[racephoto1]

I've always hated group qualifying, and after the near disasters with the sprinters at Eldora, it really needs to go. I just pray they don't have it at Terre Haute.

[Bad Dad 54]

Double file restarts is another item I don't care for. Single file leave the lapped cars in place. All your doing is picking up where you left off, maybe even closer to the car one position ahead of you.

[LEADERS EDGE]

I like change, but I hate gimmicks. Group qualifying is a gimmick. So is the 51-49. The drivers hate it and the fans are confused by it.

As far as getting rid of them.....my response to that is they will only go away if people will them to. Meaning.....if you wait for someone else to "save" it or make it better then it will never will. Go and enjoy what is still one of the best forms of racing in the world. Support it...get others to support it and it will get better. So many people in this sport, especially in this area, are so F$&*ing jaded they don't enjoy $&*t anymore. I admit it...I have many complaints....but in no way have I ever just said to hell with it....shut it down. I didn't want the new gen cars because of the complications we have now....but after they started I didn't want to see it end because of the teams who invested their $. It's not fair to them not to see it through.

Only baseball is haunted by it's past more than auto racing...especially USAC racing. All of this crap about how there were always so many cars and the tracks were always perfect. Sorry...revisionists history. Not true. People always talk about big car counts and semis. Hell...in the golden era they only started 18 cars and didn't have any semis. Didn't make it...too bad. Go home. They have never had a large selection of races for the Champ Cars. The owners own these cars for a reason and the fewer races is one of them.

It's as if people are waiting for Parnelli,AJ, Hewitt, Pancho and Gary B. to come walking out of the cornfields and strap in. Sorry...won't ever happen again.

That doesn't mean that there isn't great talent today. Darland, Stanbrough, Gamester,Heydenreich etc.... All great drivers.

Go to the races...any race for that matter....enjoy it....have fun and get lost in it.

By the way....while ALL of Motorsports is trying to figure out where it is and where it's going....I for one feel that the sports' best days lay ahead of it, not behind it.

I may not always agree with everything that goes on.....but all this doom and gloom non-sense is just pitiful and rediculous.

Sorry for the high-jacking.

[miledirt]

Just to be clear, I love the Silver Crown cars and some of the races like DuQuoin are still attended VERY well. The car count was back up in the 30's, so that's not so bad.

The original thought of this post was just my personal opinion and encouragement to USAC to do away with the group qualifying as there is no excitement to it, no build up in anticipation for a faster car that may be qualifying late, no opportunity for a good announcer to inform fans about who a driver is, where he normally races, sponsor, and where he is from.

[Pat O'Connor Fan]

I've a member of this board quite while, and have read a lot of good posts by Scott Baue. None have been better than the one a couple above this!
That is a clear example of good old fashioned Telling-It-Like-It-Is !!
Thank you, Scott.

[Mud Packer]

Scott,

Thanks for a well written and thought out post. I am old enough to remember that the good ole days weren't always good much less great. Racing has endured a number of problems through the years and the current state is no exception.

Looking back on our childhood, it is a miracle that we all made it this far. Racing is the same way and it will survive this current state and remain a viable option of entertainment. We aren't even into the "off season" yet and the complaints are starting to roll. Thanks for a positive post.

[SUPERDUKE]

W

Originally Posted by Dyno Don I say do away with Silver Crown. They have low car counts and way too few races. When it takes Modifieds to try and get a crowd, you know it is over. Add in the fact of the 50-51 race deal, the SC is a shadow of what it used to be. I remember as a kid, the Big Cars was a big deal. They had large crowds,TV and radio broadcasts of their races. What have they got now,25-30 cars on lousy tracks that used to be primo tracks. I hate to see them go, but their time has come and gone. They had a long run and it was a lot of fun and excitement, but no more. I remember 60+ cars at the Fairgrounds, 60+ at PIR, 50 or so at THAT, those days are gone. I keep spending my money going to The Hoosier 100 and come away disappointed almost every year,since the 90's. WHAT HAS BEEN FORGOTEN IS THAT WE HAD INDY 500 DRIVERS ON THE CHAMPIONSHIP TRAIL NOT A BUNCH OF KIDS THAT ARE NOT YET FAMOUS DRIVERS AND NATIONAL KNOW! USAC TOOK THE DIRT CARS FROM THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP! INDY 500 DRIVERS TODAY NEVER SEEN A DIRT CAR RACE! AND THE STEAM ROLLER TIRES MAKE THE TRACKS BLACK SLICK! AND THEY THINK NOW YOU HAVE TO HAVE 2 CARS ONE FOR DIRT AND ONE FOR PAVEMANT! THANKS USAC FOR LETTING THAT HAPPEN! My fear is that the SC cars are all but done, I am afraid the Midgets are going down the same path. Thank you USAC. The new generation of SC cars killed the SC series.

[Tim Clauson]

With single car qualifying every car gets pushed off comes around takes the green and gets "2" qualifying laps and then pulls in. So each car is on the track for a total of 3.5 -4 laps with 2 being fast laps.

With group qualifying cars are pushed off and some will idle around 3-4 laps while all cars are being pushed off. The another lap or 2 are used to get the cars spread out and then each car is given "4" fast laps and then another lap or two to exit the track.

Just in "green flag" laps twice as many Laos are put on the track in group qualifying by each car and the non green laps are 3-4 times the laps then single car qualifying.

Tim Clauson
Posted via Mobile Device

[racefan20]

Originally Posted by Tim Clauson With single car qualifying every car gets pushed off comes around takes the green and gets "2" qualifying laps and then pulls in. So each car is on the track for a total of 3.5 -4 laps with 2 being fast laps. With group qualifying cars are pushed off and some will idle around 3-4 laps while all cars are being pushed off. The another lap or 2 are used to get the cars spread out and then each car is given "4" fast laps and then another lap or two to exit the track. Just in "green flag" laps twice as many Laos are put on the track in group qualifying by each car and the non green laps are 3-4 times the laps then single car qualifying. Tim Clauson Posted via Mobile Device

And if there is a yellow during the "fast laps" they give them 4 more not the remaining laps left of the 4 they started with.

[Indy1808]

Originally Posted by Russ Group qualifying sucks for all divisions.

I agree.
I'm also disappointed with taking away the whole strategy thing by running the Twin 50 crap too. I haven't gone all season and won't go back until the 100 lappers return with all the tire saving, fuel useage to weight ratio, car setup and all the driving strategies and etc. that makes it the Champ series.
Hell, they may as run heats, a semi & a feature.