Qualifying needs to remain a competitive part of the sport, I understand the consideration of dropping the 12 car rule (I understand both sides of the argument), but I also like the concept of say the top few qualifiers being able to call out their choice from the bottom half of the field during driver intros .... if only to bring a level of increased excitement to that process.
Nitromater
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NHRA Doing Away with it's Friday Top 12 Format?
- Thread starter qtermile14
- Start date
ironpony
Nitro Member
That would be a cool idea and as close as the fields are anymore it probably would not really matter.
just to be able to tune to the track conditions. Maybe reduce to 2 passes on Saturday saving teams money.
Come in on Friday, Friday night optional for fan show only.
none
Nitro Member
Would you buy a ticket for Friday night if you were told "The teams might run, but it doesn't count.?" With what it costs to run a Fuel Car , most wouldn't run without a darn good reason. And what if you have 19 cars? Who races and who goes home? Again, not arguing, just discussing.
The pick your opponent theory is not a new idea, It was discussed close to 20 years ago as possibly being used in the (then) Big Bud Shootout. But no one I know ever thought that it could be used in a points race. Too much on the line.
Alan
Unfortunately, It is actually happening right now.
I go to the event on Fridays for 2 reasons, 1- The laid back atmosphere of actually getting a chance to talk to some of teams not the grind on Sunday. 2- The night qualifying.
What's happening right now is some teams that know that they aren't gonna crack into the top 12 and will opt out of even wasting a run or 2 on Friday to save $. So, Yes it's not fair to the spectators that spend the money for the ticket to watch all of the entries try to qualify.
nedannouncer
Nitro Member
Completely unrelated event and circumstance, but we ran an interesting format for a shootout at Drag Week a few years ago.
The quickest 16 cars from the week were invited into the shootout. They were all pulled up on the starting line pad in front of the crowd. Each round the competitors picked their opponent. Quickest got to pick first, then second quickest, etc. Sounds like it would have been a blood bath but there were upsets and craziness galore. It was fun as hell and the crowd went berserk each round.
Now, mind you there was no money, no championship, and no season long battle to contend with.
In a shootout format like Alan mentioned it could be epic. Imagine having all the Indy shootout drivers on the stage for round one and making them call each other out? Pick it up on a ladder for round 2. It is non-traditional but damn it would be fun.
The quickest 16 cars from the week were invited into the shootout. They were all pulled up on the starting line pad in front of the crowd. Each round the competitors picked their opponent. Quickest got to pick first, then second quickest, etc. Sounds like it would have been a blood bath but there were upsets and craziness galore. It was fun as hell and the crowd went berserk each round.
Now, mind you there was no money, no championship, and no season long battle to contend with.
In a shootout format like Alan mentioned it could be epic. Imagine having all the Indy shootout drivers on the stage for round one and making them call each other out? Pick it up on a ladder for round 2. It is non-traditional but damn it would be fun.
Litefoot
Nitro Member
Scotts car blew up right at the 1,000 ft stripe, it keep running and hit the big camera boom parked in the middle of the end of the track, so he had the extra 320 past the new finish line, those things are very heavy and big, Rest in Peace Scott, you will always be one of my favorite Drivers.
It was kinda cool that NHRA did away with the additional bonus (pat on the back) for running a record e.t or m.p.h. Being that there are teams that just couldn't even come close to them because of funding or not having the latest motor or clutch technology that the Huge teams have.
I maybe wrong but from what I hear (maybe not true), Scott was knocked out from the concussion of the explosion.
If knocked out, Could you hit the chutes, fuel, and ignition? doubt it.
none
Nitro Member
.
Nitro Member
There was a pic at the time that showed his right hand reaching for the parachute lever as the body disintegrated around him.
I was there too and the Motel 6 vision (or whatever it was called at that time) showed the top end camera view as the car was entering the sand trap and it appeared he was steering the car when it entered the sand trap. What happened next looked very similar to Del Worsham's run through the sand trap in Pomona a number of years ago where the car got airborne when it hit the sand and sadly the rest is history.
mick
Nitro Member
kudos to the nhra for trying the 'top 12' format, and kudos again for recognizing the current climate probably does
more harm than good to both racers and spectators.....the countdown doesn't really hurt anything so keep it, same with 1000',
which in today's performances and venues, is far safer.
more harm than good to both racers and spectators.....the countdown doesn't really hurt anything so keep it, same with 1000',
which in today's performances and venues, is far safer.
Maple Grove had that set up long before 1000 feet came along.
Not fair to the spectators? There is no guarantee who will make a pass or even show up at an event. It is no different than going to eat at a buffet, you get what they have at the time.
Yea but wouldn't you be pissed going to the Buffet and find out you weren't gonna get the prime rib when that's the reason you wanted to go?
T.Smith
Nitro Member
Who the hell goes to a buffet to get prime rib?
MM
Nitro Member
Vegas baby, Vegas.
