L&H 500 Qualifying Process

[mac]

Whoever came up with the qualifying process for the L&H 500 - what drugs were they on when they came up with this abomination!!!???

And what did they use to drug the people that agreed with it?

This is an embarrassment.

"I know what we'll do... We'll have two qualification races and two races - different drivers in each qualifying session and race. And though they are only sprint races to determine where everyone will start the main race, we'll still have compulsory pitstops. Except you will only have to do one pitstop in the two races for a reason I can't think of. Oh, and we'll award championship points too, for some reason - despite half of the drivers in these individual races not even being in the championship... and despite the fact that one driver will be incredibly disadvantaged because they will have to make a compulsory pitstop. And it will still be good racing if four cars lead out and are dicing for the lead and three of them decide to make their pitstops in that race, leaving a huge gap. And at the end of it all, no one will care about the race tomorrow, but we'll add all of the points together to come up with a starting grid for the "main" race."

"What a great idea... let's do it!"

V8Supercars can't be serious about appealing to the casual viewer can they?

[peckstar]

what is wrong with it mac, you never actually explained what you dont like.

i despise the traditional qualfying procedure and this all qualifying should be desiced on races and now a fastest lap, so i am a fan

just wish they could have been a bit more informative about it

[mac]

Originally Posted by peckstar

what is wrong with it mac, you never actually explained what you dont like.

Um, yes I did. Did you read my post?

All of it!!!

They have made the thing ridiculously complicated for absolutely no reason, other than to try and spice it up and provide some "racing" on Saturday.

It is embarrassing.

Originally Posted by peckstar

i despise the traditional qualfying procedure and this all qualifying should be desiced on races and now a fastest lap, so i am a fan

Yes, excellent idea.

I don't know what goes through your head sometime, peckstar. There is nothing better than seeing driver's going completely flat out and throwing it all on the line - especially at places like The Island and Bathurst.

Heaven forbid we find out who is the fastest driver around the circuit and reward them as such. Remember the drama of Murph's lap at Bathurst? What about the excitement that we would have had in Q2 with four drivers on 1:33.3s if it actually mattered?

WhyTF do we have compulsory pitstops in these "races"!!!??? And why only in one of the "races"!!!???

The place has gone mad!

Originally Posted by peckstar

just wish they could have been a bit more informative about it

They probably haven't been too informative about it because they don't totally understand the dastardly thing - that or they are embarrassed by it.

[Silencer]

Yeah I can't see them repeating it for next year.

[browney]

The only thing I don't like is the CPS, it's silly for such a short race and only in one of them for some reason.

Other than that it's fine. Lets both drivers have experience in a short race on Saturday .

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by mac

Um, yes I did. Did you read my post?

All of it!!!

They have made the thing ridiculously complicated for absolutely no reason, other than to try and spice it up and provide some "racing" on Saturday.

It is embarrassing.


Yes, excellent idea.

I don't know what goes through your head sometime, peckstar. There is nothing better than seeing driver's going completely flat out and throwing it all on the line - especially at places like The Island and Bathurst.

Heaven forbid we find out who is the fastest driver around the circuit and reward them as such. Remember the drama of Murph's lap at Bathurst? What about the excitement that we would have had in Q2 with four drivers on 1:33.3s if it actually mattered?

WhyTF do we have compulsory pitstops in these "races"!!!??? And why only in one of the "races"!!!???

The place has gone mad!


They probably haven't been too informative about it because they don't totally understand the dastardly thing - that or they are embarrassed by it.

maybe i missed the reasons in the sarcasim (and possibly the long paragraph)

but im all for racing to deside the race set up. i will agree that the CPS was stupid.

I hope they use it again next year just minus the CPS (will they be able to make it on fuel )

and they learn to communicate better. the driver list should have been on the net last night, the point system should be somewheer obvoius and even now it would be nice if the showed us the grid for tomorrow. there web site has really let them down this race.

oh and FPR whatw ere you thinking, call me and i will rent you my 6 yo because he can do better strategy than whoever is doing it now. frosty shouold be leading the championship, but you stuffed up

[GTRMagic]

I actually liked the individual qualifying sessions for each of the 2 drivers for their individual races, its a TOCA-esque idea...

