Indiana Open Wheel - Usac: Usac national rule changes and enforcements for 2020

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Re: Usac: Usac national rule changes and enforcements for 20

Quote:

Originally Posted by WinglessLovers (Post 524919)

For the most part the changes by USAC are good moves in the right direction and I agree with Jerry that the one with the heat winners starting seventh through tenth give an added incentive especially to someone who may not time trial well. The only change I do not like is moving the lap cars to the rear on every restart. My feelings are that the leader has worked hard to get by these other guys and put some distance between himself and his pursuers and you reward the chasers by taking away his hard work and move them back to his tail tank. Doesn't seem fair to me if you are the leader of the pack.

Bruce Eckel

Putting the lap cars to the back anytime during a feature is completely wrong.

Free pass to any racer who has not earned it, is nothing more than a disgrace to the sport, gimmick racing and a phony finish to a race is all that this does. For the leader and the other cars who have driven and made the moves to get to the front and have it taking away like this makes you wonder what type of leadership the series has in place to even implement a rule like this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by racefan20 (Post 524925)

Pretty sure the previous rule was move lapped cars to the back only with 5 or less laps to go.

I believe you are correct. How ever not all “late race caution “ come inside that time frame. If a caution come out with 7,8,9 to go this could lead to a lot better finishes if lappers weren’t involved. especially at a place like Haubstadt that is so hammer down the lead car is gone

Re: Usac: Usac national rule changes and enforcements for 20

Quote:

Originally Posted by revjimk (Post 524927)

So who are the first 6?
Fast qualifiers who made it thru heats, or can a B-Main guy still start ahead of heat winner?

The first six are the six fastest qualifiers that transfer through the heats. If 3 heats have to finish fifth or better to get time back. If four heats has to be forth or better.

The best you can start running the B-main is now 11th.

Re: Usac: Usac national rule changes and enforcements for 20

Quote:

Originally Posted by admin (Post 524902)

1/23/20 11:37 AM USAC NATIONAL RULE CHANGES AND ENFORCEMENTS FOR 2020

http://usacracing.com/news/silver-cr...ments-for-2020

http://usacracing.com/media/k2/items...354d488d_S.jpg

USAC NATIONAL RULE CHANGES AND ENFORCEMENTS FOR 2020

Speedway, Indiana (January 23, 2020)………USAC has announced rule changes and enforcements to be utilized beginning with the 2020 season for the USAC Silver Crown Champ Car, AMSOIL National Sprint Car and NOS Energy Drink National Midget series.

*

ALL DIVISIONS:

In Silver Crown, National Sprint and National Midget competition, lapped cars will be sent to the tail of the field for all restarts during the feature event.

All radius rods must be one piece on cars for the Silver Crown, National Sprint and National Midget divisions in 2020.* No spring rods or shock dampers will be allowed.

*

SILVER CROWN:

The weight rule for Silver Crown has been increased to 1,675 pound minimum, with driver. *Rules regarding added weight for aluminum blocks will remain the same.

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AMSOIL NATIONAL SPRINT CARS:

Split qualifying will be retained for 2020.* In the event of more than 36 cars in attendance, qualifying will be split into two flights.* Cars will only qualify against other cars in their flight and fill heats 1-2 or heats 3-4. *For lineup purposes, the fastest qualifier in the slower flight will be considered the #2 seed.* That will continue through the field and be used to grid feature lineups. Qualifying points will be awarded to the overall fastest six.

For the feature lineup, positions 7-10 will be filled by the heat race winners in order of heat races.* If a car in the top-6 feature invert wins a heat race, the available spots 7-10 are filled by qualification order of cars qualified for the feature event.

If there are 30 cars or less, three heat race events will be conducted.* If there are 31 or more cars in attendance, four heat races will be conducted.

The weight rule for Sprints has been increased to 1,375 pound minimum, with driver.

*

NOS ENERGY DRINK MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP:

In the National Midget division, no split qualifying will be held.

For the feature lineup, positions 7-10 will be filled by the heat race winners in order of heat races.* If a car in the top-6 feature invert wins a heat race, the available spots 7-10 are filled by qualification order of cars qualified for the feature event.

If there are 30 cars or less, three heat race events will be conducted.* If there are 31 or more cars in attendance, four heat races will be conducted.

*

I want to point something out. USAC raised the min weight on both the Sprint Cars and Silver Crown cars. However, quite a few years ago they changed the min weight for Midgets from 900lbs car only to 1050lbs with driver. Then just a couple years back lowered that to 1035lbs with driver. I ask why? Using logic this tells me now that your average driver in USAC is supposed to weigh 135lbs? Really?

By comparison POWRI stuck with the 1050lbs weight rule and Badger is at 1100lbs with driver. USAC seems to be forcing Midget teams to spend more and more money on carbon fiber, titanium, etc just to keep up (and possibly run an illegal Chili Bowl chassis outdoors with a cage less than .095. I often wonder how many teams may be doing this and never get caught?). The average person does not weigh 135lbs or even 150lbs! According to the CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/body-measurements.htm), the average weight of a male in the US is 197.8lbs and 170.5lbs for a woman! Wouldn't you think you could take the average of those two or even just go with the average weight of a woman as your guideline and make the rule 1070lbs with driver?

Re: Usac: Usac national rule changes and enforcements for 20

Quote:

Originally Posted by WinglessLovers (Post 524919)

So, do you want to watch one car run away with the race or do you want to watch competetive cars fight for the lead? The number of lapped cars between the leader and 2-3-4 is a constantly changing dynamic that is just a function of when the yellow is thrown. Get the slower cars out of the way and let the faster ones put on a show fighting for the lead.

Lapped cars and traffic are part of racing.

I dislike putting lappers the back but at least it’s not double file restarts, that is the worst

Re: Usac: Usac national rule changes and enforcements for 20

If lapped cars are moved to the back during a yellow, do the cars that advanced earn passing points even though they didn't really pass that car. Does this effect the hard charger award or is that awarded from starting spot to finishing spot?

Re: Usac: Usac national rule changes and enforcements for 20

It's unfair to keep the lap cars in the order, not the other way around. Under green both the leader and 2nd and further back are all in traffic. Yes if the leader passes a few lap cars more than 2nd I see some argument for they earned those cars by passing them; but by bringing out the caution you are giving the leader clear track (taking him out of traffic) and giving him a car or 2 between himself and 2nd in those instances. That advantage is too large for the leader.
Nothing is worse than watching 2 guy go back and forth in traffic only to have a yellow and a car put between the leaders because it just so happened on the lap before the yellow the scored leader had just nipped a lapper at the line. (Saw this more than once, though I'll admit not a norm.)
If the leader can't take advantage of clear track alone, that's driver error or a fading car that didn't deserve to win. {These things aren't aero sensitive like wing cars, thank God, but open track to run your line and a little air on your nose are definite advantages}

Re: Usac: Usac national rule changes and enforcements for 20

Quote:

Originally Posted by sw1911 (Post 524940)

The new rule moves lap cars to the rear on "every" restart. Do you feel that is fair to the guy who has put distance between himself and the rest of the field by passing more cars?? If the driver and car are stronger than the rest of the field why should they be penalized by removing the lap cars?? If the others are fast enough they would work their way through the lap traffic and track down the leader. This causes excitement also by them picking off cars and drawing closer to the leader. To me the leader deserves his reward of passing the lap cars and having them as a cushion. Not every race is going to be a barnburner as sometimes one car is superior to all the others. Don't reward the chasers for something that they have not earned.

Bruce Eckel