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NHRA Official Qualifying Changes (1 Viewer)

You beat me to the announcement!! :D

I agree, this is a good step. Friday night qualifying is a must have, and now a few teams that hiccup on Friday still have a shot at making the show.
 
That's a great change that needed to happen, plus it's about as fair of a change as can be made.
 
so, we can still have a bump-a-thon on satursdays... or, if the conditions a poo, 13-16 are open season, because 13 to 16 times from friday are thrown out? and if ya can run better than anyone on friday night's time, you bump into the field accordingly...

Say 16th ran a 4.785, 15th ran 4.783, 14 ran 4.776, 13 ran 4.764 on friday night, saturday, the best 4 are 4.85 to 4.83... and 13 tru 16 can only run high 80's, so they get bumped????

just using flopper as an example...

d'kid
 
Holy crap... trying to decipher that is like trying to think in reverse.....

Please excuse my simplemindedness, but can someone put it in terms of how it is any different to now.
 
I wonder when we will be advised whether the weather conditions meet the criteria - before or after the final qualifying session(s)? Who determines whether the bump-in rules apply? When do they determine it and what are the criteria for declaring bump-in-season open?

Sounds like a big bag of worms to me and this rule will probably trigger many trips to the tower and a few shouting matches, either by those bumped out or those who were not bumped in.

Up until now, the qualifying rules were clear. Now they are stated in wishy-washy, feel-good language with no firm criteria stated for determining when the final day bump-in procedures apply and when they don't.

My main concern is - when the cars go down the track on Saturday, how will anyone watching know whether the run is good enough to get them into the field or not? How will the announcers know? How will the racers know?

Might not be a problem - if there are 16 or less cars, the rule is moot.

(No typo in the last sentence, "moot" is the correct word, "mute" is incorrect)
 
I think this was a necessary change given some of dramatic changes in atmosphere conditions that can occur over a weekend. No longer will the Friday night session set the field during the summer like we saw many times this past year.
 
Okay, on second reading and ignoring some of the wishy-washy language, here's what I think will happen:

After Friday qualifying is completed, the top twelve will keep their times and the rest will have their times erased. Saturday qualifying will requalify those who are not in the top twelve - and anyone can still move into the top twelve if they can run a number good enough to do so.

That would be the simplest way to implement the new procedure, which means it's probably wrong, but I hope not because I've got to translate this into software that matches whatever NHRA implements.
 
Registered member said:
Okay, on second reading and ignoring some of the wishy-washy language, here's what I think will happen:

After Friday qualifying is completed, the top twelve will keep their times and the rest will have their times erased. Saturday qualifying will requalify those who are not in the top twelve - and anyone can still move into the top twelve if they can run a number good enough to do so.

That would be the simplest way to implement the new procedure, which means it's probably wrong, but I hope not because I've got to translate this into software that matches whatever NHRA implements.
Click to expand...

Yes -this is very confusing but I think you got it the most clear.
It seems that "weather conditions" are really dictated by anyone improving.

So if 5 drivers run quicker than the 12th place driver, then he/she would be bumped out of the field.

The only thing I worry about is that this is making an already confusing sport even more confusing. I think they should take the top 4 from each session.
 
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?
 
Registered member said:
I wonder when we will be advised whether the weather conditions meet the criteria - before or after the final qualifying session(s)? Who determines whether the bump-in rules apply? When do they determine it and what are the criteria for declaring bump-in-season open?
Click to expand...
Huh, What, :confused: 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.
 
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