This qualifying change is just more fish nuts!

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Texas Yankee

While this is confusing and is going to cause some problems for sure, I am glad they made a change b/c it was crazy the last few years especially in Pro Stock where if you didnt get in Fri night you were pretty much screwed at most races. A change was needed.

Although I still think the best way to have done it was make a Sat evening session that way you have 2 day and 2 night sessions and also capitalize on the fan interest and not really change it, top 16 times are in. That way you have 2 sessions to make it in but its better than one.

So who determines if the weather is good/bad enough? If only 1 driver from beyond #12 can improve what does that mean. who gets the final places?

Is this basically the fastest 12 on friday and the 4 fastest(who weren't in on Fri) will make up the top 16? Are we going to have drivers with faster times end up not qualiying? The language on this is too open and seems seemingly purposefully vague


I agree something needs to be done and I also understand that regardless of what they do on this one that there may not be a perfect answer to this one.


What do nascar, Indy, F1 and such do? I know the Indy 500 qualifying makes no sense. But how do other motorsports deal with changing weather conditions from day to day in their qualifying?

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Tact is for those not witty enough for sarcasm

Huh, What, It applies to all races.

This is not that hard to figure out guys................and it will work perfectly to accomplish what it is supposed to.
Here's an example from last years Winternationals, Friday's Funny Car Qualifying.


Friday Order for Qualifying Round 2

POMONA, Calif. - SUMMIT FastNews - Order after 2 rounds of qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 47th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts Winternationals:
Psn Driver Vehicle ET Speed
1. Robert Hight AAA of So. Cal Mustang 4.693 326.79
2. Gary Scelzi Hemi Oakley Charger 4.726 330.80
3. Ron Capps Brut Charger 4.741 327.82
4. Scott Kalitta Kalitta Air Solara 4.741 317.05
5. Eric Medlen Castrol Syntec Mustang 4.744 325.22
6. Tony Pedregon Q Power Monte Carlo 4.749 317.42
7. Jack Beckman MTS Charger 4.774 325.53
8. Tommy Johnson Jr. Skoal Racing Impala 4.778 322.34
9. Bob Gilbertson Autolite XP Spark Plugs Stratu 4.788 312.86
10. Jim Head Head Racing Solara 4.795 316.01
11. Del Worsham Checker Schuck's Kragen Monte 4.800 327.03
12. Ashley Force Castrol GTX Mustang 4.810 281.19
13. Gary Densham Torco/Racebricks Monte Carlo 4.830 320.74
14. Tim Wilkerson Levi, Ray & Shoup Monte Carlo 4.833 317.19
15. Cruz Pedregon Advance Auto Parts Monte Carlo 4.843 302.01
16. Jeff Arend Checker Schucks Kragen Monte C 4.849 323.97
--------- Not Qualified ---------
17. Mike Ashley Torco Race Fuels Charger 4.869 318.09
18. Grant Downing Silver Fern Racing Firebird 5.026 298.47
19. Bob Bode Alard Machine Products Monte C 5.073 288.03
20. John Force Castrol GTX Mustang 5.085 122.96
21. Tony Bartone Jim Dunn Racing/Lucas Oil Mont 5.210 215.55
22. Kenny Bernstein Monster Energy/Lucas Oil Charg 11.114 76.64
23. Terry Haddock Goldstar Asphalt Stratus 11.549 89.64

Going into Saturday's Q-3, after the first 4 cars run, then that's the new bump spot. From there, it's an open field, all run for the 16 top spots. It may end up that number 16 is slower than Jeff Arend's 4.849, but if it's a good weather day, Ashley Force's 4.810 could get bumped.

So the 4 fastest on Saturday qualify..........no matter what uh or do they??

At a minimum, the fastest 4 cars from Saturday will qualify, could be that (using my example) Ashley Force, John Force, Bernstein, Bartone and Mike Ashley all ran quicker than a 4.794, then Head would bump down to the bubble, and Del would go home.

Exactly.

The easiest way of looking at this is to imagine that there are only 12 qualified positions until the last session. In that session, positions 13 through 16 will be filled and the field is set.

That doesn't mean that any of the 12 positions are ever locked until the end of qualifying. If you run the quickest ET of the weekend in ANY session, you'll still be #1. Your ET will place you in the 1-12 order regardless of session assuming it's quick enough to gain one of those spots.

I assume the operative phrase is "last session", which would take into account any event in which all four sessions were not completed.

Off the top of my head, I'm thinking the only drama-in-the-tower would come from partially completed sessions, but come to think of it the existing rules could still be used.

Make sense?

I totally agree with you Justin! I also think Larry's point about 'wishy-washy' language will become relevant at some point. They just created an opportunity to make a judgement call...which they'll learn to regret.

The best 'fix' would have been to move the last Saturday session to the evening, or add a third Saturday session...in the evening.

Larry's right...there'll be lot's of trips to the tower and lot's of whining.

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Mopar to ya'!
Johnny Mopar

I never have been able to hit a curve ball. This off-season/pre-season is gonna make me strike out!

Give us an example, it all seems black and white from where I'm reading it.

I am with you, this seems pretty clear from my seat.

Sounds somewhat appealing on paper. It will be interesting to hear some driver's comments, come Gainesville or so.

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On my arm until the day I die, but in my heart forever

Reason #1 why they should have a constant scoreboard at the events showing all qualifying positions real time and where they stand.

It's already confusing enough as it is for newcomers to try and keep track on who's in and who's out. A scoreboard would be a welcome addition.

Using your previous example, 2 cars(not named Ashley) run better than 4.80 on Saturday. No one else runs better than a 4.90. Ashley shakes and shuts off twice. How long after John figures out Asley is not in and someone running 4.90(2 actually)are in before he is letting some one have it????

I have had a terrible headache all morning and trying to figure this out just made it worse. To quote the great Buford T. Justice, "I'm as confused as a baby racoon". What are these people doing to our sport? The countdown has caused enough problems and now this. Hopefully I'm just dumb and this is a really a good and simple change.

Dave