Qualifying vs Heat Races

[jwmbishop]

We have several very good opinions of how to create and deliver a good time efficient show - the question remains - how would anyone accomplish it? Most tracks are staffed with many volunteers as paid people drive up costs (see the vicious circle?). Asking a paid employee to work harder or longer costs $$ - asking a volunteer to work harder or longer is just plain cruel (tongue in cheek) - but still ends up costing as it's usually a paid employee that supervises the volunteers work.

[fast18]

Most of the time no invert means follow the leader. I can't speak for the other classes about being impounded but I need more than air pressure set........

[Blue Moon Motorsports]

The Trucks at THR qualify, and the top 6 drivers pick a number and start accordingly. It usually shuffles the front six fairly well. One reason that I like this format may be that the three times I had been able to pick a number I have picke NUMBER ONE!!!! LOL! The trucks put on a HECKUVA show doing it that way. Then again, we have the crowd on their feet at HMP doing heat races too!

[Kathy]

Again, I say:

 

PLEASE, Everyone give it a chance for one race weekend.

 

We are gonna find a way to mix it up.

 

And make it not boring.

 

And give you lots of "Bang for your Buck".

[HiTech]

kathy no doubt .with some tweeking mary ann and staff will figure this out ..its twice as hard seeing that thunder hill runs every other weekend .. and thunder hill does not like to leave any class with out a track to race at ..every class is important ..i cylinder to 8 cylinders .there is a fan for all sitting in the stands ..every car brings someone with em .thats pit gate money or stand money .either way its money ..

[Banker36]

Say good bye to a good race if this is the case.. Fast car starts on the pole, top 3 cars are the only one fighting for 1st by end of the race... Always happens this way, in most cases the fast car runs away with it. Make the fast guys start in the back, shows what your made of when you can pass every which way you can and still get to the front. I remember when 24 cars started, there was only 25 laps, and yet the fast guys always filtered through to the front. Plus when the fast guys are in the back your still giving the guy whos struggling to run up front a chance to win.. Put the fast guy on the pole, you give him the upper hand and thus have a boring race. Thats just my .02 cents..

[runninfords]

Too many classes is the problem!!!

 

Exactly my thoughts.

 

From a driver, owner, and most of all a fan, I would watch heat races any day before time trials. JMO Run the heats and drop some of the classes.

i think the same but i guess ill see how they go the next time we run up there cause i know we all got diff kinds of cars and at least they are tryin to make everyone as happy as possible

[Ford27]

I agree with too many classes and heat races are better. I bet all the classes are needed to make more money at the back gate which if thats the case i understand. I would however prefer to see all the features and could give up seeing the heats to do so....start the heats earlier to finish the features at a decent time? I dont think most will mind

[lenny66]

Here is just an out of the box thought...Why not combine some classes, run two classes together that have simular lap times but keep there points seperate and still give out 2 trophies. seen some dirt tracks do this when car counts are low.

 

It's been tried before. Hobby Stocks from THR & RoadRunners from SAS didn't work out to well for the SAS guy's.

[toyman85]

I believe I have to go with the format of heat races also for the local classes. I also believe the format THR was using was just fine. I don't think anyone had a problem with it. The only problem was the length of the program. If the original post was about qualifying or heats to speed up the program, I think the only "glitch" or "problem" in the program was the efficiency of running the show. There's no reason the program couldn't be run faster and more efficient. #1) One practice session per class - used for 'fine' tunning. If you need more than one session, bring your car out on Thursday practice nights or Friday practice days and prepare your car then! Thats what these days are intended for. #2) Crews and drivers need to be more attentive to line up calls. Get on line up row early and be ready. When a race is finished and getting the checkered flag, the next race is coming on to the backstetch. No exceptions. Plus the fans always have cars to look at on the track and it will keep their attention. If you're not on line up row when the cars on the track are getting the white flag, you don't race. Sorry. #3) Cut out the 4 or 5 or 6 pace laps. Not needed. Give us 2 warm up laps and then let us go! #4) If you "solo" spin and bring out a yellow, your race is done. Go to the pits. The race director and flagman can determine if it was solo or if there was "help". #5) Lastly, base the feature laps on the car count of the class. Determine if there is 'X' amount of cars, they run 'X' amount of laps. These ideas are pointed towards the local classes, but......... D.

