Originally Posted by Kirk Spridgeon:
Big-time auto racing qualifies. Drawing is fine if you want to watch a local sprint car show or something, but when the best guys are there and a national championship is on the line, I want to see those guys qualify. And the funny thing about it is that the good guys step up. And when they don't, they acknowledge that they screwed up.
I often times end up seriously disappointed with draw shows, but the qualifying shows always give you a good product when there are enough cars. Agreed that those meaningless heat races can be bad, but the best thing about a USAC show is the fully-inverted heat race where only four cars transfer!
Getting around a lot more than I do. I respect your view. I don't necessarly agree with it. Expecially when it's geared to be EXCLUSIVE instead of INCLUSIVE. Probably 3/4 of the non wing tracks don't qualify. So a guy trys to make a USAC show and is stuck in a Non qualifiers right off the bat that is overcrowded with not enough laps.
The Midget week format was far more exciting to me than a regular show. Granted Qualifying can be fun to watch but I feel it just ruins a track for the rest of the night with all cars running the same groove (Wherevers fastest)
Where the Midget week and (Chili Bowl format) is more exciting to me is that fourth place isn't good enough. They go for third, second or the win, Why? Because every spot has meaning, Not just the top four. You want to keep it fair for the ones who follow the series, Up the provisionals a few but still base it on points.
It's the racers responsibility to get themselves into the feature, Not the tracks, not the sanctioning body or the format. That being said, I feel all these elements should be the fair for everybody.
Personally I love showing up to some of these draw series and seeing 50-60-88 sprint cars. Several of which are always capable (IN A RACE) yet I get the feeling say Why Bother? when it comes to USAC due to the format.
With Transponders, A good puter program and time limits and Limits on number of support classes. You could see 60 car USAC races with 5-6 ten lap heats, two consis and a feature and be done by 10:30 easy. Don't believe me. There were a few nights burg go the whole program in by 1000 and once by 9"30 last year with 45 sprinters, 40+ mods and another support class.