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

As for qualifying for the A on Sat night yes the weekend is over.

As for having a decent night on the qualifying night, no it wasn't over for the 40-50 times when the invert was 10.

They got to start at the front of the heat race and if they could keep it straight and hold onto the top 4 for 10 laps they made the A on their qualifying night and took home some good money.

Now the guys that time 40-50 have exactly ZERO chance of making the A on their qualifying night and for all purposes need a wreck to take out a few cars just to get to start at the back of the B.

The 8 car invert in the heat races makes for less exciting heat races also. Those 2 slower cars on the front made it possible for the guys in the back to make some moves before the field got strung out.

I've never seen a squirrel take out half the field. I've seen guys that drive over their head trying to win the thing in the first corner take out themselves. That will still happen.

Rising fuel costs or not inverting 40 cars means that the car count will gravitate towards 40/night. There is no reason for those other guys to show up.

could take the wings off then they might have 100 cars.

It was Carl Wilson in 2008 from New Zealand who took out 7 of the 10 cars.

I suppose a driver from the front row of the heat does and often will make the feature. But I don't think many guys travel there to make the A in the Prelim.

I dunno, I pretty much agree with Kooks' post that only inverting 40 cars ends the week for anyone timing 41st on back. IMO, there are a lot of teams that go to the Nationals knowing they realistically are not going to make the A-main on Saturday night. But making a preliminary night feature at least allows those teams to get a decent payout to help offset the cost of attending.

That's where I see his point and I believe I admitted to it, if not I am now. I think making the A on Wed/Thu is worth 1000.

But also, a lot of the drivers from 41-50 aren't going to transfer anyway.

Here are the 20 drivers that missed heat inversion last year: Fred Rahmer, Chris Schmelzle, Phillip Mock, Jordan Goldesberry, Rob Kubli, Colin Entwisle, Kevin Ingle, Ty Bartz, Bruce White, Ron Krysl, Jonathan Cornell, Chris Shirek, Jared Ridge, Greg Wilson, Dustin Morgan, Matt Wasmund, Greg Nikitenko, Lee Jacobs, Todd King, Kim Mock.

Out of these drivers, unless they get an uncharasterically weak heat Rahmer, Cornell, Shirek, Wilson and Jacobs are the only drivers I see transfering. Granted, that's assuming the track is raceable, and unless it rains that night, it usually is come August.

Winner: Schatz. Biggest Surprise: Dobmeier. Disappointment: Brian Brown

Schatz ... Myers....Dollansky ..the top 3 ... not necessarily in that order.

S.H.S.

I also don't like the 8 car invert. My understanding from competition meetings is that the invert is only changed to 8 when car counts are so low there is worry that cars starting on the front row can't carry enough speed to avoid causing a wreck into 1. As it was explained to me, car counts about 110 or so will still end up with a 10 car invert because then the half dozen cars that everyone is worried about will not make the top 50 anyway. Perhaps Bill W. can confirm but I believe the 8 car invert is only temporary due to car counts around or under 100.

Besides, like someone said, it actually makes it more difficult for top qualifier to transer because without the "slower" cars backing up the field somewhat for the first couple laps, the cars starting up front when 8 is the invert are usually more able to match speed on an open track, the heats get more strung out, and the fast qualifiers simply can't run them down. I've seen more qualifying night B Mains in the last two years with 8 or 9 of the top 10 qualifiers than ever before. As soon as the big dogs realize this, they will complain and Knoxville will do one of two things. Make it a 6 car invert and totally piss off the fans, or move it back to 10 permanently.

to the question at hand

winner - Sammy

disappointment 1 - T-Mac (hasn't looked that strong all year at Knoxville)

disappointment 2 - only 1 Posse (Eastern PA) car makes A

Surprise 1 - 10 of these 12 Knoxville Regulars make the show (Lasoski, Zomer, Dobmeier, Brown, Heskin, Jeffrey, Droud Jr, Maeschon, Selvage, Schniederman, A-Mac & T-Mac who transfers from B)

11 if you count Kevin Swindell as a regular this year who will also trasnfer from B.

Surprise 2 - No one with the last name Kinser makes the A!

Ya last years Nationals sucked

No excitement to be found

10 car inverts would have made it a lot better right

Mike Brooks is going to blow them all away

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A healthy diet of dirt in my nachos and beer.

Both Big Game cars #15 #7s #9 in the top five. JMO but its anybodys race this year!!!!

Interesting ideas ... sounds as plausible as any others here ... always a surprise or two make the A  ... Jeffrey, Maeschon, Droud and A Mac would probably fall in that category.

S.H.S.

Droud wouldn't be a total surprise. He has qualified for 4 of them. Edit sorry, Started 7th finished 9th

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A healthy diet of dirt in my nachos and beer.

Dollansky has obviously been tough in recent weeks so I'll pick him. Schatz's record in the past 5 years tough to argue with, but even though he's bouncing around 1st and 2nd in points, no consistency. Will be hard to beat last year's race for excitement.

 Lawlessness and liberalism equals Hell.  NY City, 
Detroit, Seattle, Chicago, Minnepolis, etc. We saw it. 
Burning hundreds of buildings, a thousand assaults and 
dozens of murders. Getting worser and worser.

I agree he has been tough the last few years ...but the 47 team seems to have lost something this year ... dunno what it is ...but DDJ isn't the issue ... just something is missing this year .........so far. But maybe they'll find their 'mojo' back before Nats.

S.H.S.

I know what problem that use to be in the past but not a place to mention names.

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A healthy diet of dirt in my nachos and beer.

Hint please ... without using names if you wish, but we wonder what's going on this year?

S.H.S.