I like most things about the present format but I would change it to what the USAC/CRA does (or did in years past). If you don't transfer from through your heat the best you can start is 7th (behind the invert).

This penalizes the guys that don't race hard in their heat because they know they will start in the front of the B but also doesn't give them the death penalty and force them to start 17th for not being able to pass 4 cars on a track that has not widened out enough to allow passing.

I think this is a fair compromise and would address many of the concerns expressed in this thread.

I don't like a draw format as all too often you can get placed behind a guy who has no business starting up front and you get taken out in a heat race. I know everyone starts somewhere (I took out Keven Huntley in my second race ever as he was lapping me in a feature at the Burg in 1989). At least with qualifying, it can eliminate some of that in a heat race.

If they wanted to start all the cars that qualified in the 4 - twelve lap heats I would not have a problem with that either as long as we maintained an 8 car invert due to the above issue. So if at Kokomo we had run 4 - 14 car heats, top 4 to the A, next 4 to the B and remainder to the C with top 6 transfering out of the C AND getting their time back and top 6 transfering out of the B AND getting their time back with the exception of the top 6 starting spots which would be reserved for the top 6 qualifers that transfered through their heats.

This might be the best of all worlds.

Rob Hoffman