A theme in NASCAR this season has been all about ramping up the excitement. One of those ways was when NASCAR adopted the double file restarts in both the Sprint Cup and not long after the Nationwide Series.
Double file ‘shootout style’ restarts, where only cars on the lead lap start in the front, has been a hit with fans and added a whole new level of excitement to the racing.
Maybe there’s something else that could be done to add even more excitement.
Some of the least favorite times to be covering a NASCAR race as a reporter is during qualifying. Some have said it was akin to watching paint dry or grass grow in the infield. Take it to Talladega or Daytona and it’s even worse.
Take Daytona. Even though the lineups are set by qualifying races for the Daytona 500, the first two starters are still set by qualifying laps for the entire field. Since it’s one of the biggest races of the year, up to 50 cars will turn laps, most without even a glimmer of hope of making the race much less the front row. .jpg)
One particular year after I had been out most of the night before, um…well let’s just say I was ‘working’, I actually watched the first ten cars make qualifying laps, then I went back to the TV trailer found a comfy couch and took a nap lasting several hours and leaving me refreshed when I woke up…just in time to see the final five qualifiers.
It’s just that boring gang. Sure there is some excitement when the ‘go or go homers’ attempt to qualify, but for the most part setting the field can be one long drawn out affair.
Until the Nationwide Series heads to a road course that is. The NASCAR Nationwide Series has a adopted a style of qualifying at road courses that was once called ‘European-Style’ but as of late is simply called open qualifying.
The process involves putting all the cars attempting to qualify in groups of 5-7 based on practice speeds and giving each group about 5 minutes on the track to produce their best lap time.
This style actually gives a person a reason to watch qualifying and makes it worth watching. This got me thinking. Why can’t NASCAR try the open style qualifying everywhere? Have a practice session, determine packs of 5-7 cars then turn them loose for five laps or so. Then set the starting lineup based on the lap times set during the qualifying session. In essence drivers would have to race their way into the field. It could give fans, and media, a reason to watch qualifying.
Oh and I guess it would be too much to ask that all provisionals be eliminated? Either you’re in or you’re out. Race your way in, or go home. That might add some fireworks.
Maybe if open style qualifying were adopted we could go to Talladega or Daytona and instead of watching the grass grow we could say ‘pass the popcorn, this is going to be good’.
So what do you think? Would open style qualifying at every type of track NASCAR competes at be a good thing for the sport? Would it add another level of excitement much like the double file restarts have?
Add your comment below...just please make it clean and no bashing...
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Comments
If they want to change something to make the sport better why don't they change it back to how it used to be. I don't understand why there is so much focus on making changes to solve fake problems even when the fans have clearly communicated that the #1 problem is that the sport has suffered from too many changes in recent years. Tinkering with stuff that had proven itself for decades is precisely how we got into this mess to begin with.
I totally agree, I was thinking the same thing as i watched Nationwide qualifying at the Glen. And as for provisionals I've said for a long time that provisionals should be done away with. Go fast or go home.
This is what I would like to see, everyone takes a shot at the first twenty positions then round two any body that wrecked in round one would still have a shot at getting in for the next twenty positions. If the points leader did not make in he would get one more chance on time only. all former cup champs that did not make the race would draw out of a hat for one spot and anybody left after that would also draw out of the hat for the remaining spots
I love open qualifying in other series and think it would bring much-needed excitement to an otherwise boring part of the Na$car race weekend.
I think it would be great also I think the top 35 gift pachage should be done away with .If you cant make it in too bad
There is no point to qualifying with the current system. If your in the top 35 in points why bother. It shouldn't even be called qualifying, its a joke. And on rained out qualifying the field should be inverted. I don't like the fastest cars starting up front. make em work for it every week and it will be more exciting.
What a joke, Sprint Cup qualifying, its should be the fastest 43 period. For rain outs, you draw just like qualifying and the top 43 in points are the ones that draw.
I have always thought NASCAR should adopt a format similar to F1 qualifying. Start all the cars for a 20 minute session. Top 20 cars move on to round 2. Remaining cars are seeded by fastest lap for positions 21-43
Round 2 would set the field for positions 11-20 and last 15 minutes. Previous lap times from Round 1 are thrown out for the 20 cars.
The final session would seed the Top 10 and last 10 minutes. Previous times from Rounds 1 and 2 are thrown out.
A 5 minute break between rounds under red-flag conditions (no working on the cars) but drivers and crews can work on cars during the individual rounds.
This could create some interesting drama as time is running out in Rounds 1 and 2 and Driver X needs to step it up or be eliminated and qualifying would be over in just about an hour.
I think the top-35 points thing is BS. It should be whoever is fastest period. No guaranteed spots.
At the very most, maybe top-10 or 15 be eligible for a provisional, but a maximum of only 2 per year.
I'd rather see no guaranteed starts at all. Make every qualifying exciting when there was a chance the #1 car could miss an entire race!
Open qualifying would be excellent, no matter where the venue. Unfortunatly, however, NASCAR would never do it at the plate tracks due to the draft factor and all. Plus, remember-Road courses are long and slow enough where you can send seven cars out in increments and not have them catching each other, where as you pretty much couldn't do that at ANY other tracks besides maybe Pocono or some other 2+ mile places. But yes, it would be awesome if, at least for the road courses, to have open qualifying sessions for the cup series.
Fastest 43 period. A couple of years back none of the Childress'
cars would have even been in the field at Talladega if the fastest 43 were in. How about that? If you cannot run fast enough, you are on the outside looking in. It would be fantastic.
Don't do it halfway, go all the way to F1 style knockout qualifying. The cars get 90 minutes on the track to make as many attempts as they want and the fastest lap counts. So if you go out early, rip off a good lap and pull back into the pits, somebody goes out and "knocks you out" then you can go back out to try to better your early time. Watch F1 qualifying sometime in the middle of the night on SPEED, it can actually be exciting to watch.
I remember enjoying NA$CAR qualifying many years ago, prior to the idiot top 35 rule, which effectively ended any reason to watch.
Adopt 20-20 to set the lineup. First 20 are set by previous weeks finish. Next 20 are set by the finishing order of a short (less than a fuel run) qualifying race. Starting order for the qualifier is set by the finishing order of previous race (last weeks 21-43), followed by last weeks go-homers, followed by new entrants. Final three are provisionals using whatever criteria the sanctioning body wants to impose.
Everyone races, every weekend they show up (may be in main, qualifier or both). Lineup is set by . . . racing each other on the track at the same time. No draws, no grouping, just look at where they finished last week and line them up.
Winner is rewarded with the pole and first pit selection next week. Battles this week continue next week. Rainouts aren't a problem and the current points leader doesn't automatically get the pole. Speaking of rainouts, the lineup would be set first 20 from last weeks race. If qualifying races are good enough for Daytona . . .
If they are the best in the world then they should have to earn their way into the race. Either qualify as one of 43 fastest or go home. Just like the dirt tracks. That would put more interest for the fans
I would like to suggest the top 10 finishers in the previous race are guaranteed a spot in the current race. Everyone else has to race their way in. That way the top 10 will vary from week to week and rewards performance. I would also like to see more impound races. I can see keeping the past Champion's provisional, after all they did win a Championship.
I would like to suggest the top 10 finishers in the previous race are guaranteed a spot in the current race. Everyone else has to race their way in. That way the top 10 will vary from week to week and rewards performance. I would also like to see more impound races. I can see keeping the past Champion's provisional, after all they did win a Championship.
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