Updated 3/24: Rich Christensen and Brian Bossone have confirmed with Dragzine that Christensen has acquired the rights to the PINKS and Passtime franchises, and negotiations are underway with potential networks and sponsors, with a mission to bring the grass roots drag racing program back to television and to the live viewers at the track, with a renewed focus on entertainment and affordability. Stay tuned as we’ll be bringing you more on this story tomorrow.

Earlier: Is PINKS: All Out, the made-for-TV grass roots drag racing series of events hosted by the infamous Rich Christensen set to make a return to production? If sources are to be believed — and we have every reason to think they are — then the answer is yes.

Brian Bossone, a former competitor on the PINKS: All Out program who later became a technical advisor as part of the shows’ staff, has reported via Facebook and a fan page known as “PINKS: Bring It Back” that Christensen has struck a deal to acquire the rights to the PINKS brand from FOX to bring the popular racing events back to the track and the airwaves.

Said Bossone in the PINKS: Bring It Back statement:

I would like to announce after two years of hard work Mr. Rich Christensen, myself and his crew have struck a deal with Fox TV. That’s right- We are bringing back Pinks All Out! Rich has acquired the rights to the brand. I’m thrilled and honored that he chose me for the Supervising TV and Race Production role. Spread the word grass roots racing is back. More details to come very soon.

PINKS: All Out was spawned from the original grudge race-style program that premiered in 2005, as the staff devised a plan to promote full drag racing events, featuring as many as 450 competitors at major drag strips all across the country. All Out premiered on the SPEED Channel in 2006 and ran through 2011 before going on hiatus, with its future still considered unknown until these breaking developments. As many of our readers are aware, the SPEED Channel has since been rebranded into Fox Sports 1 and much of its automotive programming discontinued, meaning any plan of a return to the air for PINKS would necessitate negations with a new network interested in drag racing-themed programming. 

PINKS: All Out was a hit by every standard of measurement during its years of production, breaking numerous track attendance records, garnering impressive television ratings, and bringing out the racers in numbers only equaled by major sanctioned drag racing events for a chance at $10,000 and a few minutes of fame.

And now, if all goes to plan, Christensen and his team are set to make lightning strike twice.

As we’ve written about on a couple of occasions here on Dragzine, we’re strong proponents of what PINKS and PINKS: All Out did for the sport of drag racing. Despite the shows’ controversial host and simplistic format that centers around the use of an arm drop rather than a traditional christmas tree, the program subjected millions of casual car-folk to the sport of drag racing, while at the same time making virtually unknown, weekend warrior racers stars in primetime on cable television.

For those reasons alone, we’re glad to hear news of a likely return to production for what remains one of the most popular drag racing television programs of all-time.