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

https://www.knoxvilleraceway.com/Article/2148/austin-mccarl-dominates-for-first-knoxville-triumph-in-season-opener

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@BillWMedia
www.OpenWheel101.com

Congratulations on Austins first win on a chilly opener.Hard to beleive what a diiference the lead cars have in clean air as Tatnell and Terry were 2nd and 3rd.On the road  home by 9.30.Several top cars at I-55 where 3rd place paid $3200 compared to $4000 to win at Knoxville..There is more difference between  the top 305 car and rest of field than you would expect for crate motors.

Congrats to AMac he did everything right. But when will Knoxville catch up to the times? What is the point of qualifying if all you have to do to get a front row in the heat race is qualify worse than half of the field and then you get another front row in the A main? Surely it's time to have a look at the system the cars are too equal and clean air is a big advantage ! If all you have is 22 cars then it has to be that the fast timers are not at such a disadvantage, otherwise scrap qualifying, draw the 1st heat and fully invert a second heat and make it more interesting for everyone. The way it is now there is no way I'd make an effort to qualify well. Time for a new system Knoxville this one was built for 20 years ago !! 

The format is not that easy. They take points from qualifying and the heat race and add them up. The top 8 cars now get a chance at an invert. They  have a 0,4,6  or 8 pill that go into a bag and one gets drawn. 

Like Dickie said, points are accumulated.  The accumulation of points is similar to how the Nationals points system works (200 for quick time, drops by 2... 100 for winning a heat race, drops by 3).  The top 8 in points after qualifying/heats lock into the invert re-draw.  Unless you're scoring along, I agree that it's not easy to know exactly who the top 8 are that are locked into the invert re-draw.  They could maybe use the 'Mobile App Exclusives' section of the app to provide live points for the weekly shows (similar to what they do during Nationals).  That would help.  No format is perfect. This one's not bad, IMO.   

FYI, the invert was eight...

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constructive, it isn't me! 
@BillWMedia
www.OpenWheel101.com

Knoxville 305's are not a spec engine.

1. Displacement – 316 cubic inches (maximum bore of .060 over on 305 blocks.)  
2. Blocks: Any approved OEM or aftermarket cast iron 305 blocks.  No lightning of block. 
3. Pistons: Flat top pistons. Valve relief piston is acceptable. 
4. Crank: Stock Chevrolet cast-iron or steel crank; 3.480 or 3.500 strokes. No knifeedging or drilling, except to balance. No lightweight crankshafts  
5. Rods: Any steel rod. Oil pan inspection hole required to view rods.   
6. Drive: Any front drive allowed.  
7. Muffler:  mufflers are mandatory.  Schoenfeld part # 14272735-78.    
8. Cam/Tappets: Flat-tappet cam, no rollers, no mushroom, no radius type tappets.   
9. Oil Pump: Wet sump or dry sump allowed.  
10. Rockers: Roller rockers allowed, pedestal mount only 3/8" or 7/16" stock or screw in studs or bolt mount rockers. No solid shaft rocker systems. 
11. Valve Train: May run stud girdles, but no rev kits allowed. No Titanium Valves, Titanium valve retainers are allowed. 
12. Lifter Boxes: May be machined or bushed for repositioning, alignment and straightening of lifter box.
There are more rules but for some reason I can't copy and paste them like I did these.

 

Thanks for helping me make my point Bill W. An 8 invert on a 22 car field is wrong. In my opinion an 8 invert should never happen in 2018 but if it has to, it should be on a 40 car field. On a small field it should never be more than 4. 

Why, so the fast guys can start even closer to the front? I like the way knoxville sets it up. One week it could be a 4 invert, next an 8, next a 6, etc. Lets face it, with an 8 invert, even if a guy like Brown or Madsen starts 8th, they will likely find their way to the front.

I for one, am a strong believer, that if you have proven to be fast all night, by timing up front and running up front in your heat, you shouldn't just be given the pole, it should be hard. Its some of the toughest weekly competition in the country, granted they missed a couple because of the outlaws in MO. 

I dont think it should be changed. It works out for everyone with an 8 invert. You have guys that are consistently in the 6, 7, 8 range, and it gives them a chance. if there was a 4 invert every week, you would have they guys that are consistently in the 6-8 range, that will never have the chance at the front row. Its nice to see A. Mccarl, Juhl, Heskin, etc, have a shot of starting on the pole. Not saying they don't have a shot based on points alone, those are just a couple guys that I see that are good, and average that 6-8th in points range, that would barely miss the bubble. 

If you want to win, you should have to work for it, and this is all coming from a driver himself, who would give anything to start on the pole lol. But as a fan, I don't want to see someone like Brian Brown, or Terry McCarl, or Lasoski, start top 4 at knoxville every week.