[simple simon]

i know most of you know how it works........but we do have some new fans so i hope this helps

Step 1: Qualifying day / Feb. 11, 2 p.m. ET on FOX

The front row will be locked into the Daytona 500 as will the top 35 teams in 2006 owner points, part of the season-long procedure for guaranteeing a starting spot to the top 35 teams in owner points. The teams in the top 35 that had odd finishing positions in 2006 will be in the first of two 150-mile qualifying races. The even teams will make the second qualifying race.

Step 2: Gatorade Duel 150s / Feb. 15, 2 p.m. ET on SPEED


The Daytona 500 pole-sitter will sit on the pole for the first qualifying race and the driver who qualifies on the outside of Row 1 will sit on the pole for the second qualifying race, regardless of where they finished in 2006 owner points. The rest of the qualifying-race fields — up to 66 cars with 33 in each event — will start based on their qualifying-day speeds. Drivers who weren't in the top 35 in owner points in 2006 will be placed in the qualifying races in order of how they qualified among drivers outside the top 35.
The two highest finishers in the 150-mile races that are not in the top 35 in 2006 owner points will qualify for the Daytona 500.



Step 3: Fastest qualifying speeds: Feb. 11

Positions 40 through 42 will be filled by drivers who had the fastest speeds on qualifying day but did not qualify on the front row, weren't in the top 35 in owner points and weren't one of the highest two finishers in each of the 150-mile qualifying races.

Step 4: Champion's provisional/Next fastest qualifier

Position 43 will be filled by a past champion or the next fastest qualifier that isn't in the top 35 in 2006 owner points.

FOX Sports - NASCAR - Daytona 500 qualifying explained

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by simple simon

i know most of you know how it works........but we do have some new fans so i hope this helps

Step 1: Qualifying day / Feb. 11, 2 p.m. ET on FOX
The front row will be locked into the Daytona 500 as will the top 35 teams in 2006 owner points, part of the season-long procedure for guaranteeing a starting spot to the top 35 teams in owner points. The teams in the top 35 that had odd finishing positions in 2006 will be in the first of two 150-mile qualifying races. The even teams will make the second qualifying race.
Step 2: Gatorade Duel 150s / Feb. 15, 2 p.m. ET on SPEED
The Daytona 500 pole-sitter will sit on the pole for the first qualifying race and the driver who qualifies on the outside of Row 1 will sit on the pole for the second qualifying race, regardless of where they finished in 2006 owner points. The rest of the qualifying-race fields — up to 66 cars with 33 in each event — will start based on their qualifying-day speeds. Drivers who weren't in the top 35 in owner points in 2006 will be placed in the qualifying races in order of how they qualified among drivers outside the top 35.
The two highest finishers in the 150-mile races that are not in the top 35 in 2006 owner points will qualify for the Daytona 500.
Step 3: Fastest qualifying speeds: Feb. 11
Positions 40 through 42 will be filled by drivers who had the fastest speeds on qualifying day but did not qualify on the front row, weren't in the top 35 in owner points and weren't one of the highest two finishers in each of the 150-mile qualifying races.
Step 4: Champion's provisional/Next fastest qualifierPosition 43 will be filled by a past champion or the next fastest qualifier that isn't in the top 35 in 2006 owner points.

Maybe its just me but it just feels as though there is somethinmg terribly wrong with a system that takes up the above amount of space just to explain who starts a race and who doesn't.

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Maybe its just me but it just feels as though there is somethinmg terribly wrong with a system that takes up the above amount of space just to explain who starts a race and who doesn't.

We could hold consecutive sack races.. winner gets the pole then set the field as they cross the finish line.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Quality88

We could hold consecutive sack races.. winner gets the pole then set the field as they cross the finish line.

It would be a lot simpler if they could just say:
1. Everyone qualifies on Sunday. The fastest two are locked into the front row.

2. Odd number qualifiers run the first qualifying race Thursday. The top 22, not counting the locked in car, start the race in positions 3,5,7,9,etc., etc.

3. Even numbered qualifiers start the second qualifying race. The top 21 finishers, not counting the locked in outside front driver, start in positions 4,6,8, 10, etc., etc.

Seems a lot simpler to me, anyway.

[simple simon]

Originally Posted by Quality88

We could hold consecutive sack races.. winner gets the pole then set the field as they cross the finish line.

does Greg Sacks have an advantage in the sack race ?

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by simple simon

does Greg Sacks have an advantage in the sack race ?

http://www.smileycentral.com/sig.jsp...p=ZSYYYYYYYYGB

[Mike24]

I've always wondered why they just don't qualify the 500 like they do with any other track.......but atleast it's more racin.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Mike24

I've always wondered why they just don't qualify the 500 like they do with any other track.......but atleast it's more racin.

Personally, I like the qualifying races concept. It like they used to do on the hometown short tracks years ago. Now, on all the tracks I've attended during the past few years, they still have heat races, but everyone who is able starts the feature, usually.

I think if NASCAR continues to destroy the Cup Lite (formerly known as BGN) Series, it could do worse than adapt the concept to its races. Spend Saturday a.m. qualifying, then run two qualifying races on Sat afternoon to determine the starting lineup. It'd beat watching the Cup Raiders and their Cup teams beat up on the BGN regulars each race weekend, wouldn't it?