[FitchRacer07]

I believe I have to go with the format of heat races also for the local classes. I also believe the format THR was using was just fine. I don't think anyone had a problem with it. The only problem was the length of the program. If the original post was about qualifying or heats to speed up the program, I think the only "glitch" or "problem" in the program was the efficiency of running the show. There's no reason the program couldn't be run faster and more efficient. #1) One practice session per class - used for 'fine' tunning. If you need more than one session, bring your car out on Thursday practice nights or Friday practice days and prepare your car then! Thats what these days are intended for. #2) Crews and drivers need to be more attentive to line up calls. Get on line up row early and be ready. When a race is finished and getting the checkered flag, the next race is coming on to the backstetch. No exceptions. Plus the fans always have cars to look at on the track and it will keep their attention. If you're not on line up row when the cars on the track are getting the white flag, you don't race. Sorry. #3) Cut out the 4 or 5 or 6 pace laps. Not needed. Give us 2 warm up laps and then let us go! #4) If you "solo" spin and bring out a yellow, your race is done. Go to the pits. The race director and flagman can determine if it was solo or if there was "help". #5) Lastly, base the feature laps on the car count of the class. Determine if there is 'X' amount of cars, they run 'X' amount of laps. These ideas are pointed towards the local classes, but......... D.

 

 

Perfect

[Hansen99]

holdup easy on the solos I am still learning and spend all available practice time practicing If I spend all day there and get told to get off the track on my first solo There will be some strong language and choice words for someone I invest a lot of time and money to get started rookies deserve a little break

[Modracer]

Go to Devil's Bowl, Chili Bowl or the IMCA Supernationals and see how a race is run. Implement some of things that they are doing and the show will speed up tremendously.

[matt5858]

I have the fix!!!!!!! DONT SCHEDULE 10 CLASSES EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT!

[lilmodified]

As a spectator, I would prefer the heat races. I think that qualifying is boring. I think that taking away the heat races is taking away for the "more entertainment for their buck" theory. The heat races are gone and the races are shorter. How is that more "entertainment for the buck"? Have 1 practice for each class, start a little earlier, and if necessary shorten the race by a couple laps. I think people would rather watch the heats. Just my opinion.

 

i agree 100%!! the heat races add even more racing to the night, where qualifying is simply a solo car running a couple laps...personally, i never minded how long it took for the races to get over (even when it's cold), but i know i'm in the minority on this, too...anyway, jmo

[HiTech]

heat races give you a chance to work something out on your car ..if you have one practice and one race ..... that can hurt your races ..not to mention ..most racers dont want to spend time and money for only one race ..some poeple cant get enough of the behind the wheel fun ..

[HiTech]

I have the fix!!!!!!! DONT SCHEDULE 10 CLASSES EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT!

ok .. which class would you cancel ..seeing the track is only open for two nights a month ...

[Pacecar]

Go to Devil's Bowl, Chili Bowl or the IMCA Supernationals and see how a race is run. Implement some of things that they are doing and the show will speed up tremendously.

 

My guess is that they don't allow the winner to take a lap with the checkered flag; allow the pace car driver to check her makeup and talk on the phone, and the radio, for a couple extra pace laps and wait to pick up a couple of spectators from the stands; wait a couple minutes after the checkered before some race official (a guy) finally realizes everybody's waiting on him to open the door on the pace car so the trophy girl can exit the pace car in style.

 

Pacecar.

 

All in good fun. As a racer, I personally enjoyed making a half-mile lap with the flag, and getting the trophy & pictures in style on the front straight.

 

Wishing good luck that the changes made this weekend improve the timeliness of the show.

[sprintsrule]

As a fan, I want to see a lot of finishes. Watching one car at a time is boring. Watching cars go around 75 laps is not real exciting. The top four cars in a four lap dash is more exciting. Eight lap heat races are more exciting. If you have twelve cars in a class, I would pay to watch a four lap dash, two eight lap heat races and a twenty five lap feature before I would pay to watch a 75 lap feature. More chances for drivers to test and adjust and more FINISHES for the fans. Fans get excited for finishes a lot more than they get excited for follow the leader in the middle of a 75 lap feature. As far as cars being torn up by the dashes and heat races, they are doing a pretty good job of that in the first five laps of the long features now.

 

Also, with a dash and some heat races you will have three or four times as many fans that get to see their driver win a race that night instead of just one winner from each class if you run only a long feature.