Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

I just saw dale Blaney commenting on the new All Stars program format that doesn't emphasize qualifying as much?

I looked on the website but didn't see anything.

What is the new format?  

qualify with heat

RPaulson,

Do you mean that they qualify for heat line up, and then their finish in the heat determines where they line up for the feature? qwualifying time has nothing to do with feature line up?

Please clarify, thank you!

I hope so. This would make the heats much more interesting. Way too much cruising goes on IMO. 

Does this mean there is no longer a dash...Please please please no dash

The All Stars have a new format for this season. In time trials, a car is only attempting to outperform the other drivers in their qualifying group for heat-race lineup. The top two in each heat race and the top two from overall time trials advance to a dash. The dash will use a grudge draw to determine the lineup. How the drivers finish the dash is how they line up the feature. The remained of the feature, as well as the B and C Mains will be lined up by heat finish.

Are the heat races inverted? I would assume not but just wondered 

No heat races wont be inverted. This is great. Takes the luck of the draw and importance of qualifying out of it. Now nobody is out of it if they have a horrible qualifying time.

Heat races invert is 4.  also 5 heats if car count is over 41

So if you crash in your heat you start last in the B even if your top ten qualifying? Wow

Be interesting to see how this goes.  I like that you are only time-trialing against others in your heat race, but that also tells me that the draw is more imporatant than ever.

Let's say they have 40 cars at an event and these 10 cars all are stuck in the same qualifying group:  Blaney, Kemenah, Holtgraver, Shaffer, Hannagan, Darrah, Wilson, Smith, S. Kinser and Helms.  They may be the top 10 in overall time trials, yet only 5 of them are going to the feature and odds are, at most 6 of them will make the feature.   Now, is it possible that even with the old format they'd all end up in the same heat race?  It's possible.

This seems like a band-aid tyring to cover up the fact that track prep at most tracks (NOT ALL) is really lacking in having a pretty decent surface for the duration of time trials.

With the old format, if you crashed or slipped up in qualifying you stated last in your heat, b and the a.

grudge or revenge draws SUCK!

Ya but qualifying is only you on the track. In a heat your at the mercy of other cars that might put you in a bad position and you could see your 3rd fastest car in a C main. will make it interesting for sure. 

No format is perfect. Attica does a pill draw or group qualifying for local shows, and the racing is the best around. Just because you turn fast qualifying laps, doesnt mean you should be able to walk your way to the dash in the heat race.

Exactly...the stupidest thing ever associated with racing.

Whatever entertains the fans. 

Count me as not entertained by a revenge draws either.  A lot of these guys are racing for a living.  All are spending a lot of money and trying to win some back.  I don't like putting them in that position.  Just draw numbers like ASCS or draw an invert like WoO does.  Either way is better than this in my opinion.

Actually, that would be group qualifying.

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The Aussies have it right in some events. No qualifying but two heats. Invert the inside row for the second go round and send the inverted outside row to a different group so the field is different for all heats. Passing points apply. In the end, top 6 in points either then qualify against the clock for starting spots or they do a pole shuffle to determine top x amount of rows. It's incredibly entertaining to watch and even the boring "draw" or "invert x amount of cars" do not apply.

If I have my druthers, I'd run this show every week at our place, but with five divisions most weeks, it's a pipe dream.

For what it's worth, speedway racing in Australia is well governed and drivers have to answer for questionable events on and off track. Licenses are issued and infractions are written in a log book the driver has to produce, not sure if it's at sign up or on demand.

I'd watch Aussie racing every day of the week.- Ron