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

Several B Mains... or the Alphabet?

I literally just watched a billion B Mains tonights.

None of them were fun to watch.  

Real E, D, C mains would be fun to watch though.   

Brandon McLain
United Sprint Car Series Driver
2014 Season
National Rookie of the Year!
National Points - 8th
Southern Points - 3rd
Asphalt Points - 3rd
18 Races, 3 Top 5's, 14 Top 10's

Depends on the field. A big show with lots of good cars that don't make the cut, give me twin B mains. Otherwise, the alphabet works just fine

I want cars to go fast in circles for 3-4 hours.  How they arrive at the final 24 for the A Main, inversions, event formats and that sort of thing don't mean much to me.  Whatever they do all the drivers have to make the cut to run the Main event.  Heats are usually hammer down spread out single file these days.  D and C Mains tend to see some agressive driving and a few reds and yellows.  The B Main is entertaining when the fast guys who had bad luck try to get into the A.  The A Main is the big show.  Any combination to arrive at the last race of the night is ok by me.  I'm not that demanding about the format of races.  

Stan Meissner

I prefer seeing E,D,C mains rather than multiple B mains.   There is usually a good competitor who has a bad heat race and they can make those races exciting.   And they just have to get to 4th or so to advance.    They don’t have to win it.     Keep that camera on the bubble !

But what about the Outlaws and the Non Qualifiers race ?     How do you feel about that format ?     I’d rather see another format such as more heat races.     I’m not a fan of the Non Qualifiers format even though it really isn’t that much different.

I'd be on board with this if they took more than 2 cars from a D and C main.  Very seldom does anyone not starting in the top couple of rows advance out of these.  That's one thing that makes the alphabet at the Chili Bowl somewhat tolerable.  A guy can start deep and have a chance to get to 6th or even 4th.  But to get to 2nd is almost impossible if you start back more than 2-3 rows.  I'd like to see the outlaws take 4 from their D and C.  It would give another couple of cars a realistic chance to move up.  It's still not likely to make a difference in the B but it would be possible.  

To clarify my casual attitude, a lot has changed since the 60's.  At some point I think most people just learn to roll with it unless they're among the competitors.  Then everybody wants to make the show and if they don't then the format was jacked.  That was the pit chatter as far back as I remember.  Formats and rules are great until they're not.  I pay to watch and do not get paid according to how anyone finishes.  If my favorite driver doesn't transfer that means they have to go back to the drawing board and make some improvements.  Simple as that.  

Stan Meissner

Alphabet. 

Can the larger tracks, 1/2mile, handle more cars? Could Knoxville handle 26, 28, 30? cars starting? 

Keep It Real

I wouldn't add more cars to the A.  I would just take a couple more cars from the D to C and C to B.  It shouldn't affect the track much if at all.  Rarely would it change who transfers from the B to the A but it might give some cars that got buried more hope and create a little more excitement in the semis.  

Outlaws just raced at Knoxville.    The feature on June 14 had 26 guys start.    Balog and Schuchart got provisional starting spots.     The feature on June 15 had 28 in the starting field.   Kofoid, Matt Juhl, Zearfoss, and Sawyer Phillips all got provisionals. 

Great question.  I respect (almost) every format I watch, and don't really have any complaints.  However, if given the chance to write my own format, as many have suggested, I would do the B, C, D, E, etc. and transfer more out of each main.  I would even consider transferring the top-6 from each main giving a better chance of running cars through the alphabet.  ??  Lock in top 18 for each main, and tag the rear with the 6 transfer cars.  

I'll watch whatever the tracks, promoters, drivers and series agree to run.  The only format I really can't stand is the King's Royal, but I'll watch that anyways. 

I was there both nights and remember hearing multiple guys taking provisionals. What would you think if the Nationals started 30? 

Keep It Real

Adding more cars to the A main does add for expense to the track. Keep the field to 24.

Gee I don't know more cars to pay maybe?

So you want the added cars to race for free? Or don't you realize the track pays the purse?

It seems like you are racing against Strawser for the last spot in the D main.

You are soooo damn dumb.

Well , one quick and easy fact is if the starting field is supposed to be 24 cars and there are 30 cars , usually the track pays some sort of tow money to the guys that didn't qualify, which is always less than what 24th place would pay .  I will use Port Royal Speedweay for example since they have their payoff in the rulebook. This is for a regular show.

24th spot pays $500. Tow money is $200. So if they would start them all , it would cost the track another $1800 . Which for a regular $20 addmission night , that would take 90 more fans in the stands to pay for that. Now if you want to use only pit pass money to figure out how much more it would take? At $35 for a pit pass for a regular show, it would take 51 people to pay for that $1800.

I don't know how much clearer I can explain it.

I may not be an expert , but I do know what I'm talking about.

I told you the reason I used Port Royal. It's because it's spelled out in the rule book . Which would make my numbers factual. Show me your facts and numbers where adding more cars to the field will not cost more. I can't wait for this one !

Don't waste your time, he's typing when he should be reading and learning.... 

The older I get the faster I was