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

Every year seems to top the next and this one was no different. Awsome race and once again the track prep is second to none.

Nearly 200 cars, three days of racing and the track was perfect

Didn't it drop off 2 seconds in qualifying ? 

With 80 cars its impossible not to, Get rid of qualifying and and additional heats with passing points. 

Maybe group qualifying or hot lap times should be considered!

Recently I again attended the Knoxville Dirt Late Model Nationals.  This race weekend consists of two qualifying nights in which all 72  cars raced each night with their best point night amount being the one that was used to set the race line ups for the Sat. night final features (A-B-C-D).  What I thought was unique was how they handled qualifying.  Each night (all 72 cars) qualified-- three at a time and the first 36 cars were considered Group A and the next 36 cars were Group B. The cars in Group A were the cars in the first three heat races and the cars in Group B were the cars in the second three heat races.  There were 6 heats ( each12 laps long) with 12 cars in each heat.  They inverted 8 cars and took the top 3 finishers directly to that night's "A" main. With that many cars, I thought it was equitable the way they separated the cars into two groups of 36 cars and those 36 cars only raced (and were lined up and inverted) in the 3 specific heat races for their group.

A format like that would normally only be needed for nights when there were a large number of cars to be qualified-- liked the 72 cars for the Dirt Late Model Nationals and possibly for the Capatani Classic which drew 82 cars this year.

What do others think of this method to "even out" big fields of qualifiers on a dirt track?

Top 10 in points: 1) Kyle Larson, Elk Grove . . . 2. Jason Meyers, Clovis . . . 3) Rico Abreu, Rutherford . . . 4) Tim Kaeding, San Jose . . . 5) Kyle Hirst, Sacramento . . . 6) David Gravel, Watertown CT . . . 7) Jonathan Allard, Chico . . . 8) Shane Golobic, Fremont . . . 9) Roger Crockett, Medford OR . . . 10) Terry McCarl, Altoona IA. 

Damn I wish I had gone! Should have planned sooner. Just got back from great trip to Louisiana the previous weekend, kinda burnt out, but I should have gone to both....my credit card company seems to think I can afford it.....

I thought the pass Larson made on Friday night would be the talk. He came of the top of four where no one dares to go. He went there Sat and there was no room Sweet could not have imagened any one would be coming from behind with so much momentum I watched it on several cameras last night and the speed Larson carried into four cannot be appreciated on film. The thrill was watching Larson comming off four with his right rear wheel crushed, his tire tearing the body off, his wing sheading pieces, a trail of oil, and finally he just slid to a stop on the frame just past start finish with the field charging down on him. The picture was him standing on top of this bent and broken sprinter, trophy cup in one hand and a fist of victory in the air. All I could think of was if you have to leave us KL thanks for letting this old man see you off to your next adventure. I have seen the greats on dirt Foyt on down and they all make you trimble like this young man does 

Yep, but faster doesn't always mean better. The racing got "much" better as the track dried out. Saturday night the heat races were pretty much follow the leader while the track was heavy, very little passing. Once the dust started to fly the racing was 100% better. 

Johnny Gibson was there and tweeted his opinion on the last lap pass. Would love to know his opinion on the format.

If it ain't broke . . . . 

Best format in racing, best even of the year, best racing of the year, one of the best, raciest tracks I have been too.

This from a non-wing fan who has attended Pacfic Open (Ascot), Oval Nationals (Perris), Knoxville Nationals, SCRA Midwest Races, Eldora Historic Big One, Turkey Night (too many tracks too mention), HBO at Eldora, and Indiana Speed Week (USAC).

Saw my first one when Sweet and Swindell batteled it out (sammy thought he won, did victory donuts, and than someone had to tell him Sweet had beat him by a point-PRICELLESS.  Haven't missed one since, and do not plan too ever miss one if I can help it.

Yeah the track was off in qualifying, they missed it.  And the track was too heavy for the non-wings guys, and they had alot of flips, but overall the track was perfect for the mainevents all 3nights with lots of passing.  Been to way to many races where there is little passing at all in heat races.  Every heat race (other than non-qualifes) had passing.

One thing that gets forgotten, is how hard the drivers go every lap for every point.  The only other comparison would be Knoxville Nationals heat races.  It's really hard to put into words, how much harder the guys drive at this race everytime they hit the track.  No one ever rides in a comfortable spot at any time.  Hell Larson had it won, and still went for broke on the last lap.

Unless you see a Saturday night main at Trophy Cup, you will never understand how awesome this race is.  And I reiterate, I am a So CAL non-wing die hard fan from the 70's Ascot era who will never miss this event.  It kinda makes the USAC National races at Perris a little boring, and this one of the best races all year too.

PS Leave the fromat alone, IT WORKS.  They tried spreading it out over 3 nights one year, and it was great, but IHMO not as good as a condensed 2 day show.

But suggestions for qualifying, for the last 6 years, the track has been pretty equal in qualifying but this year.  Also they reduced the points in qualifying from 1 to .5.  If you made the top 48, you still had a chance to win it all.  How many other races can say that.  Hell, a guy who was outside the top 48, in the non qualifies race, made the A main on Saturday.

Maybe they could split the field into 40 and 40,  The first 40 are in there own class, and have a 2nd 40 qualify.  Kinda like Indy Car qualifying.

Bottom line, why do you want to mess with the best race format in racing.  Like any dirt race, your qualifying draw does play into the luck of the event.

Whatever Dave F. and staff want to do with the event, I AM FINE.  THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE.  (But I sure did like the change this year for qualifying, only .5 difference.  Maybe Knoxville should do the same  

I've been to all of them and I couldn't have said it any better than you have here. The Trophy Cups we have had at Tulare are I'm sure what will go down in history as some of the best ever. Just having witnessed history being made twice now with both TK and Larson winning both the cup and the A main finale makes all of it worthwhile.