2008 - Small Change in Qualifying

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muggle not

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http://www.thatsracin.com/nascar_news/story/9421.html

Cars outside top 35 will qualify together, NASCAR's Darby confirms
By DAVID POOLE - The Charlotte Observer
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Cars not guaranteed starting spots because they’re not in the top 35 in car owner points will qualify together at the beginning of qualifying sessions in 2008, Nextel Cup Series director John Darby confirmed Saturday.

“We’ll group them up front,” Darby said in the garage at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Qualifying order for all cars entered in Cup events has been set by a random draw. But some complained that “go-or-go-home” cars qualifying early or late in the draw, depending on weather and track conditions, might have an unfair advantage toward making the race on speed.

Darby said that NASCAR could have changed the rule during the season. “But then if you think you missed a race because of where you qualified in February or March, and we change it in April, people would have said that’s not fair,” Darby said.

“We thought it would be better to say that as of Jan. 1, 2008, this is the way we’re going to do it.”
 
I think thats a great change.

However, I still believe the fastest 43 cars need to race on Sunday. I do not agree with the past champions provisionals, the Top 35 being locked in, etc. What you have created is 2 sets of practice sessions. One group running all qualifing passes in practice and then the other running race setups in practice. Then what you get on raceday is a potential for disaster during the start when all of the "slower" cars start up front. (i.e.Talladega - 2007)

I understand the need for the Sponsors to get their bang for their buck by being on TV, but look at the NHRA. John Force missed a couple of events by not qualifying and this did not hurt the ratings. In my opinion it made the races more exciting and the points closer. (Even though the NHRA Chase format was HORRIBLE in comparison to NASCAR)

This would make qualifying more exciting in NASCAR and could make the last 10 races even more exciting.

If NASCAR MUST lock in some cars for the race, the only ones I could see are the drivers that made the Chase the following season, and the last 5 years past champions.

What do you guys and gals think??????????
 
Locking in those that made the Chase the previous season sounds reasonable on first thought. Also, the Champs from the 5 previous seasons, or perhaps only the full time driving Champs.
 
I disagree with only taking the fastest 43 cars every week. While that is what racing was founded on, the sport has grown to the point where teams that actually perform should be rewarded and help keep their sponsors. Besides, it would be hard to justify telling Gordon or Junior fans their guy didn't make it because he crashed in qualifying after they spent megabucks on tickets.

I also do not agree with locking in the top 35. I could go along with the top 25 or even 30. But 35 is too many. It makes it very hard to make these races and then they come up with these screwy qualifying procedures.
 
MRM said:
I disagree with only taking the fastest 43 cars every week. While that is what racing was founded on, the sport has grown to the point where teams that actually perform should be rewarded and help keep their sponsors. Besides, it would be hard to justify telling Gordon or Junior fans their guy didn't make it because he crashed in qualifying after they spent megabucks on tickets.

I also do not agree with locking in the top 35. I could go along with the top 25 or even 30. But 35 is too many. It makes it very hard to make these races and then they come up with these screwy qualifying procedures.
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How about the top 20?
 
Wait, I agree with the top 43 qualifying! Huh! But wait, I have a caveat. I'd like to see a second day of qualifying back again and for the reason that just in case a top team has a problem they have a second chance to make up for that bad luck. But that would end the compound races.
 
I never have understand the reason for impound races when they don't make them ALL impound races. Also, what I think is wrong is if you have to replace an engine, transmission, etc., BEFORE qualifying and you use the replacement car to qualify in, I don't think you should have to go to the back of the pack. That just doesn't make sense to me. I can see them doing it if it happens in practice AFTER since you could "pull some tweaks" but it makes no sense if it's before qualifying.

I guess there's really no answer for the race set-up when qualifying gets rained out, but there was a big problem that one race when Boris Said qualified first and since they couldn't "finish" qualifying during rain, he got sent home. And yes, MY Jeff :rolleyes: got the pole, but I still don't think it was fair to Boris. The problem with re-doing qualifying completely is if they did worse the 2nd time, they'd be ticked. The problem with doing only the ones who didn't qualify at the same time would lead to problems of the track being a different condition. With that said, they complain about early vs late because of track position so what's one more thing to bitch about. LOL j/k Also, why don't they qualify in similar conditions to what they will be racing in? If it's a night race, qualify late, etc. I really don't have the answer to any of this, but it's just things I've thought about during the season. :)
 
MRM said:
I disagree with only taking the fastest 43 cars every week. While that is what racing was founded on, the sport has grown to the point where teams that actually perform should be rewarded and help keep their sponsors. Besides, it would be hard to justify telling Gordon or Junior fans their guy didn't make it because he crashed in qualifying after they spent megabucks on tickets.

I also do not agree with locking in the top 35. I could go along with the top 25 or even 30. But 35 is too many. It makes it very hard to make these races and then they come up with these screwy qualifying procedures.
Click to expand...