What would be wrong with continuing that process... of each race having a qualifying session...

Then the drivers who have a poor first race arent totally washed out of the weekend

Given that this is a motortainment formula, would it not make sense to not have to have the crowd pullers at the back of the field for the subsequent races if they have a problem in the first event??

[peckstar]

i like watching them drive through the field, if only the tv would show it. greatd rive by gt to come back from near the rear, didnt see him once though on tv.

you have to admit there is nothing more enjoyable than watching car 2 (2nd hrt car) pit while a three way battle for the lead is happening

[speedreader]

I enjoyed todays separate qualifying / races today too - it was good to watch not knowing who & when was going to pit and also to see new faces racing bumper to bumper with the more established 'stars'... Drivers such as Steve Owen, Bessy's 1st lap in race 2, Luff's run prior to his pit stop & even Johny Mac in the 111 car. All drivers showing they have the pace to run at the front when given the opportunity.

I like watching a driver race their way back to the front too but it doesnt happen often enough in V8's anymore. The cars are too good and you can only drive them so fast. The drivers are reaching the limits of the cars now hence 20 cars plus qualifying within a second. It sounds good but it makes it too hard to pass & processional racing.

Here's an idea for next year - lets copy this weekend's concept and field 2 drivers in each car in the same 2 sprint race, 1 longer race format at each round with all drivers scoring points for the championship. 56 drivers fighting for the title, all having to demonstrate individual race skills as well as team work all at the same time... Naw, just kidding. V8's are not that bad (yet) but it would be good :-)

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by peckstar

i like watching them drive through the field, if only the tv would show it. greatd rive by gt to come back from near the rear, didnt see him once though on tv.

you have to admit there is nothing more enjoyable than watching car 2 (2nd hrt car) pit while a three way battle for the lead is happening

I preferred the bit where you saw a replay of the start just as Mr R.Kelly fell off the road in real time

[Rick]

Originally Posted by peckstar

greatd rive by gt to come back from near the rear,

but did he? - a whole bunch had to stop for CPS and then S.Richards fell off - not sure he actually did much "driving through" - but as you say we didn't see it anyway.

I'm with mac - ridiculously complicated and certainly impossible to explain to any casual observer - effectively two races in each race (stoppers and non-stoppers).

[speedraced04]

Originally Posted by mac

They have made the thing ridiculously complicated for absolutely no reason

rediculously complicated? all seemed pretty straight forward to me...?

[GTRMagic]

Given that Mr Crompton and co also stuffed up recalling whether a pitstop was necessary for the #888 car in the second race, and certainly they werent in a position to supply aggregated positions for grid placings until the very end, the host broadcaster did not seem across this process...

Meantime Natsoft still havent aggregated the points to display tomorrow's grid...

[fomoco]

Originally Posted by mac

Whoever came up with the qualifying process for the L&H 500 - what drugs were they on when they came up with this abomination!!!???

And what did they use to drug the people that agreed with it?

PROZAC comes to mind.

[Trev Campbell]

So just from a statistical point of view which driver is recorded as getting pole position ??? Is in whincup because he finished higher of the 2 drivers or do both Lowndes and Whincup get a Pole credited to them ????

[STEALTHY]

I liked the format.


If you want to watch racing where the fastest driver is rewarded, your in the completly wrong series!

[panel damage]

Well I might be seeing double - but shouldn't this be in the phillip Island 500 thread we already have.

[Chris - Melb]

I think the 'optional' pitstop idea was the worst feature. It led to a runaway victory to Rick Kelly.

I thought the idea was to produce close racing?

If I wanted to watch a lottery, I would go to the pokies, not to a racetrack.

