The New Qualifying Format - Your Thoughts... (2 Viewers)

[Gutter Brain]

I am sort of leaning towards liking it.
Thinking of someone breaking a $5 part or something on Friday and not making it. Now they have a chance. Like yesterday, they could still get #1 if they run the number.
I think Karl summed it up pretty good. Basically 12 get in through Friday, then fill out the 16 with Saturday.
As has been mentioned, we know this will be brought back up as it gets warmer.

 

[Just Paul]

Torco Racing Fuel's Competition Plus.com - Drag Racing's Internet Magazine - NHRA QUALIFYING FORMAT 101

Good Read

 

[d'kid]

I'm just waiting for a couple of the 'little guys' to run personal bests on Friday night this summer and end up 13 and 14 and not make it in on Saturday, being bumped by a John Force or Capps/Ace who had a bad Friday...

Then It will really hit the Fan.... (didn't think you could take that several ways until I saw it on the screen)

d'kid

 

[Paul]

I like the new format. I think it allows for teams to have a legit shot at making the field on Saturday just in case a team has trouble on the Friday night session. The new format will not become a real difference maker until the weather is dramatically different on Saturday compared to the Friday evening session. The weather at Pomona seemed pretty consistent.

 

[__]

I haven't seen this new format in action long enough to decide. On Pomona qualifying specifically, my only thought is that TJ and the Monster car didn't get in... and that sucks.

 

[Dave]

In theory I like the new format. I took a buddy (huge Nascar guy) to Chicago last year. It was his first drag race. Saturday was just a tire smoking nightmare due to the heat. The 2nd session was slightly better than the 1st. However nobody that wasn't already in was going to run good enough in that heat to get in. I felt bad for him as there was no hope to see any realistic qualifying take place. This new format would give racers that opportunity. Heck it may even "favor" the little guy in heat conditions. It's a mindset change. You only qualify "12" on Friday so forget about "16" and who would have gotten in with the old format.

 

[none]

upon further review, I actually like it. It does just what it is supposed to do. To keep it simple, one way or another, the quickest runs on Saturday get in. In the summer, this makes sense on many levels. Teams will actually be concerned with running the best the track will hold.............It should make Saturday in the summer exciting again.
Tip o the hat to whomever came up with it

 

[Lori]

I am sort of leaning towards liking it.
Thinking of someone breaking a $5 part or something on Friday and not making it. Now they have a chance. Like yesterday, they could still get #1 if they run the number.
I think Karl summed it up pretty good. Basically 12 get in through Friday, then fill out the 16 with Saturday.
As has been mentioned, we know this will be brought back up as it gets warmer.

I am still not sure if I understand it. I never truly understood the countdown format to tell the truth!!
Does this new deal mean that Saturday's 4 fastest cars make it in if they were not in Friday's 12, and if they run faster than one of the Friday's 12, they take over that spot? Saturday times are a new ball game for that day unless a team runs a faster time than the provisional 12 on Friday?
Even Mike Dunn commented on confustion this morning on NHRA race day, so I don't feel so bad.

 

[Tim5636sc]

I am still not sure if I understand it. I never truly understood the countdown format to tell the truth!!
Does this new deal mean that Saturday's 4 fastest cars make it in if they were not in Friday's 12, and if they run faster than one of the Friday's 12, they take over that spot? Saturday times are a new ball game for that day unless a team runs a faster time than the provisional 12 on Friday?
Even Mike Dunn commented on confustion this morning on NHRA race day, so I don't feel so bad.

Torco Racing Fuel's Competition Plus.com - Drag Racing's Internet Magazine - NHRA QUALIFYING FORMAT 101

Paul Songas posted this earlier...it really does help. But in Mike Dunn's Defense, he has taken a few BANGED UP BLOWERS and quite a bit of Nitro in his system!