I watched Dan Schieper miss the main events in Knoxville three nights in a row, and hes a big dog and has fans and sponsors. I can't for the life of me see why you should give (guarrintee) anyone a start in any race. I think back to the race that Mikey was on the poll, because the top thirty five were able to stroke there way into the race, this is exactly what is wrong with NASCAR. Now we have spec cars, no matter what you call them, they are spec cars and in certian races, you have spec shocks and how long do you think it'll be before you have spec motors? They, NASCAR, has sucked the life out of the drivers, flat lined the cars and I dare say are thinking about the motors. Can you say IROC Might as well get Dave Markas and Dick Trickle back to set them all identical. This is why it gets harder and harder for the old dogs like myself to stay interested in NASCAR. JMO Duane
 
mudslinger47 said:
I watched Dan Schieper miss the main events in Knoxville three nights in a row, and hes a big dog and has fans and sponsors. I can't for the life of me see why you should give (guarrintee) anyone a start in any race. I think back to the race that Mikey was on the poll, because the top thirty five were able to stroke there way into the race, this is exactly what is wrong with NASCAR. Now we have spec cars, no matter what you call them, they are spec cars and in certian races, you have spec shocks and how long do you think it'll be before you have spec motors? They, NASCAR, has sucked the life out of the drivers, flat lined the cars and I dare say are thinking about the motors. Can you say IROC Might as well get Dave Markas and Dick Trickle back to set them all identical. This is why it gets harder and harder for the old dogs like myself to stay interested in NASCAR. JMO Duane
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I tend to agree with a lot you have said, qualifying is becoming a farce like a lot of other things in Cup these days. I still feel if you are going to start 43 cars for a race, the fastest 43 should make the race...PERIOD. It shouldn't matter if the car is in race trim or qualifying trim, if it is fast enough to make the top 43 so be it. In this PC world too much emphasis is put on making things nice for everyone, I just don't think any team should have any freebies when it comes to making the race. If a team is at this level of racing they are there because they have the money, technology, know how, and will to race. If a team can't figure out how to sqeeze out a few more tenths to make it into the field that is the chance they take by being there. No favors should be given IMO, if you're fast enough that is what qualifying should be based on. I think qualifying would be more exciting and also less biased, but of course this is a business , so less we hurt a major team sponsors' feelings the better right? Oh boo hoo, if Jr or Kasey or Jeff can't make a race because they weren't fast enough in qualifying...oh well. I'm not going to loose sleep over the fact that i went to a race and my favorite driver didn't make it in because he wasn't fast enough. That should be the chance you take by qualifying , but unfortunately it is not.
 
With the move to have the "go or go homers" qualifying at the same time I don't see where there is an issue. Longevity should be rewarded especially if at the end of the day you have raced well enough. All this boo hoo'ing that Nascar isn't like our local track...well be a big boy and put on your long pants. Sometimes the rules change when we move up to the next level.
Just like everyone is boo hoo'ing that Jeff's gotten cheated out of 2 Championships. Well he knew the rules before he started the engine at Daytona. It's not like he couldn't get a job bagging groceries at his local Food Lion or something. This is something he chose to do. And, you know what, at the end of the day he was a big boy and didn't run home to Rick Hendrick crying that mean ol' Jimmie and Chad had stolen his trophy. Mikey knew when he got to Daytona that he'd have to qualify big to make the race. Thus the "jet fuel".
I think Mikey had a legitimate complaint that they should change the order of qualifying and you know what, they did. Nascar listened to the team's complaints. They aren't the heartless bastards we all want to make them out to be. So let's live with this new 35 rule for a season before all of you get your panties in a wad and tear stains on your frilly pink dress. Cause you want make the prom with red eyes...you bunch of Nancys...
 
WNY24Fan said:
I never have understand the reason for impound races when they don't make them ALL impound races. Also, what I think is wrong is if you have to replace an engine, transmission, etc., BEFORE qualifying and you use the replacement car to qualify in, I don't think you should have to go to the back of the pack. That just doesn't make sense to me. I can see them doing it if it happens in practice AFTER since you could "pull some tweaks" but it makes no sense if it's before qualifying.

I guess there's really no answer for the race set-up when qualifying gets rained out, but there was a big problem that one race when Boris Said qualified first and since they couldn't "finish" qualifying during rain, he got sent home. And yes, MY Jeff :rolleyes: got the pole, but I still don't think it was fair to Boris. The problem with re-doing qualifying completely is if they did worse the 2nd time, they'd be ticked. The problem with doing only the ones who didn't qualify at the same time would lead to problems of the track being a different condition. With that said, they complain about early vs late because of track position so what's one more thing to bitch about. LOL j/k Also, why don't they qualify in similar conditions to what they will be racing in? If it's a night race, qualify late, etc. I really don't have the answer to any of this, but it's just things I've thought about during the season. :)
Click to expand...
Il like the 2 session idea. Make it like drag racing- your best run is the one that counts. Have the second qual session right before the race.
 
Magnethead said:
Il like the 2 session idea. Make it like drag racing- your best run is the one that counts. Have the second qual session right before the race.
Click to expand...

My gawd... that's a good idea!!!!!!!!!! ;) :D



BP and Buck - It's much too late (early) for me to be laughing out loud and choking because my cola went down the wrong pipe. Man... I need warnings when you do that stuff. Hehehehe :dpepsi: :eek: :laugh: :lol2: :XXROFL:
 
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