Originally Posted by revjimk (Post 553576)

Captain Funk said, "I think you have to get in the top 5 to start up front".... anyone know for sure? That would make more sense than totally meaningless heats... couldn't find the answer on USAC website...
I actually like the "handicap by points" idea. Thats the way it was back in the early 60s when I started going to dirt track races. But the cars were all home built & different back then (modified coupes)....Smokey Stover won 22 out of 24 features in 1962 at Eastside Speedway, starting from the back! His car was WAY faster than the rest, obviously. Not sure that would work nowadays...

Originally Posted by BrentTFunk (Post 553581)

Yes top 5 in the heats get their time back. Others start behind them. Hard to handicap a national show, when guys may have never ran with the group before. Doubt you would see many new faces if they all had to start every race in the back.

Originally Posted by TQ29m (Post 553578)

I always prefer to qualify, even with it's disadvantages, it gives me one more trip, by myself, to see if my setup is close, if done correctly, it only adds a few more minutes to what a good night, could be. In our heyday, we had as high as 50+ cars in the pits, and many a night we might have at least 6 heats, and 2 hooligans, and still a lot went home with no place to race, making a 16 car feature was almost impossible. The only seat time they got was the trip there and back, not much to write home about!