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One Fan's Take: Qualifying 20-20
So how to amp up NASCAR qualifying? One reader has some intriguing ideas (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)
By Mike Mulhern
mikemulhern.net
DOVER, Del.
Qualifying may be the most boring part of a NASCAR weekend…except at Daytona in February with those twin 150-milers.
So we've talked about changing it up.
Heat races for example.
One of mikemulhern.net's emailers just brought up a novel idea:
Change qualifying to 20-20 concept.
Let's check what he suggests:
"Quit setting lineup by specialized setups against the clock; instead force everyone to race for position.
"The first 20 would be set based on the finishing order of the previous week's race.
"The rest all line up and run a short qualifying race (less than a fuel run long), with that lineup set by the finishing order in the previous week's race, followed by go-homers from previous week, followed by new entries. The first 20 across the line take positions 21-40; the last three spots are provisionals, based on whatever criteria NASCAR wants to use.
"Obviously here we are eliminating the top-35 rule. If you want a guaranteed spot next week, race into the top-20 this week.
"One advantage is everyone races each weekend. Maybe in the main, maybe in the qualifier, maybe both. But if you show up, you race.
"Another advantage is it would create a Friday buzz and build fan interest. No one is talking racing anymore; it's all about the rain-out call, drug testing and Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s new crew chief. Think of the difference if not only did David Reutimann win the 600 knew he had the pole at Dover and first pit selection?
"Another advantage is better setups, thus hopefully better competition…Since race setup would be the qualifying setup teams can put race setups under the cars at the shop and tweak when they get to the track, rather than put one setup in to practice, rip it out to qualify, rip that out and put in race setup.
"Must Race/Can't Ride, Must Run/Can't Hide" Since each race would build on the previous, drivers and teams can't slide by one of their bad tracks. If you don't like Martinsville and think you'll ride it out, think again, because you may be in a qualifier and fighting for your life at Talladega. Need a good spot for the Daytona 400, better race good at New Hampshire. But wait, New Hampshire's lineup is set by the finish at Sonoma, so you have to be good on a road course to make it to Daytona. Bottom line you have to race. What a novel concept.
"It would provide a better Friday TV package.
"The bottom line: Heck, if it doesn't work, you've still got your clocks you can go back to.
"But what do I know…I'm just a fan."
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Brilliant! Let's do
Brilliant! Let's do it!
Here's why it it won't happen: Jeff Gordon gets caught in "the big one" at ar restrictor plate race. He finishes 30th. Therefor he must race in the qualifier. During the qualifier, he blows a motor/cuts a tire/gets caught up in someone else's wreck. He finishes 28th. There are probably enough provisionals to get him in the race, but maybe not. I don't think NASCAR will let the stars enter without guaranteeing them a spot. But if you ask me, that's just racin'.
I really like this idea. Mike, buy this reader a beer!
Oh, NASCAR can use that
Oh, NASCAR can use that champion's provisional thing to get everybody in who 'needs' to get it. i just like the idea of watching something on fridays other than cars go in circles one at a time. heck, i remember when john force failed to qualify once, and he took it like a man....
Just make them qualify cold
Just make them qualify cold off the truck.
In a pair of 50-mile heat
In a pair of 50-mile heat races....we've got to give the fans a reason to show up on fridays, and traditional qualifying simply doesn't do it, plus traditional qualifying does absolutely nothing to improve the sunday show.
I don't really care about
I don't really care about what happens on Friday. They can do away with Friday qualifying altogether, and the drivers and crews will not miss having to show up a day early. Let's make the show on Sunday better. I like the reader's idea of the previous week's race determining the starting order somehow, but I would still make the format much like the qualifiers at Daytona, and all of it taking place over two days. The Top ? finishers from the previous week are guaranteed provisionals for the next week's race, but they still must run the heats to get a good starting spot. Run 2-4 50 lap/mile heat races to set the field, and reduce the feature to 300 miles/laps instead of 400/500. At the road courses, the heats would be about 15 laps. The heat lineups would be set by the previous week's finishing order plus any new entries.
Here's my idea for the weekend. For Sunday races, practice and the heat races would be run on Saturday. Practice would be in the late morning, and the qualifying heats would be ran before the companion Truck/Nationwide/ARCA event that afternoon. This would sell some seats for the Saturday race, as those folks would actually get to see the Cup guys race instead of just practice or qualify. The Top 15 in each heat would be in the feature, and the rest would have to run a last chance race on Sunday a while before the feature race. Not only would this make the racing better, it shortens the weekend by a day, and practice time is spent working on race setup only instead of having to fiddle with the qualifying and race setup. The fans will get a good show for their money on both Saturday and Sunday, and the drivers will be forced to race again. Hopefully, this will also keep the Cup guys in Cup, and let the Nationwide/Cup races be stand-alone events. Since fans will be there to see the Cup heat races, they will learn who the up-and-comers are in the companion series as they watch them race. NASCAR and the track owners can still lure fans with the Cup guys, but not have them overtake the companion event fields.
I'm sure there are some logistic problems to my proposal I haven't caught, but it's time to put the racing back in NASCAR and get rid of the riding.
Nope, sorry. It's not about
Nope, sorry. It's not about us. it's about the fans who show up for a full weekend, who drive in and spend the money for a full weekend at the track. Yes, the Sunday show needs to be better, but so does Friday and Saturday. The way NASCAr handles Fridays is a shame. Tell me how much money you spend to spend a weekend at the race track: NASCAR needs to give the fans their money's worth, and on Fridays NASCAR fails. Do something, anything, heats, 20-20, just change it up. Give us a reason to spend money Friday at the track. Maybe then we'd be there for Saturday's stuff too. Give me three days worth of action.
Heck, I like your ideas. At least we can try it. If it doesn't work, we can try something different next week. NASCAR execs are too fearful of failure. Deer in the headlights. Billy Jr. would at least try something.
Charging fans to get into the
Charging fans to get into the track to watch qualifying and practice, in it's current format, is ridiculous. I tune in on Speed when there is nothing else to watch on Friday afternoon, but if I was at the track, I would likely sit in my motorhome or go to a local sports bar to watch it for free instead of paying to watch a non-race at the track. If fans and NASCAR want a Friday show, then get ARCA, the trucks, or a regional touring series to come run. I know people come for the full weekend, but if they are traveling to the track early to see the current Friday show they are wasting their time in my opinion.
i agree 100 percent.
i agree 100 percent. Ridiculous is the perfect word. this is not 1965. and some hotels here in dover are $300-plus. three-night minimum. to watch what on friday?
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