Passing Points/Double Heats

[Illtsate32]

How does this format work? Is it better to start up front or say mid pack in a heat..Is it possible to win your heat and not make the a main?

[gb81racing]

Announcer said you could win a heat and still not make the main. The second heat will be inverted so I guess it's best to guess it's best to do the best you can in both for passing points.

[Crashmagnet]

I go to the DTWC most years, they employ it for that show. I don't care for it at all, but a bunch of people do.

[a25rjr]

You get the most points for winning the heat race regardless of who passed how many!

[Hoosier_Dirt]

No event should ever qualify!! Big waste of time, passing point heats is way to go.

[GEAR_HEAD]

No event should ever qualify!! Big waste of time, passing point heats is way to go.

Agreed!!!!!

[zyoung25]

Anywhere but the first or last rows.

It would be easier for fans to keep track of if the same cars raced each other twice. That's what makes it confusing for most.

[huskerdirt]

The best way to understand this double heat/passing point system is just go by average finish. A driver with a 2.0 average finish isn't gonna start better(or have more points) than a driver with a 1.0 or 1.5. The way the system is setup it's just not mathematically possible. Now 2 drivers with the same average finish can have two different point totals. That's because the system gives 1.76 per car pass and has a 4 point finishing position spread.

Depending on the number cars,heats and the cut off(taking 16 or 18). A driver can win a heat and still not make the show. If the race has 5 heats per round it's almost a guaranteed lock or front row of the B if you win a heat. 6 heats per round, better finish in the top 5 of your other heat. The DTWC has 8 heats, you'll like need to finish 3rd in your other to get in.

Yes, it is possible to win your heat and not have the most points from that heat. If you start 7th or further back and get 2nd. You'll score more points than the winner if he started on pole.

[quickbiscuit]

You get the most points for winning the heat race regardless of who passed how many!

Doesn't work that way. A 4th place finisher can end up with more points than the winner.

https://image.ibb.co/cZS7Ev/IMG_0505.jpg

[fryefan]

You get the most points for winning the heat race regardless of who passed how many!

That is not even remotely true.

[fryefan]

No event should ever qualify!! Big waste of time, passing point heats is way to go.

Totally agree.

[Highside Hustler25]

I thought McCreadie would of had a higher points total than he did. He passed a ton of cars in 1 of those heats.

[a25rjr]

That is not even remotely true.

I read that from one of the races last year. Im pretty sure it was the SDN.

That's BS then, whats the pole guy supposed to, drop back and pass cars! the WINNER should always get the most points! smh

[GEAR_HEAD]

I read that from one of the races last year.

That's BS then, whats the pole guy supposed to, drop back and pass cars! smh

It doesn't work like that. The polesitter is supposed to pass several cars in the heat that they start last in. It's really that simple.

[zyoung25]

The pole sitter must win his heat, or at the least finish in the top 3 to keep himself equal for the 2nd round. Falling back much more than that, better hope for a soft heat or a really fast race car to gain what ya lost in 1st round, or vice versa.

[SLIDING SIDEWAYS]

I thought McCreadie would of had a higher points total than he did. He passed a ton of cars in 1 of those heats.
Thats what i thought also. He started last in his heat and finished like 4th or something

[huskerdirt]

T mac did exactly the same thing the guys just in front of him did. Won a heat, passed a bunch of cars in his next heat. He ended up tied for 3rd in points.

[Kwd1253]

No event should ever qualify!! Big waste of time, passing point heats is way to go.

Passing points has it's flaws too. You can get stuck with very very stacked heat race with top drivers. You cant really pass no one because of how strong that heat. Mean while another heat only has one or two top driver in it and pass up all the weak driver up.

Example last night round 1.
Heat 3,4,5, was the most stacked fun. You can debate which was stronger. While 1,2,3 was pretty strong. I have to say heat 5 was most stacked, alot hard coming from the back to the front.

Round 2 heats they dropped the ball. That 3rd heat was weak as hell. Soon I seen that heat line up, I said Scott should easily get 3rd maybe 2nd. Depending on how good bobby runs in that heat.

You can get lucky like Scott last night. He started on first row, 90% of times he going win his he heat when starting on first row. Then he gets the weakest heat of the night. They shoulkd just said we going put Scott on the pole rest of y'all race it out lol.

I was more impressed with other drivers that had come from the back. That only got up to 4th or 5th because how the odds were stacked against them, because of caliber of the heat. Some drivers had race stacked heat in round 1 and round 2, While others not so much.

[ptown]

Passing points suck for the very reason this thread was started, people have no clue how things are calculated, qualify run heats top three or four go to feature rest to semi.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Passing points suck for the very reason this thread was started, people have no clue how things are calculated, qualify run heats top three or four go to feature rest to semi.

I couldn't disagree more. The heats are very entertaining and you get twice as many. You want your favorites to pass as many as possible. Pretty simple.

Plus, racers get in the show. Not qualifying experts.

[Hoosier_Dirt]

It makes it way more interesting. The track usually changed during qualifying, so I don't see how it's remotely fair?

[mccreadiefan39]

Passing point heats work great at tracks you can actually pass on (Knoxville, I-80, Florence etc.)

Tracks it would never work at (Gaffney, Fayettville, NC , Smoky Mountain etc.)

[a25rjr]

Passing points suck for the very reason this thread was started, people have no clue how things are calculated, qualify run heats top three or four go to feature rest to semi.

I agree somewhat.....but im never ok with the winner getting penalized for winning from the pole!

I wish I could remember what track used the format to give heat winners max points.

[NY DIRT]

Passing points suck for the very reason this thread was started, people have no clue how things are calculated, qualify run heats top three or four go to feature rest to semi.

The people may have no clue how things are calculated, but the drivers do and I do not hear any of them complaining. the only people complaining are the keyboard warriors who are NEVER WRONG.

