NASCAR considering separate qualifying sessions
Quote selected text Published November 15th, 2007 in NASCAR News
Nextel Cup Series Director John Darby said Nov. 9 that the sanctioning body is still studying the possibility of having teams outside the top 35 in owner points qualify as a group, but that a final decision has not been made.
Teams outside the top 35 must qualify each week based on their qualifying speed, while teams inside the top 35 are locked into the field. Because qualifying sessions often last more than two hours, track conditions can change dramatically during a single session.
Several big-name drivers, including Dale Jarrett, Michael Waltrip and Brian Vickers, and prominent teams have missed multiple races this season by being outside the top 35.
Some team owners have said that having drivers not guaranteed a starting spot make their qualifying attempts at about the same time - rather than based on their qualifying draw - would make the session more fair.
More at SceneDaily.com
- Furniture Row testing at Kentucky
- Darrell Waltrip would shorten ‘The Chase’, have separate points
- Franchitti testing at Kentucky wednesday
- McMurray leads final Lowe’s test session, Earnhardt, Jr crashes
- DEI Testing at Kentucky on Tuesday
This makes sense. I can’t see any reason to not do this. Like the article says, it would at least make the track conditions somewhat similar for all the folks trying to get in on time.
Actually they should go a step further and have them run before the top 35. That way if qualifying gets rained out in the middle, and if the outsiders have all run, they can be in on time and the top 35 can still be locked in on points.
Long overdue. Send Jeremy home early so he can mow the lawn.
plain and simple the fastest 43, the rest GO HOME!!!
YES fastest 43 race period…… they have sponsors that pay their bills also, so its only fair if they are one of the fastest 43 they should be in the race …
I agree with tomcat. Fastest 43 race.
They should just go back to the old days when everybody raced. Some fields were big, some were small. Who cares if there are 43 cars or not?
gary gvk3
crybaby waltrip wantsit his way
I say let the fastest 43 cars race, but allow past champions to have provisionals (6) just in case something happens.
That’s only fair. The champions deserve to have a better chance to get into the races. How about if you have a driver with one championship, they get 5 buys per season. If you have 2 championships, you get 10 buys, 3 championships = 15 buys, and 4 = 20 buys… 5 or more = unlimited provisionals. Top 35, no.
43 in the race! if nascar doesn’t do something soon, its going to be a has been sport. all the rules are ruining it. the truck race has turned out to be much better competition and better racing this year..the same 10 run up front in cup every week and the chase has just sucked this year. nascar needs to do something because i don’t think the cot is going to do it.
I’m not too sure about all this myself, I’d rather see nobody locked in, just the fastest 43 cars make it in, nobody else!
i agree let everyone race. with the car of tomorrow it would probably be better racing.