something we’ll most likely never see again, and in the opinion of this writer, that’s just a little disheartening.