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View Full Version : NASCAR qualifying - what do you thing?



Marker
06-08-2007, 06:28 PM
What do you think about the current NASCAR NEXTEL CUP qualifying procedure?

I am definitely NOT a fan of the current system. It is what it is for now, but I think they need to re-evaluate it. In my opinion, they should race the 43 fastest qualifiers. If they allow ANY provisionals, perhaps the current champion, and the winner of the same race last year.

I mean come on, if may use Michael Waltrip as an example, he would have made all but 2 races this year if all drivers had to qualify on time. In one case he was 20th fastest, faster than 32 of the 50 drivers attempting to qualify, but he went home. To me that's just not right.

Sure, they want to encourage the teams to show up and keep those sponsors happy and they have full field. The benefit for top 35 in owner points came from days when they struggled getting full fields. They've had no fewer than 49 team show up to any race this year.

And how difficult are they making it for new teams.

This week, Chad McCumbee, who has never driven a cup race, or a Bucsh race. He has race trucks, and currently spends his time with the ARCA series, yet he gets a guaranteed spot, while sending Kenny Wallace & Michael Waltrip (who were faster in qualifying) home. And Sterling Marlin, who due to a transmission failure was never even able to run a qualifying lap, will race on Sunday as well.

I say, let the fastest 43 race. If Jeff Gordon or Dale Jr fail to make a race, so be it. Mark Martin is proving that if you miss a race (or 3) you can still content for the chase. Also, those 35 who are guaranteed spots have nothing to lose, if they push to far and crash during qualifying, they still race. Maybe if a qualifying crash could take any of them out of a race, then maybe they wouldn't be that half second faster.

Jeff
06-08-2007, 08:55 PM
I agree!
The fastest race, period!

g.r.
06-09-2007, 10:25 AM
One thing right out of the chute: all cars with non-guaranteed spots need to qualify one right after another. It's not fair, especially with changing track conditions at larger tracks, to have one guy go out two hours after another guy has qualified (track temps, wind, etc.)

I think they need to reduce the number of guaranteed spots from 35 down to 20 or 25. Waltrip was quicker yesterday than 11 or 12 cars that had guaranteed positions but loaded up and went home.

You're not sending Stanton Barrett, Morgan Shepherd, or Andy Belmont home anymore. You're sending big-time funded teams like Red Bull, UPS, and NAPA home. I can't imagine those sponsors are real thrilled right now.

Speedy1998
06-09-2007, 08:54 PM
Personnaly, I would like to see spots 1-33 set by speed. The final 10 spots would be given to the top 10 cars in points that did not qualify on speed. This would guarentee that the drivers like (Jeff Gordon, Smoke, Junior, and Jimmie Johnson) that have the biggest fan base would still make the race should they have a bad day qualifiying. The point of the current qualifiying system is to ensure that the best teams with the biggest draws are always in the race.

stormy57
06-09-2007, 09:24 PM
It should definitely be the fastest 43 cars period. I don't believe in the current system if your not fastest enough to to race then it's pack up and go home. If you look at the NHRA that is how it is done and they still draw big name sponsers and large crowds.

Stich8818
06-23-2007, 03:00 PM
This issue of qualifying is one of two issues that is really hurting Nascar right now. I agree with the other comments that the fastest 43 that show up race. With maybe an exception of lets say the top 25 cause those spots will be for the teams that run well everyweek(big teams like Hendrick,RCR,Gibbs) that will be fine to race. Then let the teams put the peddal down and race into the show. The other issue is the sponsorship issues with this AT&T issue on the 31 Jeff Burton car. They need to figure out what they are going to do as far as sponsors coming into the sport which is mucho dollars into the sport. If these companies cannot bring there product to the sport it will lose money.

Bethis26fan
06-24-2007, 03:18 PM
I think it should be no more than top 15 or 20 in points if you are going to have set and I don't like this past champion provisionals thing. If a past champion starts at the first of the year maybe, but putting them in half way into the season just so you get a spot I think it wrong.