An important bridge has recently been crossed in Mustang Pro 5.0 racing. John Gullet is the first Pro 5.0 car to make a 200 MPH pass, followed shortly by Chuck Samuels in Kevin Marsh's Mustang. It seems like only yesterday that Bill Kuhlmann first ran 200 MPH in his Pro Mod big block Camaro, and I remember what a major stir that caused.

200 MPH in a Mustang with a small block is a big deal. The internet message boards have been talking about little else. Not only are these 200 MPH runs incredible, they may raise awareness of 200 MPH Pro 5.0 racing with sponsors and potential sponsors. Maybe.

Corporations sponsor racers for one reason and one reason only, and that is to sell products. We all know how much a sponsor needs to spend to have a competitive 200 MPH Pro Stock car at NHRA events. I hear it's millions. And other than the viewing spectators at the events themselves (fans who are not necessarily potential customers) and about 5 minutes of TV exposure, the only real media exposure the Pro Stock sponsors can hope to get is in NHRA's National Dragster publication, which is mailed only to NHRA members.

So, what does this mean? In these days of a slowing economy, it could mean that some of these big money sponsors may be looking for ways to present their "logos" to a large (or larger) audience than NHRA, and maybe save some sponsorship dollars in the process. After all, how many Pro 5.0 teams would turn down a $200,000 sponsorship from a major corporation? None that I know of. That $200,000 would be small potatoes for a Pro Stock team, but the whole enchilada for a Pro 5.0 team. And while most Pro 5.0 cars won't get any press in National Dragster, there are plenty of Ford (and other) performance magazines and web sites, which cater to a much larger audience of enthusiasts. And these enthusiasts (the grass roots, sportsman racing type) actually buy the sponsors products.

This could open up a whole new avenue for Mustang Pro 5.0 racers, an avenue that heretofore didn't even exist. I'm not suggesting that these racers should quit their day jobs, nor am I saying that they will create any actual income from racing in Pro 5.0, at least not yet. But, it just might cover their racing budget. Imagine, running a state of the art Pro 5.0 team and not having to dip into personal funds to do it. This would send shivers of excitement up the spines of any Pro 5.0 racer, wouldn't it?

In order to make any of this possible, several things would need to happen. First, these big money companies need to be appraised of the potential of sponsoring a Pro 5.0 team. A good proposal and the ability to sell yourself and your team are essential. If the racers can't do this themselves, they better hire someone who can. Pro 5.0 racers don't think twice about hiring engine and chassis builders. But a publicist, forget it. This is an education process. These companies need to learn that they could spend less money per year with your team, have more potential exposure, and have the exposure aimed directly at their market place (the buyer, rather than a family out for some Sunday entertainment.) Let's face it. Pro Stock has been basically stagnant for years. The cars all look the same and they all run the same. And, they haven't been getting much faster, year after year. Pro 5.0 racing, on the other hand, has been moving up the speed ladder like a rocket.

The other thing that would need to take place is with the Pro 5.0 racers and teams themselves. Right now most of these racers think of themselves as unworthy of grabbing big sponsorship money. Most of these teams have a "sportsman racing" mentality. I don't mean this in a disrespectful way. Until the Pro 5.0 teams feel and act worthy of being an important part of "business", business won't be knocking on the trailer door. Nobody has a problem with the way the cars look. Most Pro 5.0 Mustangs are immaculate works of art. But how about the teams? How many of them look as good as an NHRA Pro Stock team? With the exception of Kevin Marsh's neatly attired operation, most teams dress like they are "going racing", rather than representing a major company. I know that matching crew uniforms cost money, but what part of Pro 5.0 racing doesn't?

Based on the number of Pro 5.0 Mustangs that were on display at the annual PRI show in Indianapolis, IN last year, there is clearly an interest in these cars. In fact, there were more Pro 5.0 Mustangs in attendance than there were NHRA Pro Stock cars. Why, well maybe because they are cool to look at and more representative of the sponsors market place. It's possible the sponsors are realizing this even before the racers do.

I think that the 200 MPH Pro 5.0 runs that we just experienced could be very important in moving Mustang drag racing and possibly other forms of so called "street legal" racing, from the sportsman arena to the more professional arena. It's going to be up to the racers themselves to build the "Pro" into their operations. Think "worthy".