 

[Lori]

Torco Racing Fuel's Competition Plus.com - Drag Racing's Internet Magazine - NHRA QUALIFYING FORMAT 101

Paul Songas posted this earlier...it really does help. But in Mike Dunn's Defense, he has taken a few BANGED UP BLOWERS and quite a bit of Nitro in his system!

I have no defense.

 

[NHRADeuce]

That has to be the dumbest thing ever posted, after we do that, we can take the sponsors out of the equation, Is that what you want?

Pssst! Hey Alan! How about quote the whole statement before calling a statement stupid, huh?

What I said was -

However, there is no logical reason to run at night of you take the fans out of the equation.

This statement is 100% true. Obviously, we can't take the fan out of the equation, which was the whole point I am making. Getting rid of Friday night qualifying just isn't a possibility so something has to be done to keep qualifying from being a one round set it to kill affair. The new format should take care of the problem, let's give it a few races and see how it works out.

 

[PJ]

I would have preferred that they just take the top X amount from each day. Ok I would have preferred not counting Friday night towards qualifying. Have them run it for them fans, put special money up for the racers.

I think it will really stink when a 4.70 gets bumped for a 6 second pass later in the hot weather tracks. I also fear that on the saturday smoke fest sessions we will see more oil downs and down time. In the past if you smoked it you got off and coasted. Now we'll see people pedaliing it trying to get the fast 4 sat time.

 

[Larry]

Unless they hold another good air run Saturday Night for ballance then it's a good move.
Most of the season Saturday runs are a waste as far as qualifying in a fast field and even the announcers say what an uphill battle it is to Qualify on Saturday.

Even good cars qualify on Saturday after washing out Fri. , TJ did it this week but it's not the norm.

Most of the season Friday Night Qualifying is the benchmark .
Leaving four slots open for Saturday gives cash strapped racers a reason to run.

 

[none]

Brent,

On further review, that might have been a little harsh. But the new deal is all about giving the teams a chance on Saturday and the fans something to watch and cheer for. There were times least season that the Pro Stock bump was set on Friday night and the best run on Saturday by anybody wasn't good enough. And that sucks for everybody, drivers and fans alike. If the Friday night bump is 6.75 and on Saturday low E.T. is 6.78 then what are the fans getting to see?

There was one race last year, and I'm sorry but I don't remember which one, where Mike Ashley smoked em on Friday night. Then on Saturday Mike was low E.T. of BOTH rounds but was still a DNQ because the best the conditions would allow wasn't good enough to get in. When we get into the summer months this will make Saturday a much more enjoyable show for all concerned, a broken belt or a missed shift on Friday night won't be an automatic DNQ for the weekend.

Alan

 

[Nemo]

I think I'm going to like the change. To be honest I had trouble watching the Sat qual show because I knew in the summer that the passes would be "tune up" runs for sunday or 80 foot smoke then idle down. I'm excited to go to HPT and watch the Sat quals were before I would watch Friday night then head back to the RV as soon as we made our passes Sat and wait to be called back up. Same with the new countdown, wasn't real happy with last year, mainly the part they got rid of.

 

[none]

Brent,

On further review, that might have been a little harsh. But the new deal is all about giving the teams a chance on Saturday and the fans something to watch and cheer for. There were times least season that the Pro Stock bump was set on Friday night and the best run on Saturday by anybody wasn't good enough. And that sucks for everybody, drivers and fans alike. If the Friday night bump is 6.75 and on Saturday low E.T. is 6.78 then what are the fans getting to see?

There was one race last year, and I'm sorry but I don't remember which one, where Mike Ashley smoked em on Friday night. Then on Saturday Mike was low E.T. of BOTH rounds but was still a DNQ because the best the conditions would allow wasn't good enough to get in. When we get into the summer months this will make Saturday a much more enjoyable show for all concerned, a broken belt or a missed shift on Friday night won't be an automatic DNQ for the weekend.

Alan

The race in question was Joliet, Mike was also low et for the first round on Friday. That race is probably the reason for the changes to the qualifying format.

