[illiNOISE]

First off, kudos to USAC for bringing the cars and stars of the Thunder and Lightning Division to the STL area last night. Great show last night in both classes.

That said, I feel a better job could've been done explaining USAC'S rather unique format. Having seen several USAC shows in Indiana, I more or less get the format, and how qualifying position follows drivers all night. But it was never really explained very well over the P.A. There had to be a lot of folks scratching their head seeing Dave Darland have to run a B Main, yet start fifth row in the feature, while Brandon Mattox finished 2nd in his heat, only to have to start in the next to last row in the A Main.

I know some will argue that this is USAC's traveling circus, and "When in Rome, do as the Romans Do." But how hard is it to take 60-90 seconds to explain basic format when contesting races in alien territory? Heck, with the cap on crowd size, a paper copy of the format could've been provided to nearly every fan that walked thru the gate.

Again, not meaning to split hairs, because it was one heck of a show last night.

[oppweld]

Dave was fourth quick time. He got his time back but could not start any closer than row 4.

[illiNOISE]

Originally Posted by oppweld Dave was fourth quick time. He got his time back but could not start any closer than row 4.

Yeah, again, having plenty of previous exposure to USAC, I personally get that. But how many local fans in the stands would have? Around here, when qualifying, heats are usually straight up, with a progressive format from heat results to semis/features. (like how the UMP A Modifieds ran last night.)

I'm not arguing the pros/cons of either approach; I just think a series format should be explained so the paying fans have some sense of what's going on.

[revjimk]

Originally Posted by illiNOISE Yeah, again, having plenty of previous exposure to USAC, I personally get that. But how many local fans in the stands would have? Around here, when qualifying, heats are usually straight up, with a progressive format from heat results to semis/features. (like how the UMP A Modifieds ran last night.) I'm not arguing the pros/cons of either approach; I just think a series format should be explained so the paying fans have some sense of what's going on.

I've been watching sprint cars for a mere 10 years, much less than a lot you folks, & i still have to look up formats for all the different groups. It finally sunk in that in USAC, the fastest 6 who qualified thru heats are inverted up front. But I still forget how they line up everybody else... straight up by qualifying, right? Bugs me that guys from the B can start ahead of heat qualifiers, but we've debated that before

[addictedtodirt]

Wasn't the format changed this season for feature line up? Thought I saw that somewhere in the off season.

[dstensland]

Fastest 6 cars that make it into feature by finishing in top 4 of their heat are inverted in the first 3 rows of the feature with fastest car starting 6th.

The heat winners occupy spots 7-10 if not one of the fastest 6 cars. This is new this year.

The remainder of the field is straight up based on qualifying results.

The format is slightly altered if qualifying field is divided into 2 flights because car count is greater than 36. 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 together, with the group including fast time taking all odd positions in the feature lineup. The other group will occupy even starting positions in the feature.

Cars making the show thru the B main get their time back but cannot start any better than the last car who occupies a heat winner designated starting spot.

[Jonr]

I think that it is a very good suggestion. Especially at a track that does not see a lot of USAC racing but does see a lot of different sanctioning bodies come through.

Also, I hate when the B main contestants get their time back. Almost as much as I hate the passing points mystery of a person finishing 3rd in a heat race is in the B main, but the person who finished 4th is in the A main.

[oldfan49]

Heck it's not that rare around here to win your heat race and not make the A. I never could understand the reasoning in that. We also get treated regularly to several weak heats and one loaded heat with Vegas style lineups. A bad pill draw make make or break a night. At least the Sprint Bandits had Qualifiers so you got to see some quality races before the feature, wish more tracks would do that weekly especially with the low car counts.

As for the USAC format I like it. I go to see a race and to me being fast everytime you roll on the track is what racing is about. you have to hang it all out every lap. Putting the elbows up for 2 laps should mean something when you go to watch the best of the best. And no format produced the quality of heat lineups every race every night. And on the occasion when a local stands toe to toe with the stars of USAC the fans and even other local teams go wild because every one is seing something special.
I have no issue with getting the time back because the heat format makes making the invert damn hard. Remember you want to see them make it to the front to battle and they have 6 heavy hitters at least in front of them every night, you don't luck ionto the invert. . Plus when they came to a place where we see them so few times most fans pay to see the stars battle and it puts excitement into qualifying.

[revjimk]

Originally Posted by dstensland Fastest 6 cars that make it into feature by finishing in top 4 of their heat are inverted in the first 3 rows of the feature with fastest car starting 6th. The heat winners occupy spots 7-10 if not one of the fastest 6 cars. This is new this year. The remainder of the field is straight up based on qualifying results. The format is slightly altered if qualifying field is divided into 2 flights because car count is greater than 36. 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 together, with the group including fast time taking all odd positions in the feature lineup. The other group will occupy even starting positions in the feature. Cars making the show thru the B main get their time back but cannot start any better than the last car who occupies a heat winner designated starting spot.

"The heat winners occupy spots 7-10 if not one of the fastest 6 cars. This is new this year"
That is a great improvement! Otherwise, at events like Eastern Storm where everybody makes the feature, heats seem kind of meaningless...

[Rpracing1]

Don't let anyone fool you. Only two people actually know how the format works and their lips are sealed. Anyone tells you otherwise just shake your head and agree with them and watch the race.

Trying to explain the format to the gen. population would just further confuse the issue.