What’s been the history of trying to position down qualifying against countdown leaders in the last race or two to create an early round head to head? It’s always a risk but if you’re 120 to 160 points out and several great cars ahead of you in standing, might be the only way to win. Have drivers done this much in the past or is it considered in the same vein like throwing a race for a teammate?
Qualifying down to force matchups (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter DanTheFan
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Maybe all you need to do is skip 3 qualifying sessions like Ashley did and got AB first round. You will see it more in PS and PSB. Nitro is to unpredictable. If 16 or less cars show up it's sure worth a shot.
TD5023
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Can't speak much for the pro level, but targeting specific matchups for points purposes happens all the time late in the season at tracks all over the country. Guys will camp out at the entrance to the staging lanes and then pull up behind the one they want to knock out. In laddered fields, especially ones that are full with DNQ's, it's risky but can be quite effective. Pro racers have definitely done it, but I don't know to what extent. Completely fair game, in my opinion.
Trying to qualify in a position to take someone out early is a strategy, IMO nothing like throwing a race. However, it's pretty hard to do, particularly in a fuel car.
Rat
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See the Greg Anderson book on that. I just feel no matter what class you are in, it is just a shot in the foot for your own career stats. Don't impede your performance for anything, if you have to rely on a trick to win the title maybe you just arent good enough?
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I believe Greg Anderson did this to pull Erica a couple seasons ago. Not sure if it was for him or Line's benefit. He was open about it and I believe she took him out.
When fields aren't full it's a good strategy, when they are you risk not making the field, if you're trying to sneak in the bottom spot or two.
I would think the opposite could happen two. Don't go for a bigger ET and keep a part-timer as your first round, vs risk getting paired up with a regular who may be having a rough qualifying time but you know is capable of stepping up on race day.
When fields aren't full it's a good strategy, when they are you risk not making the field, if you're trying to sneak in the bottom spot or two.
I would think the opposite could happen two. Don't go for a bigger ET and keep a part-timer as your first round, vs risk getting paired up with a regular who may be having a rough qualifying time but you know is capable of stepping up on race day.
none
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Greg did do it a few years ago and he lined up with EE forRd. 1. She beat him.
Then the Elite team did it a couple of years later trying to slow Greg down, and TJ got Greg first round and beat him.
Alan
Then the Elite team did it a couple of years later trying to slow Greg down, and TJ got Greg first round and beat him.
Alan
ZWeinstein
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That race between Erica and Greg at Pomona in '19(?) was probably the single greatest race in Pro Stock I have ever personally sat in the stands for. If I remember correctly she only beat him by a few thou with both knocking down the tree. I remember you also really hyping up the crowd in the leadup to the race.
As far as nitro goes, the only time I remember someone purposefully setting up a rd. 1 matchup happened sort of on accident. Spencer Massey was trailing Antron Brown by three rounds going into the final qualifying session at Pomona. When Antron came up he was #9 and Spencer was #8. Antron smoked the tires and Massey, who was in the next pair, sat on the tree for a second or two and when the opponent he was lined up against (the only one who could change the ladder) smoked the tires Spencer shut off. It almost worked out because Spencer beat Antron in first round and set himself up that if he won the race, he was the champion. He ended up losing in the semis I believe and Tony Schumacher also was in a must win situation and almost pulled off another Pomona miracle but lost to Bernstein on a holeshot in the finals.
none
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You're right Zed, I was all for it! It made for a great story. I even put up a Twitter poll saying "Pick a Side!" Team Summit or Team Erica? And both sides through their PR people retweeted it. As I recall the fan vote was 2-1 in favor of Erica!
Fun side story. Erica has a "Superfan" who sent me a number of notes telling me that:
Greg was a cheater!
What he was doing was illegal!
He should be disqualified!
His license should be suspended!
He should be banned for life!
When Elite used the same strategy in Vegas a couple of years later, I (having kept the emails) sent them all back to the "Superfan" who promptly told me that "This was different"
It always is when it's your driver doing it.
Alan
Fun side story. Erica has a "Superfan" who sent me a number of notes telling me that:
Greg was a cheater!
What he was doing was illegal!
He should be disqualified!
His license should be suspended!
He should be banned for life!
When Elite used the same strategy in Vegas a couple of years later, I (having kept the emails) sent them all back to the "Superfan" who promptly told me that "This was different"
It always is when it's your driver doing it.
Alan
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