 

[Bobby]

I'm with you Karl. As a fan I LOVE to see nitro at night, there's nothing like it. However, there is no logical reason to run at night of you take the fans out of the equation. The conditions are no where near race day (in general) and it's much harder on the drivers and parts. I would bet that most teams would rather not run at night at all. I wouldn't even mind if they just ran Friday night and didn't count any of the times. Give everyone 3 rounds to qualify and 1 round to show off. That way the lower budget teams could save the $$$ and not have to set it to kill just to get in. Maybe offer some sort of bonus $$$ for fast runs on Friday night.

Take the fans out of the equation. Well have a good time finding sponsors after you take the fans out of the equation. I 'm so sick of this crap. I grew up on wednesday night funny car meets and I don't remember any of those men and I mean men whining about it. Deal with it nhra teams. Deal with it.

freaking whiners. how many chances do the nascar guys get to qualify? oh yeah, ONE.

seriously . This is pitiful.

where have you gone, Al Hofmann.

p.s didn't mean to be redundant Alan. I just went off when I read that. Hadn't gotten to your reply yet.

 

[Bobby]

This new system has got to be the most confusing aspect of drag racing. How can I explain it to someone new to drag racing when I don't even understand it?

Hopefully, this will be changed...like the 85% rule.

If they can't follow it, send em to nascar.
there's a lot about drag racing the average person doesn't get. holeshots, deep staging, handicap starts, why the faster speed doesn't always win...etc etc.
Not a reason to throw out a good idea.

 

[DG]

NASCAR? One Shot!

...and how many positions do they qualify?

... and how many Past Champions get to bump in?

...and how many top points leaders get to bump in?

...and how many etc., etc. etc.

How about just one round of side by side shoot out on Friday night and the eight quickest winners come back on Sunday? Dumb idea too, isn't it?

With rain, heat, cold, one lane race tracks, etc. across the year, this is at least an attempt to do something for anyone without a "fair" chance on Friday night. This will likely get changed over time. The new 2008 Top Ten end of year "game" isn't perfect, but it's better than last year!!

 

[NHRADeuce]

Brent,

On further review, that might have been a little harsh. But the new deal is all about giving the teams a chance on Saturday and the fans something to watch and cheer for. There were times least season that the Pro Stock bump was set on Friday night and the best run on Saturday by anybody wasn't good enough. And that sucks for everybody, drivers and fans alike. If the Friday night bump is 6.75 and on Saturday low E.T. is 6.78 then what are the fans getting to see?

There was one race last year, and I'm sorry but I don't remember which one, where Mike Ashley smoked em on Friday night. Then on Saturday Mike was low E.T. of BOTH rounds but was still a DNQ because the best the conditions would allow wasn't good enough to get in. When we get into the summer months this will make Saturday a much more enjoyable show for all concerned, a broken belt or a missed shift on Friday night won't be an automatic DNQ for the weekend.

Alan

That is exactly what I am talking about Alan. We agree, I think the new format is great and a vast improvement. I think everyone is misunderstanding my position. My point is that there is exactly one reason to run Friday nights - the fans. The teams dont' benefit anything by running then and as your example illustrates, it can really suck if you miss the kill setting by a hair. Obviously you can't take Friday night nitro away from the fans so you have to account for the rest of qualifying having significantly worse conditions in comparison. For kicks, I looked up the first 10 races of last year, here is what I found in TF-

1. Saturday qualifying was late, all but 3 drivers ran fastest in rd 4
2. lots of shuffling, 7 of top 16 did not improve
3. lots of shuffling, 5 of top 8 did not improve
4. rain Saturday
5. 1-4 set Friday night in spite of great conditions Saturday
6. 1-13 set Friday night, only 2 drivers improved #13 and #16
7. rain Friday
8. rain Friday night
9. 1-18 set Friday night
10. 1-15 set Friday night

7 races that had both days qualifying, of which 57% of the time the driver ran fastest on Friday night. And that's just Feb-Jun, you can bet that it gets worse in July and August.