Qualifying and Heats suck

[UREZ2PASS]

Qualifying sucks and heat races suck. They take up the time we could be having longer races. What's the point of them anyway when an invert or partial invert is done ? It's a waste of time, fuel, tires, and equipment.

If you want a good race, Everybody draws a number for starting positions, top three in points start in the rear with the leader and the previous race winner starting last. Have practice before races and one 35-50 lap race per class.

You want excitement ? Throw a competition yellow every 10 laps.

Thoughts from real racers and fans only please. Sissy's and chickens keep quiet.

[dsdracing]

i think its a great idea!!!!!!!!!!! i agree do away the the heats no one really races hard in them any way..

[carolwicks]

not a chicken... ;-)

i hate qualifying ..BORING!. not crazy about watching heats either and it also puts the driver in jeopardy of a crash before he/she even gets to the feature.
JMO..
Carolwicks

[Frasson118]

EZ.... you didnt think this one through. If you think that heats are a "waste of time, fuel, tires, and equipment", then what exactly is saved by running a longer feature race? 10 laps in a heat, or 10 laps in a feature, takes the same amount of fuel, tires and equipment. 10 laps is 10 laps, no matter what the race is called.

The only thing that would be saved, is time....

[77NovaRacer]

Heats are a great way to figure out the track condition and make the needed changes to the car for the feature. Just think of them as practice.

[Winger]

Not sure you're serious, but I'll bite. Personally, I don't care for time trials. I normally like heat races that mean something. Some of the best racing I've seen is during heats. However, I don't care for heats that only have a handful of cars in them. If a track doesn't have enough cars to run a couple heats with a minimum of 6 cars, then run just the feature. JMO

[UREZ2PASS]

EZ.... you didnt think this one through. If you think that heats are a "waste of time, fuel, tires, and equipment", then what exactly is saved by running a longer feature race? 10 laps in a heat, or 10 laps in a feature, takes the same amount of fuel, tires and equipment. 10 laps is 10 laps, no matter what the race is called.

The only thing that would be saved, is time....

Actually I did think it through, and its silly to run heat races unless a track has so many cars they have to send some home. I would rather take the luck of the draw and have a longer race.

Most fans hate qualifying, Most heat races are boring because people are taking it easy and saving their equipment for the feature. Racers and fans like longer races if the field is not strung out. Heats don't pay, qualifying don't pay, points are a joke, and we are using up our equipment for no return.

[UREZ2PASS]

Not sure you're serious, but I'll bite. Personally, I don't care for time trials. I normally like heat races that mean something. Some of the best racing I've seen is during heats. However, I don't care for heats that only have a handful of cars in them. If a track doesn't have enough cars to run a couple heats with a minimum of 6 cars, then run just the feature. JMO

I am serious and I agree with your post. If a guy needs to race his way into a feature race, he will give it all its got. Unfortunately, in Florida we don't have many 25+ car fields on asphalt.

[UREZ2PASS]

Boneman the Ambassador of Florida racing, you're not a sissy or a chicken, what's your take ?

[Boneman]

Everyone is missing it by a mile.

Look, we can all agree on how to start figure "8"'s. Split the field and start them a half a lap apart. That way, the action in the "X" starts immediatly! Simple, right? Are you listening Showtime?

If you are running a big race on the oval, use the "Regatta" method like the America's Cup yacht championship. You have a starting line, and a big count-down clock that the drivers can see. The only rule is that they can't pass the line before the start time, or they have to turn around and go back. The best sailboat racers hit the line at exactly the last second and are going full speed! To accomplish this, they might sail in little circles near the start, or even park in front of the line (I'd push them over if it was me). Anyway, what could possibly go wrong if we tried that with cars?

Maybe combine the start of an event with the way a new Pope is selected? For example, everyone could watch the smoke coming out of the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. If the smoke is black, no one can move, but when it turns white then everyone can mash the gas!

Of course the best way is also the most American: sell the damn starting spots to the highest bidder. Yep, replace qualifying with an auction. High dollar cars to the front, then the hobbyists, beginners and schmucks to the rear where they belong.

[Woody]

heat races are a great way to sort out your car as far as i'm concerned . we used to get paid to run them now if you had 100.00 to win 75.00 for secound 50.00 for 3rd maybee they would be more intersting. This would require a good promotor to be come a salesman and go out and sell the heat races to sponsers just sayen

[chassisdude]

Qualifying and heats

I thought for sure Boneman would hit on it being a driver, everytime you can get on the track gives you a chance to check the car out and to try changes in motor or set-up. First qualifying, should be done early, before actual show starts and then use the times to invert for the starting position in heats and features. The problem here in Florida there is no invert used, on a weekly short track show there should be a invert of at least 4, but even better would be a roll of the dice. Have a fan roll two dice, what comes up is the invert for the night, anywhere from 2 to 12. Now for not only heat races but but for dash's and pursuit races there is plus for both driver and crew and for the fans. Naturally the fans get to see more racing, the promotor gets to put on a better show and the racing teams get to try different set-ups and try motor changes in hopes of finding something just a bit better or faster. This is not just my idea, it works it works very well, proven over the years at a lot of northern tracks, trust me been there done that. I have been the fan the crew, the driver for 5 years and owner and have enjoyed a lot of heat and feature wins starting from the back. I guess I'm spoiled I just like to see the faster guys start in the back and pass cars for the win and there would be more fans in the stands if our Florida promotors would just try it.

[staats1ar]

Features only nights SUCK IMO,especially on a dirt track,you get there at 6-6:30 pm,pay approx $30.00 a person to get in,get unloaded and get everything ready,take your 3 laps of hot laps on a mudhole for a track,then sit there for a few hours while the driver and crew kinda relax too much and lose focus on whats going on,then get thrown on a track that you didn't get to "chase" during the course of the night and the race turns into who got lucky and guessed at the right setup.Noone really has any idea what they got until the green flag drops.I think its BS,when we spend all that time and money on preperation for race night,we deserve a "full night" of racing and so do the fans,not just show up,go out and run your race and load up and go home.No thanks.

[carolwicks]

Chassidude...

that i can agree with. Do qualifying before the actual race program starts.. Then fans dont have to sit thru it. I also agree that heats can be fun but not with 4 cars.. ;-)

[UREZ2PASS]

Features only nights SUCK IMO,especially on a dirt track,you get there at 6-6:30 pm,pay approx $30.00 a person to get in,get unloaded and get everything ready,take your 3 laps of hot laps on a mudhole for a track,then sit there for a few hours while the driver and crew kinda relax too much and lose focus on whats going on,then get thrown on a track that you didn't get to "chase" during the course of the night and the race turns into who got lucky and guessed at the right setup.Noone really has any idea what they got until the green flag drops.I think its BS,when we spend all that time and money on preperation for race night,we deserve a "full night" of racing and so do the fans,not just show up,go out and run your race and load up and go home.No thanks.

I see your point about the dirt tracks surface changing drastically throughout the night. My idea probably won't work on dirt, just asphalt.