101 replies to this topic

[Jonathan Forsyth]

Really the simplest idea would be to keep the qualifying as it is now. You seed all the mains and everyone races for the highest lap total. The top 8 totals go on to race in the main event. It doesn't really add any time, because you don't have 2 move ups every main, which should eliminate an extra main.

Of course there's really no point in qualifying since you guys continue to say how even the handout motors are and how close the qualifying times are. Why not just seed random mains and take the top 8 totals for the main event?

I would only do these formats at your bigger races though, which you have 20 or so guys who could conceivably race their way to the main event.

[redbackspyder]

Jonathan, qualifying is fun to see where guys are testing themselves, to try to turn a personal best, or to go for a track record....  Some of us have turned qualifying into a game, to see who can run the least laps and be happy with it,  it all really is just to entertain ourselves...  The TSR and Falcon motors that we have offer pretty good value for the money, and as long as we keep a rein on the tampering, 

[Bryan Warmack]

      Lots of good suggestions here and lots of food for thought.............and while I'm pretty sure most SCRRA racers have no real problem with the present race format, I'm also pretty sure they would have no problem with mixing things up a bit once in a while!

       I like Jonathan's suggestion.............everyone qualifies to sort themselves out but you still need to RACE your way to the MAIN, the thought behind Jerry's original post......... AND, it might actually speed things up as the 10+  minutes allotted for motor changes by the move-ups from ALL the races would be eliminated.

     Keep the ideas coming and I'm sure this will be discussed further at BPR this weekend!!

    

[redbackspyder]

I believe the only drawback that I see to any of these suggestions for a final race with the 8 top lap totals going to a final main is the fact that some people would be required to turn marshall a second time, so that the 8 racers that make the final main would only marshal once during the day, whereas the others that did not make the race would be required to marshal for a second time.

 

That sometimes can be a problem, because a lot of times just getting the required guys to marshal their required main is a struggle.

 

Paul Sterrett said it best once, that when you sign up to race you get two things, the right to race and the right to marshal ....  Many have forgotten that....

[24fan]

I believe the only drawback that I see to any of these suggestions for a final race with the 8 top lap totals going to a final main is the fact that some people would be required to turn marshall a second time, so that the 8 racers that make the final main would only marshal once during the day, whereas the others that did not make the race would be required to marshal for a second time.
 
That sometimes can be a problem, because a lot of times just getting the required guys to marshal their required main is a struggle.
 
Paul Sterrett said it best once, that when you sign up to race you get two things, the right to race and the right to marshal ....  Many have forgotten that....

I'm afraid your right about that. Could be a deal breaker if nobody wants to marshal. It surprises me when people seem to ignore that aspect of racing like it doesnt matter. we all know how important it is.

[Mr Dynamic]

Captn Zombie here, I would like to say that Garys race suggestion is very appealing. I am not saying the current system at BPR isnt correct. However, I would just like to say that the slower more inexperienced racers would benefit from a little suggestive mentoring and cursing from the A main racers.Even shelter dogs get adopted. I would very most likely enjoy watching the A main racers more and would have more interest in all the races given Garys suggested format.Once every 3 months would be great! Therefore,  I would pay money to see Jimmy Bling race in the B main with Duran!

Your Zombie Captn'  out...

[gonzo]

can i chime in here? i hate qualifing but i feel it shoudnt go away because it is an event within an event.we should all be able to deal with it.as far as the format is concerned, heres my take for what its worth.top 8 qual go to 2 semis   2,4,6,8, and 1,3,5,7, everyone else vies for the remaining slots[no pun intended lol]  reward for good qual  is you go strait to semi.  now the winners of each subsiquent race goes to semis .reward for winning the race.     now depending on how many races we have the  the remaining slots to be filled  in the semis can be determined by lap totals of all non winners    reward for trying your best to get the most laps possible. [ so somebody in the c race for example can still make it to semi ]  then the 2 semis top 4 make it to the main.so the winners of each race has incentive to stay for the semis and the non winners also because they still may make the semis with their lap totals.   so everybody who makes it to the main has raced at least once    this example will add 2 races[the semis] to our day.but i think its worth consideration.   whats the issue with turn marshall  we can come up with something to cover that im sure

[Mark Wampler]

I've settled in to qualifying, but really disliked it in the beginning.  Present format works just fine.  As a visitor, I will go home early if I run in the lower mains.  Qualifying does give you incentive to better your lap times and avoid lower main carnage. 

[A. J. Hoyt]

They did the two semi's at the ROC so I got to see it in action. I really liked it.

 

My suggestion is everyone qualify (tradition is satisfied and it really goes pretty quickly, a "race within the race"). 1, 3, 5 and 7 sit out in A semi, 2, 4, 6, and 8 sit out in B semi.

 

All other racers are put into 8 Consi races, lowest race is a round-robin for any number from 9 to 15 (as 16 would be another race). Lane choices for all races are made immediately after qualifying (Mike Swiss does this really well by grouping the cars during qualifying) and you have your structure.

 

There are NO move-ups (a lot of time saved right there as no one should be under that much pressure to change a motor or tires that quickly unless it is an enduro...). The next race starts RIGHT AWAY.

 

Racers in the NEXT race must be on hand to marshal the race before your race. You can designate an alternate for the very last heat to get ready (because the next race start RIGHT AWAY). If you are NOT there to marshal, you start from a 20 lap deficit.

 

The top 10 lap total cars are impounded from the very first race (10 on the "bubble"). As larger totals happen, you are "bumped" out of the top 10 and you get your car back.

 

Top 8 lap totals from ANY main become 9 through 16 to fill out the A and B semi's. If any racer cannot stay for their race, there are two alternates. The last lane choices are selected.