[bestfit]

I didn't mind the format but I would change it so that -
Only one qualifying session in which the selected "driver A" qualifies for the grid position of race 1.
Starting positions for race 2 are the finishing positions of race 1.
Teams who elect to pit in race 1 will start mid to rear of field of race 2 and have to work there way through the field (which will clear as cars pit).
Teams who do not pit in race 1 will start near the front but have to pit during the race. When they pit would largely be decided by whether they can make a decent break while the non-pitters are held up in traffic.
The starting order for the main race is the finishing order of race 2 and is known immediately.

[STEALTHY]

Originally Posted by bestfit

I didn't mind the format but I would change it so that -
Only one qualifying session in which the selected "driver A" qualifies for the grid position of race 1.
Starting positions for race 2 are the finishing positions of race 1.
Teams who elect to pit in race 1 will start mid to rear of field of race 2 and have to work there way through the field (which will clear as cars pit).
Teams who do not pit in race 1 will start near the front but have to pit during the race. When they pit would largely be decided by whether they can make a decent break while the non-pitters are held up in traffic.
The starting order for the main race is the finishing order of race 2 and is known immediately.

Why not scrap the whole multiple race idea, as that setup is really only having one race, that has a break then starts again.

[chavez]

I thought the format was pretty good. Probably the only improvement would be to drop the single compulsory pit stop or have one in each race.

V8 Supercars are far more suited to long distance races than sprint races of one hour or so. However, the fact the two sprint races sets the grid for an endurance race is okay with me.

The championship as a whole would be improved if there were more long distance, two driver races.

As for the format being complicated, being a speedway fan, the format was far simpler than some of the mind bending formats the sprintcar guys race under.

Bring on 2009, 15 two driver races of 400k minimum with the grid set by two qualifying races on the Saturday.

[NewsStalker]

Will ths format be back for next year? Appears the answer is 'yes' if you read the other link to 2009 rules.

My initial thought on this format was garbage - but I actually watched it and, after thinking a bit more, think this is one of the best ideas they have come up with.

Look at how qualifying for enduro's has traditionally been done - fastest of the pair get to have his/her qualifying time used. The fact that the second driver is possibly an 'also ran' and slower than a wet wick didn't come into play except in the race (How many laps did Larry not drive the car at Calder in 1987??)

At least with this system each driver gets their own qualifying session - so you get a real indication of how good/bad they are (no more 'I think its Joe in the car at present - we'll try and find out who the driver is and let you know' type stuff ups).

The an individual race for each as well - same idea - each gets to race on their own merits.

But - and this is the part where I think they have FINALLY realised something is lacking in V8 racing (and next years rules only confirm this) - a compulsory pit stop.

BUT

When it is taken (and only one has to be taken) is left up to the teams and NOT officials. Thus - some took it in race 1, others in race 2. (Suggestion V8SCA - remove the 'window' totally - let them take it whenever they want whether it be lap 1, 10 or even, if they want to try something different, lap 14)

Finally there is an element of race tactics really coming into play without having to worry about them being contrived. Do we pit in race 1, take a lower position and hope those that don't aren't too far ahead? Do we use old or new tyres etc etc.

And then allocating points to award pole - only change I would make here is use Trev's thought - use the highest place of the 2 drivers, then the second place and ONLY use fastest laps if there still a tie.

[NewsStalker]

I think the 'optional' pitstop idea was the worst feature. It led to a runaway victory to Rick Kelly.

Maybe so, but the team then needed to ensure everything went perfectly smoothly in race 2. Again - tactics come into play here.

[Chris - Melb]

There is plenty of tactics in chess, but it does not make for a good spectator viewing (well, I don't think so).

I think there is enough tactics in V8 Supercar. Anymore and it becomes a mockery.

The AFL does not need to stoop to such desperate levels to be popular.

Isn't motor racing meant to be a sporting competition?

[STEALTHY]

The AFL is losing fans left right and centre with their shocking rules.

Once upon a time it used to be good ol footy, now its worse than soccer with their penalties and 'pansies'


Yes its ment to be a sporting competition, but how can it be with so many regulations in place.