[zyoung25]

The people may have no clue how things are calculated, but the drivers do and I do not hear any of them complaining. the only people complaining are the keyboard warriors who are NEVER WRONG.

Consider the source....

[huskerdirt]

I agree somewhat.....but im never ok with the winner getting penalized for winning from the pole!

I wish I could remember what track used the format to give heat winners max points.

The heat winner isn't penalized. In single round heat races and the system MLRA uses a heat winner from the pole makes the show. In the cases I've seen that heat winner from the pole never starts worse than 6th or 7th.

Now.... the system used in Arizona the last few years was completely flawed as it weighed heavily on passing cars than where you finished. That's why they had to put the clause in there that heat winners automatically made the show. I remember that JD fans being up in arms because he started 15th one night. That's how broken that system is and why drivers complained.

[a25rjr]

The heat winner isn't penalized. In single round heat races and the system MLRA uses a heat winner from the pole makes the show. In the cases I've seen that heat winner from the pole never starts worse than 6th or 7th.

Now.... the system used in Arizona the last few years was completely flawed as it weighed heavily on passing cars than where you finished. That's why they had to put the clause in there that heat winners automatically made the show. I remember that JD fans being up in arms because he started 15th one night. That's how broken that system is and why drivers complained.

He was penalized. The heat winner should get max points in my opinion.

[huskerdirt]

He was penalized. The heat winner should get max points in my opinion.

Under the system in Arizona.... yes I will agree he was penalized. If they used the MLRA system he would've been a top 6 starter that night.

Heat winner from the pole gets 59 points. The 2nd place driver in that heat would have to start 5th or worse to get more points than the heat winner.

[JDT]

I have been a fan of the Passing Points heats for many years and while they may be flawed I think it does really good things for racing events. 1. Makes heat races very exciting to watch - Not just who finishes 1st or 2nd in the head but also the racing back in the pack because every position and car passed is valuable 2. Gives all drivers the opportunity to race their way into an event - A lot of teams may not have the ability to afford the costs of qualifying setups so then they choose to skip bigger events and the car counts go down. With passing points and a chance to draw the smaller teams have the chance to race into a crown jewel event Passing points does not have any more flaws than any other event setup. If they qualify there is the discussion about rather to invert the top times and if so how many. If they do invert the top 5 or so drivers get penalized while the drivers in spots 7 or 8 thru 12 or so get a bonus. If they don't invert then the heat racing is usually boring. I watched a Summer National race a few years back with qualifying and no invert and the winner that night lead every lap of the heat and feature and did not have to pass one competitive car while taking him the winners check. The North South is a crown jewel event that wants to have it own type of format to try and produce the best possible racing for the fans on their weekend. It seems to me to be working pretty well as they have averaged about 65 or so entries per year since they went to passing points and the drivers are well aware of the format. Lucas Oil series is aware of the format and has continued their relationship with the track and the event. The crowds the last 2 or so years have been standing room only so the fans obliviously like the amount of racing they are getting for their money.

[Kwd1253]

He was penalized. The heat winner should get max points in my opinion.

That wild west shootout thing is bs. They screw over the drivers that could win big bonus check. Bobby got screwed this year, they should reschedule the rain out races. Give drivers shot to win the bonus but they seen they might have to come off lot more money so they cancel it not pay up.

[Kwd1253]

The people may have no clue how things are calculated, but the drivers do and I do not hear any of them complaining. the only people complaining are the keyboard warriors who are NEVER WRONG.

Shane Clanton 2016 "F passing points!!!" Lol

[GEAR_HEAD]

Passing points suck for the very reason this thread was started, people have no clue how things are calculated, qualify run heats top three or four go to feature rest to semi.

People who can't understand the concept of getting points for passing cars probably aren't capable of understanding any format. Only people who don't like passing don't like passing point formats.

[GEAR_HEAD]

Shane Clanton 2016 "F passing points!!!" Lol

He's a whiner who hates the fans and cries about everything, nobody cares what he thinks.

[Kwd1253]

He's a whiner who hates the fans and cries about everything, nobody cares what he thinks.
Haha true but, that will always stick with me that he said that on ppv, and how (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) that event was being run. Only time I could really agree with him about the wwso.

[a25rjr]

That wild west shootout thing is bs. They screw over the drivers that could win big bonus check. Bobby got screwed this year, they should reschedule the rain out races. Give drivers shot to win the bonus but they seen they might have to come off lot more money so they cancel it not pay up.

I was referring to last nite.

[SLMDIRTTM]

How are the heats determined? Why are the heats in round 2 not have the same drivers as round 1? That is another thing that the fan doesnt understand (least not me anyhow)?

[Kwd1253]

I was referring to last nite.

Well I don't know what heat winner got screwed. Round 1 and round 2 got all there points not one heat winner was penalized. I do disagree that if driver starts 1st and win his heat, that you get max points. Simply 85% of the time driver that start in first row most times wins the heat. If they got max points then there no reason have this format. You should just do qualify and run 1 round of heats.

[Kwd1253]

How are the heats determined? Why are the heats in round 2 not have the same drivers as round 1? That is another thing that the fan doesnt understand (least not me anyhow)?

Drivers draw at Pit booth for heat starting spot.
Heats lined heads up from draw. Heats lined heads up from draw.

http://florencespeedway.com/drivers/procedures/passing-points-procedures/

[Kwd1253]

Also SLMDIRTTM think they change it up because some times some heats are way more stacked than others. Gives them a chance to make points up.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

How are the heats determined? Why are the heats in round 2 not have the same drivers as round 1? That is another thing that the fan doesnt understand (least not me anyhow)?

Its more fair that way. Don't keep uneven heats the same.

[ptown]

Who's on first?