 

The 8 racers entering the Semi's get to work on their cars for 20 minutes, then get re-tech'ed. Laps and sections are recorded and all cars are impounded after the B Semi during the A Semi. The A semi drivers marshal for the B semi drivers and vice-versa (your car is impounded anyway!). Alternate marshals can be designated but if you or your designated marshal are not there, you start with a 20 lap penalty. (It usually doesn't take 8 marshals to cover a track unless they are A and B semi qualifiers - LOL!) The A Semi cars stay on the track until impound is opened for the B Semi cars. There are 20 minutes for the 8 racers to work on their cars before the A Main.

 

The podium finishers from each Semi (top 6) are automatically in, then the next two highest lap totals from either the A or B Semi are the last two spots (one side could be more "action-packed" than the other).

 

 

Everyone has raced their way in. Qualifying well still provides some advantage. Qualifying is good because you are generally grouped with people who lap about the same pace as you do, especially in a big field. That helps keeping the next lane over passing speed differential to a minimum (develop your "deep dive" passing skills, boys and girls!) and minimizes the time you will encounter another racer alongside you.

 

Additionally, a good running A or B main guy who doesn't take a time will be seeded in an H main and can't take one of the move-up positions all the way up to the A main (that really discourages people trying for one of the two move-ups)! The disadvantage is that the "move-up" hog now has to get a top 16 lap total from what will likely be an action-packed H main! Could be worth the price of admission to watch that!

 

Again, 40% of a nickel for free!

 

Keep it in the slot (and race your way to the top),

 

AJ

[HarV Wallbanger III]

 

     Jerry,

         Over the last few years I have heard every suggestion about qualifying, and all have pros and cons.  Lately I've heard A LOT of chatter about running a "laps and sections" qualifying format.  It wouldn't take up any more time and you would be running a little race to determine starting positions.  Something different and maybe we should try it on the 22nd!

I like this way or the 2 semi's as well.

[redbackspyder]

Last Saturday, John Cukras said he was open for the next race to try a different qualifying manner, just not this past Saturday....   We all had a good time, and everyone went home happy, except for the few broken chassis !!!!  A lot of knowledge shared, and great to see the new racers coming out again, back for another dose on the Buena Park King Track....  

[24fan]

Didn't hear much conversation about any future change in the format. I am hoping for a change in the qualifying just for fun. Thought to allow any lane you want in qualifying just like 1to1. It's up to the driver to pick his line through the turns so why not for us too? Might be fun. I'm quite tired of orange myself and don't feel it's the fastest lane anyway.
I thought about bagging it in qualifying in support of my own format change, but when the time came I still wanted to put up the good number so that didn't happen. Did have a lot of fun this past weekend even though I still can't catch that rabbit!

[Rick]

I used to allow racers to qualify on the lane they wanted. On the SRT system, if you select A, the first lap counted will be the qualifying lane for that racer. You can't jump lane to lane.......

[Tom Eatherly]

Hmmm. Now that sounds interesting. Jerry, what do you think of that? Maybe be nice to get away from orange for qualifying? 

Kind of neat. Lets see what racers think.

[24fan]

Did test the theory on Fri. Nite. You can select lanes 1through 8 or select all for qualifying. The computer will still give a qualifying order for all.

[NSwanberg]

"Paul Sterrett said it best once, that when you sign up to race you get two things, the right to race and the right to marshal ....  Many have forgotten that...."

 

I would say the privilege of racing and the obligation to marshal, sometimes even more than you get to race.

 

 

[24fan]

So....was just looking at the last race report and if I counted it right, fastest race laps as listed shows that blue was the fastest with 15 followed by yellow and green with 8 and 9. purple and white had 4 apiece and only 2 people had their fastest lap on orange! I wonder what Duran would have run that day he put up that 3.9 if he had his choice of lanes.

[redbackspyder]

Didn't hear much conversation about any future change in the format. I am hoping for a change in the qualifying just for fun. Thought to allow any lane you want in qualifying just like 1to1. It's up to the driver to pick his line through the turns so why not for us too? Might be fun. I'm quite tired of orange myself and don't feel it's the fastest lane anyway.
I thought about bagging it in qualifying in support of my own format change, but when the time came I still wanted to put up the good number so that didn't happen. Did have a lot of fun this past weekend even though I still can't catch that rabbit!

Jerry, I thought that John had agreed to next month allowing us to do just that , qualify on any lane.... I heard him say that at the tech table,,,,,   Mill

[Mark Wampler]

Great, I will do my sandbag qualifying on Black Lane.

[Craig]

Jerry, I agree.....Orange lane is slower than other lanes. 

 

I'd much rather qualify on the blue lane at the next race I attend.

[Gary Donahoe]

I do not care what lane we qualify on as long as we all qualify on the same lane.  What lane is fastest is not important to me. 

 

My preference would be for the qualifying lane to be determined by a blind draw just before the first person qualifies.  If we all qualified on black that would be cool with me.

[24fan]

I think a valid argument can be made for whatever we do. I'd be cool with drawing a lane out of a hat as long as all the lanes have been run in pretty good. Put everything in the hat except what we ran last time, (which of course is orange). Might be fun if we did qualify on black! Imagine how this might go!

[Mark Wampler]

Black lane will tell me how good I'm really doing.  Whether I can punch going into the doughnut or not.

[Jason Holmes]

Just as long whoever is running the CPU at the time can do the lane change running the same lane is no problem but having a choice will take twice as much time.

 

jason

[Rick]

When you set up Qualifying on SRT, if you select A for the lane, whatever lane it tripped, that will be the qualifying lane for that driver. If you want everyone to be on yellow just tell them, yellow. No extra time, nothing extra to do. If you want to allow each racer to pick whatever lane they want, NP. It will still sort and print fastest to slowest.....