I think it would be nice if they did both sprints and mods.

Could't have said it better. I always feel cheated when no qualifying, pay more for less.
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Chuck, Spridge also convinced me that qualifying was the way to go in Indiana...

I thought this was a cool way to qualify:

I was at a big Late Model show and the driver's pulled a pill for which heat race they were in. Then when the heats were set, they did group qualifying. Every car in the first heat came out and ( group Qualified) and their times set the first heat. Then the second heat came out to ( group Qualify) and their times set the second heat. Third, fourth and fifth heats did the same thing. Each heat had a 6 car invert with 4 to qualify. Then the B Main was lined straight up, with the fastest non-qualifier on the pole and so on...

That way each car from the same heat was qualifying on the same racing surface...No advantage or dis-advantage. It was different, but seemed fair to me....

Personally, I prefer qualifying, I feel it gives me one more shot at the track, to get some feedback from it, but on the otherhand, I'd also like to have another short hot lap session, and as it doesn't seem possible to have both, I'd rather qualify, as a fan or a driver, I think it should be done, but, we can't always do what we want, even tho we are paying the tab, so I guess we do whatever fits the occasion. Bob

Pine, Interesting but still group qualifying with 9 distractions on the track.

Eldora opener, Think it was BC who went out, Set fast time, Might have been Sweet. 30 other cars qualify, You think track is gone, No way anyones going to touch it. DD comes out last, QUICK TIME!!!!!!!!! *CHEERS*

Kamp Sprint week, Top goes away a bit, About 2/3rds through qualifying cars hit the bottom groove, QUICK TIME. Top gets some cushion back, QUICK TIME!!!!! this night was up and down the whole session

Seen Kinser and others do it dozens of times on tracks you thought were *BEST CONDITIONS GONE*

I do understand both sides of the issue.
D.O. said it right, "if the track can be re-worked" that is when it is best.
With daylight savings time and huge car counts, I can see what the track preparers and promoters are up against.
So not qualifying, does not keep me from going.

But as a driver, (way back when), even though I could never hit my ass qualifying, I still wanted (and needed) the track time.

I can tell you the guy I help every once in awhile has passed on going to the track because they don't qualify. Not only did he quit going to the local tracks he basically just decided to wing race because they qualify and of course there was the purse difference.

I think the group qualifying that Pine was talking about is still one car on the track at a time. The pill draw sets up what heat you are in and then your qualifying time determines where you start in that heat.

This is a format that I would like to see used.

1. pill draw for group...

2. then group qualifying, one car on the track at a time, one lap only. You qualify against everyone in your group not the entire field. I like this because it eliminates the advantage or disadvantage that someone gets with a early or late pill draw. You would see this alot during high car count nights... a guy that qualifies 5th is on a better track surface than a guy that qualifies 50th or vice versa it all depends on track conditions.

3. Invert the top 4 qualifiers during heats after top 4 you line up by time.

4. The heat race finish determines your starting position in B-main & Feature.

5. then finally a pill draw determines the invert in feature.

This format accomplishes everything I think a race needs... there is qualifying... a heat race finish means more than just a transfer spot.... and the guys running the b-main don't get there times back and get to start up front feature.

You also eliminate the non-qualifiers race... you give everyone a chance to race all night.

I believe this format would produce some of the best racing you will ever see.

Bill,

The format you propose is very similar to the one used at Bloomington Speedway for their qualifying shows (Spring Clash & Sheldon Kinser Memorial).

The only differences are that your qualifying time has to stack up against the entire field, not just your group. Also, instead of a pill draw to determine the feature invert they have the heat winners redraw for starting position.

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When I'm at Bloomington Friday I'll make a copy of the draw from this years Sheldon Kinser Memorial to compare how the heats would have lined up if we would have determined who was in what heat by their draw.