Usac: Usac national rule changes and enforcements for 2020
 

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Over the years USAC has been pretty much set in their ways, as far as their format is concerned. While watching single car qualifying on a dirt track (especially on the Action Track, to me) is one of the greatest things in motorsports, the downside has always been that it pretty much sets the lineup in stone, no matter how hard a driver races in their heat. The exception being the change made in recent years that excluded B Main transfers from the invert. Several of these changes announced today are landmark ones, as far as I'm concerned. Ones that will have an immediate effect on the quality of the program. Especially the rule guaranteeing the worst a heat race winner can start in the feature is 10th. The driver that just so happened to have a bad qualifying attempt isn't necessarily buried all night long. There is a now a way they can redeem themselves and put themselves in a much better situation. It adds a whole new dynamic and and another dimension to the heat races. And the alternate seeding of qualifying flights makes the concept of 2 different flights make perfect sense now and is a true compensation for changing track conditions during the qualifying session.

Bravo, USAC. I think you've made some changes that will make the racing even better.

Jerry

I was hoping to see them go back to 8 car inverts in heats especially on half miles where the heats haven't been that good. Also, I think the cut off for 4 heats should be 28 cars instead of 30. I'd rather see 4, 7 car heats than 3, 9 car heats especially when they only invert 6. The 9th and 10th cars might as well not even be out there.

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

I generally like these changes. Also puts a lot of emphasis on a heat race win especially if you didn't qualify well.

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

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

Like most of it, but fans deserve more than 3 heats. 28 is the right number, particularly since most races are now on tracks less than 1/2 mile

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

Plus for those of you that were at Haubstadt when Mario Clouser unlapped himself after caution was amazing. That woulda never happened if he was moved to the back. Now I believe that there were around 10 laps or so to go, but just ask Dave Darland who saw how Clouser was running and followed suit. Turned out pretty good for Dave I'd say. Tough decision, we all want to see good racing,

I have mixed feelings on the lap cars. I agree it’s only fair if the leader worked past them everyone else should to but also like the point that it will probably lead to closer finishes. Also a thumbs up on the heat race winners from me

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

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

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

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?

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

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.

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
 

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
 

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
 

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
 

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

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

As a driver who has been in this situation as a lapped car I like this rule, it allows me more freedom to race for position with the other lappers and not be a factor for the lead lap cars.

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

I don't think you were asking me, but I'll go.
Yes, I think it's fair because giving the leader clean air/track plus lap cars is too big an advantage. He may have "earned" those cars but he didn't earn that clean air. You have to take one away.

If you have the best car and are given clean track and find a way to mess it up you didn't earn that win.

Yes under green when 2 cars are working lapped traffic and one is closing in, or even when they go back in forth amongst other cars that is the definition of excitement in racing. But how is it fair to take one of those cars out of lapped traffic while keeping the other in lapped traffic. The advantage of being the leader becomes too large. A yellow will almost always hurt someone, I think taking lap cars out makes a takes the weight out of who is advantaged and disadvantaged. Leader gets to fire first and have clean track, 2nd place has no direct obstacles between him and the leader firing off. That's an ok trade.
And as I argue, the leader is getting his rewards by being given clean track, setting the pace, and deciding where the race restarts (within some reason of the rules). Having lapped traffic added into that mix was too much of an advantage in the general case. IMO

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

Candidate for Post of the Year

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

Hey guys, under the current rules, once the green waves for the restart and the field comes back around don't the lapped cars get shown the move over flag anyway? Even before that, most of the lapped cars aren't going to be trying to hold up the lead lap cars. That's just asking for a visit in the pits later from a disgruntled 5th-place finisher who thinks it's your fault (maybe with good cause) that he didn't pull off that 4-car slide job for the win...

Why no weight increase for the midgets? They raised it for sprint and silver crown.

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

Thanks!:23:

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

I can see both sides of this. Yes, if leader has to pass lappers, 2nd should too... BUT, moving lappers to the back clears the field for leader but not 2nd.
Moving lappers back promotes better competition between 1st & 2nd?
I can't decide.... no perfect solution, unless cars are placed exactly where they were at time of accident, which obviously isn't gonna happen

as we all know,usac knows best.so this thread is pointless.

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

As someone mentioned, lapped cars are part of racing. Having the fastest car is what racing is all about. Why punish a team for having a fast car by taking the lappers out. Getting into traffic and finding your way though it is not easy and it shouldn't be negated. As a fan I suppose it may make things more interesting but really it isn't fair. Smells almost as bad as participation trophies.

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

A lot of things are not fair. Letting the 2nd place car or any car in the race start on the tail tank of a car that had a straight away lead is not fair. As stated making a car who had a good battle going with another back marker start almost a lap behind the those they ware battling with taking away their chance to advance the rest of the race is not fair. Moving the car the leader was struggling to get around letting 2nd and 3rd to catch up him 3/4th of a lap out of his way is not fair. Maybe with things going as they are trending in our sport we should make the decisions like these based on what is best for the future of the sport. Someone will always loose an advantage no matter what is decided, maybe the one that puts more "casual" and rabid race fans in the stands is the fairest decision for all in the long run.

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

Wait, what i said doesn't make sense: "moving lappers to the back clears the field for leader but not 2nd." What was i thinking???? :14:

Most people probably don’t realize this but each of these rule changes were voted on at the competition meetings. These are the things that were approved by each team. Anyone who races with USAC full time or part time can attend or call into these meetings and vote. While USAC may not do everything right. I feel as if the communication between teams and the series has been much better handled since Levi Jones has came onboard.

Why can’t all midget racing organizations at least have the same minimum weight w/ driver rule?!!!!
This is just stupid and shameful.