[Mike24]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Personally, I like the qualifying races concept. It like they used to do on the hometown short tracks years ago. Now, on all the tracks I've attended during the past few years, they still have heat races, but everyone who is able starts the feature, usually.

I think if NASCAR continues to destroy the Cup Lite (formerly known as BGN) Series, it could do worse than adapt the concept to its races. Spend Saturday a.m. qualifying, then run two qualifying races on Sat afternoon to determine the starting lineup. It'd beat watching the Cup Raiders and their Cup teams beat up on the BGN regulars each race weekend, wouldn't it?

Kinda like qualifying for each race under the Daytona qualifying format? Hmmmm, that would be interesting, but I like that idea. But I don't see Busch going, as younger talent still comes up to that level, and you just can't throw that younger talent into Cup, that's a no-no. Maybe you could use the CTS I guess... although Trucks are much different than stock cars.

[Lefturn]

Qualifying every race that way would bend more sheet metal.

The top 35 being locked in really throws a monkey wrench into qualifying at Daytona. This was another brain wave of NASCAR that I disagree with. It's great if you are in the top 35 but if not then you really have a slim chance at making the race.

If I was running Daytona for the first time as a rookie. I would be able to get in if I:

1. Qualified on the front row.
2. Be the highest finisher not in the top 35 in my Gatorade Dual
3. Be one of three lucky cars outside the front row to Qualify on time.

What do you think the chances of Toyota making it into the race with all of their teams? Gentlemen, look for the Toyotas to be looking for one another and sticking to each others bumper no matter what.

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Personally, I like the qualifying races concept. It like they used to do on the hometown short tracks years ago. Now, on all the tracks I've attended during the past few years, they still have heat races, but everyone who is able starts the feature, usually.

I think if NASCAR continues to destroy the Cup Lite (formerly known as BGN) Series, it could do worse than adapt the concept to its races. Spend Saturday a.m. qualifying, then run two qualifying races on Sat afternoon to determine the starting lineup. It'd beat watching the Cup Raiders and their Cup teams beat up on the BGN regulars each race weekend, wouldn't it?

Great idea but ..... what about when they beat up their cars so that aerodynamically they are junk but are still able to qualify ?? They get helmet throwing angry now when they are crashed out of a race due to some one elses fault. What'll happen when all the big names get taken out before the actual feature ?? Sponsorship disappears.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Great idea but ..... what about when they beat up their cars so that aerodynamically they are junk but are still able to qualify ?? They get helmet throwing angry now when they are crashed out of a race due to some one elses fault. What'll happen when all the big names get taken out before the actual feature ?? Sponsorship disappears.

...and the down side of that situation is...?

[mervinout]

i dont know much about racing so dont kill me for this question lol, is this simmilar to how indy 500 qualfies cause they always seem to have a hard way to figure out their pole too

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

...and the down side of that situation is...?

Then we'd have to allow ARCA, CTS, LMS and all the others to join us. Then we'd have to figure out a new points system, playoff plan ...........


This could be big for the France clan.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by mervinout

i dont know much about racing so dont kill me for this question lol, is this simmilar to how indy 500 qualfies cause they always seem to have a hard way to figure out their pole too

Welcome, Merv... This a great forum. We have a whole lot of good folks here who take NASCAR VERY seriously. A lot of folks here have their favourite teams, drivers, whatever but I think we discuss matters a few levels below that. A lot of us are into the actual nuts and bolts of NASCAR racing. I hoipe that you stick around. You can learn quite abit about stock car racing.

Indy has a qualifying system that I would love to see NASCAR adopt. It is simple, and plays absolutely no favourites, as NA$CAR's system does.

It goes like this:

Each car gets one official qualifying time and three chances to set that time.

Qualifying is done on four days (the two weekends preceding the Memorial Day weekend) to fill the 33-car field.

An official qualifying run is made up of four consecutive laps, with the total elasped time being the official time.

The cars that qualify the first day are in those positions (i.e.; if 30 cars qualify on day one, then those cars are in positions 1 thru 30)

The cars who qualify the second day are in the remaining spots (example: positions 31 thru 33) After 33 cars have officially qualified then the "bumoing process" begins. This process eliminates the slowest car, no matter where they are in the field. (For example, if the car which qualified 30th on day one is slower than the 33rd qualifier, then this car is the first to be "bumped." This process goes on until the FASTEST 33 cars are in the startying field. (Unlike NA$CAR, where, because of preferencial treatment, some cars which are in the fastest 43 have to go home)

Each car has three chances to make an official qualifying attempt. If, during a qualifying run a car isn't fast enough to make the field, it can be "waved off" its run and return to the pits for further adjustments. This can be done twice. The third time the car makes an official attempt it must take whatever time it gets.

Obviously this format, en toto, wouldn't work for NASCAR in its present form. But, with some adjustments, qualifying would become significant, interesting and worth seeing. This same qualifying format has been in place at Indy since 1928 and has seen only very minor changes and it continues to work well.