I'm Not Much On Gimmicks, But.......

[zach51]

It is disheartening seeing so many races won from the front row. No passing for the lead. Seems like two out of three race reports on DOD is "Driver XYZ led every lap in route to his....blah blah blah".

I hate the stupid inverts and roll-the-dice stuff, pick-a-number from the hat, etc. But what I hate more is no passing for the lead.

Seeing as it doesn't look like the track prep is going to improve anytime soon, should there be more gimmicky invert stuff going on to at least give the fans a show?

It is bad enough watching on video, it is even worse when you sit out there for 5 hours and never see a pass for the lead in the feature.

[chupp n bloomer fan]

It is disheartening seeing so many races won from the front row. No passing for the lead. Seems like two out of three race reports on DOD is "Driver XYZ led every lap in route to his....blah blah blah".

I hate the stupid inverts and roll-the-dice stuff, pick-a-number from the hat, etc. But what I hate more is no passing for the lead.

Seeing as it doesn't look like the track prep is going to improve anytime soon, should there be more gimmicky invert stuff going on to at least give the fans a show?

It is bad enough watching on video, it is even worse when you sit out there for 5 hours and never see a pass for the lead in the feature.

Boy, the can of worms you're going to open with this one.

Inverts depending on car count, and track prep. But probably no more than 6-8 ever.

[TheJet-09]

I'm a fan of the old trophy dash. Fastest six qualifiers start inverted (fast time in position six), and their finishing order is the first three rows of the feature line-up. From there on back can be the finishing order of heats or back to qualifying.

Referencing DoD you're obviously talking about bigger/national shows, so that's one thing, but I will forever feel that straight up starts in weekly racing has all but killed racing, most certainly for the "little" guy.

[zach51]

That is good feedback Jet. I agree with CNB, inverts definitely need a limit to 6-8. Trophy dash would work too.

When you speak of the little guy at a weekly race. I used to race the 600cc micro sprints up in Tulsa. After about 6 weeks I finally finished high enough in a heat to qualify for the A. They did invert based on point average. I was horrible, so I had a low point average. I started on the pole of the A, and I had no business being there. It was dangerous. I had guys that were way better and way faster running over me the first lap. I think I went from the pole to about 7th after 1 lap on an 1/8th mile track. It was absurd. I agree the little guy needs to be in the mix somehow but only to an extent, otherwise it becomes dangerous.

[Tireguy17]

The touring guys hate the invert, for obvious reasons, they want the easiest route to the A-main. I can't blame them for the position. But if the WoO and Lucas would work together and come to an agreement on lineup procedures, then neither series can lose cars based on it. BUT......as long as the tracks and series make money with the current format, I don't see either making any changes.

My area sanctioning body (WISSOTA) has went to a invert point average system for the feature lineup. Example: 2 heat races, the top 4 finishers in each heat make the invert. High point average based on the last 3 weeks points starts 8th in the feature.

[MRM]

It's the old chicken and the egg arguement. Is there no passing because the fast cars are up front or is there no passing because the track isn't that good? If the track isn't that good, inverts will not help with passing. I have seen that too many times.

[CIRF]

My area sanctioning body (WISSOTA) has went to a invert point average system for the feature lineup. Example: 2 heat races, the top 4 finishers in each heat make the invert. High point average based on the last 3 weeks points starts 8th in the feature.

Hmmmm, that is an interesting procedure. How long has WISSOTA been using this process?

[Chris Thomason]

I was at a paved LM race (not sure why) where the leader rolled a really big novelty dice on the front straight at the midway point of the race. That might work for some long 100 lap race but the sand baggers and what could be an unnecessary caution could ruin it too.

[MI Dirt Fan]

Then we get the same excuse of "less stuff gets tore up when the fast cars start up front"

[MI Dirt Fan]

Hmmmm, that is an interesting procedure. How long has WISSOTA been using this process?

Quoted the wrong person. Sounds like Wissota uses a similar procedure to IMCA

[over4T]

At our regular California Super Stock haunts the winner of the first heat pulls a number from 1-4 to determine the invert so you could start the main anywhere from 1st to 7th position. It's bitten us several times after winning a heat and then a crummy draw puts us mid pack and we've also benefited when we sucked in a heat and the draw put us up front. A touring Nevada Pro Stock group we've run with for years puts the point leader dead last in the main. Both ways promote hard racing all night and, though it's just an expensive hobby for us, that's why we do it.

[Tireguy17]

WISSOTA has been using the Point Average Invert for at least 8 seasons.
Invitationals/Specials can use other formats, and tracks can alter from the point average for a couple weekly shows a season, usually mid-season and season championship nights.

[Krooser]

I grew with the fastest qualifier starting at the tail... 25 lap feaures. The difference from today was the promoters gave those guys a decent amount of $$$ for quick time AND (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) near the same points you'd get for winning the main. You didn't see much sandbagging.

Oh yeah...they paid four spots in the heats, too. If you didn't make the top ten in the main at least you made some $$$


some guys made a career out of winning the semi-features.

[grumfan]

I grew with the fastest qualifier starting at the tail... 25 lap feaures. The difference from today was the promoters gave those guys a decent amount of $$$ for quick time AND (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) near the same points you'd get for winning the main. You didn't see much sandbagging.

Oh yeah...they paid four spots in the heats, too. If you didn't make the top ten in the main at least you made some $$$


some guys made a career out of winning the semi-features.

I grew up with the feature winner from the previous week starting on the tail. No qualifying, pill draw for heats. Heats paid $ and points.

[dirtcrazy4u]

Nice to see someone that remembers those days Krooser. I think very few pay heat races anymore. We raced 20 yrs ago and the purses really haven't increased that much.