If the qualifying round isn't finished, should the results count? (1 Viewer)

[.]

Saw several posts floating around on FB due to Terry McMillen being bumped. He was qualified 15 after first session. They got 2 pairs of cars down the track before they called session two, he was to be the next pair out. Is it fair to be bumped out when you don't get a chance to make your run to possibly get back in the field?

I also understand that the teams that do get to make their passes spend a good chunk of money to go down the track, so is it fair to toss out their runs because not everybody else got to make their pass?

 

[Butch]

I believe that in qualifying the entire class must have a chance to run.

 

[PJ]

No Harry they don't. It has happened before as well as think weekend. Seems like an entire session should have to run for the round to count. Bummer for Terry to not get the same number of shots to get in, happy that Clay was able to use the rule to get in

 

[TooTall999]

It was going to be a bummer either way. Clay Millican would've been outside looking in if it didn't count.

 

[Huge]

Sometimes its in your favor and sometimes its not. When I was with Bode I remember we were at the World Finals in Pomona and in Q-4 we were on the bump and Tony Pedregon bumped us out, and then just as we were getting ready to start the car it started to rain and Graham came over and said he was very sorry but due to the curfew that they were going to have to cancel the rest of qualifying. We came back to the Winter Nationals 2 months later and we bumped Tony out. Sometimes your the bug...and sometimes your the windshield.

 

[.]

Sometimes its in your favor and sometimes its not. When I was with Bode I remember we were at the World Finals in Pomona and in Q-4 we were on the bump and Tony Pedregon bumped us out, and then just as we were getting ready to start the car it started to rain and Graham came over and said he was very sorry but due to the curfew that they were going to have to cancel the rest of qualifying. We came back to the Winter Nationals 2 months later and we bumped Tony out. Sometimes your the bug...and sometimes your the windshield.

When you bumped Tony out was the round completed? I understand both sides of the argument, I just don't think it's fair that only part of the field gets to run and it counts.

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

It's a tuff brake either way. But I gotta go with NHRA on this one. No one has control of the weather. How could you tell a guy yeah you ran top 16, but it doesn't count because Joe didn't get to run.?

 

[.]

How could you tell a guy yeah you ran top 16, but it doesn't count because Joe didn't get to run.?

How do you tell a guy he's out when he was one pair away from possibly getting back in the field?

 

[Chili]

A rule is a rule. It's not like it is something they made up on the fly. What if they ran the entire session but the final pair? If the final pair didn't run, qualifying would revert back to the previous round and the 16 teams that just spent money on a "test" run. There are rules in place for this reason. Not the first time it has happened and it won't be the last. The point of rules is having a clear solution when a problem arises.

 

[JB3]

How do you tell a guy he's out when he was one pair away from possibly getting back in the field?

Maybe you would like him to get a participation trophy? Geez. Terry knew the rule, in this case it worked against him and I didn't hear of him complaining once. As Chris said above, clear concise rules with a clear solution often make sticky situations go away much quicker. Terry will be in Dallas and MG will be a memory.

My question is ... if Terry had gotten to make a run and bumped out an independent like Shawn Reed (who is trying to succeed at this level) and the session ended due to rain, would there even be a discussion on this board? I think not.

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

How do you tell a guy he's out when he was one pair away from possibly getting back in the field?

Key word there is "POSSIBLY" he may or may NOT have got in. Like I say it's a tuff one either way, but the weather cut off qualifying not nhra. (jmo)

 

[Bullard Anderson]

I think the rule is terrible. Everyone should have an equal opportunity to make the event. In this case this means going down the track. If I were the NHRA I would tackle this scenario in a fashion where they could say if a team doesn't qualify it's their fault. Simply scrap a session that wasn't fully run so the blame can only be on the teams that didn't make the Top 16 in prior runs. In this case it's potluck with the weather. Also, those who bumped in were actually rewarded for their poor effort in Round 1.Think about that.

 

[flapjack]

Unfortunately, this is not like the NFL where there are folks like Bill Belichick (Belicheat to some) that find ways of working around the rules.

 

[MFRACING]

The rule has been around for many years. With the countdown, does it lend time to change the rule possibly for those races? What would this string look like if one of the big teams (countdown) were sitting in the water waiting to go? Hate to possibly miss an opportunity for a World Championship because of a weather event. That would suck having to try to explain that one to potential sponsors.

 

[ironpony]

what if 15 cars run and one does not? the 15 teams get to spend another 20 grand to make another pass? maybe crash loose a car, major engine failure, blower and body,or just smoke the tires

 

[.]

what if 15 cars run and one does not? the 15 teams get to spend another 20 grand to make another pass? maybe crash loose a car, major engine failure, blower and body,or just smoke the tires

Where is another pass coming from?

 

[ironpony]

Q3 as above, then Q4 runs, so all of Q3 competitors that t ran would be thrown out

 

[.]

Q3 as above, then Q4 runs, so all of Q3 competitors that t ran would be thrown out

There were only 2 sessions last week, only 4 of 18 cars got to make passes before the 2nd session was scrapped. And in your scenario, wouldn't most teams run the 4th session anyway, unless they felt they were solidly in the field and didn't feel the need? It's not a level playing field unless every team gets the same amount of attempts to qualify. It's not fair to the 14 teams that didn't get a chance to run to have the 2nd session used against them.

 

[Butch]

To be counted as an attempt to qualify you must be in staging lanes at the time of closing.

 

[ironpony]

yes they would run the fourth session but the money spent on the third session would be lost and that is a lot of money for some of the smaller teams.