Originally Posted by illiNOISE:
Not meaning to be critical here, as we got to see a very entertaining feature. But USAC's invert format needs to be tweaked when they have relatively short fields like they had last night. I don't want to suggest that anyone was gaming the system, but it sure seemed like a number of drivers were taking it kind of easy in their heats or the semi, knowing they would get their times back. The semi was a total formality, and one could tell most of the drivers weren't taking any chances, knowing they would get their times back. And why spend the better part of a half-hour debating whether or not to run the semi? You only had 26 cars sign in, just go ahead and start everyone. I know they wanted to give Hendrick and Gulick time to get their cars put together after their flips. Fine, but rather than tick off the fans in the stands by making them wait 30 minutes wondering why the !@#$ the semi still isn't in the push off chute, go ahead and announce to everyone that's the plan, and have the announcer fill some time.
The front row was the 12 and 14 qualifiers because the B cars did not get their times back. If they did that on purpose they are either genuises, or extreme risk takers. I thought the show was run off pretty quick considering the amount of reds, and the time it takes to restart cars on a half mile. After the Gulick crash, I would have been very surprised if he would have ran even if the car was ready, as he took a couple of pretty good shots. I thought it was a pretty good night.