Nitromater
This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Dejoria in as alternate?
- Thread starter Randy
- Start date
Professional classes do not allow alternates, due to the fact lesser funded teams would sell their spot and pull out of the event, if a well funded team was in the #17 spot. An example that comes to mind would be Paul & Mike Smith in Top Fuel. They would qualify on one shot, but on a few occasions Tommy Johnson Jr. (then sponsored by Mopar) would not qualify and land in the 17th position. Simple solution, they work out a deal with the Smith's either monetarily or parts or whatever and the Smiths pull out, moving TJ Jr. into the 16th spot. It happened in TF and FC too many times to count, but I don't remember it in PS. Anyway, NHRA put an end to it by not allowing alternates to be inserted into the field in the Pros.
Flash forward to Richmond 2009. 15 Top Fuelers. NHRA Guarantees qualifying money + a little more to Scott Palmer, Terry Haddock, Scott Weis/Urs Urbacher, Chris Karamesines and Todd Simpson to show and get close to a 16 car field, as to not make NHRA look ridiculous. Simpson makes 1 shot on Friday and smokes the tires, ends up #14 and the run doesn't make the top 12 and is thrown out. He makes ZERO runs on Saturday, however he makes the field in the 15the 15th spot without an ET.
How can a car qualify without an elapsed time? If a driver run's a qualifying time and bypasses the scales its thrown out and they are done.
There's NHRA bending their own rules again when they need to to suit their own needs.
Last edited:
Randy,
Alexis was the #17 qualifier and replaced Ken Webster, whose car was destroyed in a qualifying incident, in his #6 qualifying spot in the field. This is normal procedure in the alcohol classes at both National and Divisional races if a qualified competitor is unable to return for the first round of eliminations. If Alexis had chosen not to participate the #18 qualifier would have been asked next and so on. You do not earn points at all as an alternate and, as I understand it, you also do not recieve round money for the first round. I believe if you win first round, as Alexis did, you do recieve round money from that point on. As Pete said, no it is not allowed in the pro classes. Hope that explains it better.
Doug
Last edited:
Tim5636sc
Nitro Member
I remember when Michael Bartone won INDY TAD from the number 18 spot... wonder if he got 3/4's of the Wally????
if a pro makes a run on Friday and is not in the top 12 he is not DQed the run time is just deleted from the system. if he doesn't make a run on Saturday and the field is not full, they are placed back in the system. The rule is you have to make legal attempt at qualifying. For numbers and ladder placement the time of 28.00 is used in the system.
Thank you for clearing that up Jeff. That explains Simspons deal in Richmond.
Similar threads
