Okay. I’ve voiced my displeasure with the USAC format before but thought I atleast understood it finally until tonight. Per their rule book “ In the event of over 36 cars in competition with a standard format, a split-qualifying format would be in effect. Cars in group one qualify into the first two heats, with cars in group two filling into the last two heats. From there, a standard format is followed with the overall qualifying seeds being meshed, with the group including fast time taking all odd positions.” Tonight quick time was in flight 2. Nienhauser, Thomas jr, and Thorson didn’t make it out of their heat so how is it that Cummins starts 12 and not front row?

The first three rows of the feature are made up of the fastest **SEEDED** 6 cars that transferred out of the heat races (in inverted position):

ROW 1: McDougal (10th quick) - Swanson (9th quick)
ROW 2: Mihocko (8th quick) - Seavey (4th quick)
ROW 3: Windom (3rd quick) - Jones (2nd quick)

You then line up the heat winners by **SEEDED** qualifying time. Swanson & MacDougal were in the fastest 6 already so you just have Bacon & Ballou:

ROW 4: Ballou (20th quick) - Bacon (23rd quick)

Now you take the remainder of the heat transfers along with the transfers from the semi and line them up by **SEEDED** qualifying time:

ROW 5: Thorson (quick time) - Thomas, Jr. (5th quick)
ROW 6: Pretorius (6th quick) - Cummins (11th quick)
ROW 7: Rogers (13th quick) - Grant (14th quick)
ROW 8: Leary (16th quick) - Meseraull (17th quick)
ROW 9: Johnson (18th quick) - Bodine (19th quick)
ROW 10: Sussex (21st quick) - Mattox (22nd quick)
ROW 11: Stockon (27th quick) - McIntosh (30th quick)

“With the group taking fast time taking ALL odd positions” does not read in anyway what you posted. As well as you stating “fastest 6”. Mcdougal qualifying time tonight 12.010 Cummins 11.983

Thorson was the fastest overall in Qualifying Flight 2 so he becomes (for lineup purposes) quick time. The fastest in Qualifying Flight 1 becomes 2nd quick, 2nd fastest in Qualifying Flight 2 becomes 3rd quick, 2nd fastest in Qualifying Flight 1 becomes 4th quick, etc.

Their actual qualifying time does not matter for lineup purposes. It is the position in which they qualified in their qualifying flight.

Thanks for the clarification Sandy. I don't mean for this thread to be argumentative or anything of the sorts just making a point on something I feel majorly needs changed. I'm a licensed engineer with many years of extra schooling and would have never deciphered the rule book the way you did. My point is two fold, I feel that the USAC format puts entirely too much emphasis on qualifying and now when there's more than 36 cars or more you fighting luck of the draw as well. I also feel that this format is very unconducive to new and younger fans. Explaining this format and keeping up with it through the night for a younger fan or someone who hasn't been to many races (or even apparently someone who has been to 100's now in myself) is very difficult. I'm sure nothing will change as USAC seems to stick to their guns most of the time but I for one feel like change is needed and would be well received by both fans and drivers.

The old format was nice and simple. The new, confusing (I don’t even try to understand it) format is all about keeping the regulars in the money. Same reason they went to 6 car heat inverts. Not as good of a show for fans but keeps the teams happy.

Thanks for this thread. I can't understand it either. Of late I have been taking some new comers to races and it is futile for me to try and explain the format.

I've pretty much given up on trying to explain it to anyone new I take or watch with (which is a lot of people). I pretty much just tell them, it's really complicated and if you don't qualify real good your night becomes nearly impossible to which the majority respond why is 2 qualifying laps so important compared to the entire night of racing which I have no reasonable explanation for.

At least they don't put the fast qualifiers on the front row, then run a dash or 2 to line up the feature. That is a format that puts all emphasis on qualifying.

It won’t matter anyway. USAC doesn’t pay enough and all of their stars are going wing racing so it’ll be defunct in the next year or two. Prolly won’t even need the two flight system next year …or so i’ve been told the last 10+ years running up until this year. Sorry, couldn’t help myself.

Personally, the current system is fine with me. But it’s by far my most followed series so i’m use to it and there’s bound to be a little bias in there i’m sure.