As I sit here watching final practice (or for some, Happy Hour which is normally not happy nor an hour long) for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series which is in final preparation for tomorrow’s 500 mile race at Texas Motor Speedway, one discussion not only in the media, but with NASCAR fans that has been widely talked about is NASCAR’s current qualifying policy.
Over the past several years, NASCAR has tweaked there Cup Series qualifying policy a few times including recently breaking up the qualifying into two sessions, first the top 35 cars will qualify and then second, the go or go home drivers (the drivers that must qualify on speed due to the fact that they are not in the top 35 in points) which gives the must qualify on speed drivers all a fighting chance in the same weather and track conditions to make the 43 car starting field for the big race.
The current policy is working pretty well, of course I don’t care much for watching single car qualifying, but at least it’s fair for all drivers, two laps to get the best speed, fastest speeds and top 35 status makes the field.
However for the past several years, NASCAR hasn’t experienced canceling qualifying due to rain on a regular basis, as a matter of fact, in 2006 NASCAR only canceled qualify twice, first at Bristol and then at Atlanta, in 2007, it bumped up three times of qualifying canceled, first at Texas, then Daytona and Watkins Glen, in 2007, NASCAR only canceled qualify three times, first at Texas, then Daytona and Watkins Glen.
One note, Watkins Glen is a road course which has had their qualifying canceled in the last three years, that’s an interesting thing to know.
But here’s where the new problem comes in, so far in 2008 (as of Texas Motor Speedway), NASCAR due to its current qualifying policy has been forced to cancel qualifying due to rain a total of 10 times, which includes California, Bristol, Michigan, Chicago, Watkins Glen, Richmond, New Hampshire, Charlotte, Martinsville and Atlanta. 10 times, that a series record, not a record NASCAR would ever want to achieve.
So with more than 43 cars on just about any given weekend showing up to attempt to make qualifying lap, what is NASCAR to do to ensure that each driver/team at least has a fighting chance to make the field and not have to turn around and go home because qualifying was canceled due to rain or something else? Well, in my opinion, there are two options…
Keep in mind, there must be more than 43 drivers/teams attempting to qualify, and weather and schedule permitting at the racetrack…
1. Hold qualifying on the next day for the entire field, this option takes around 2 to 3 hours to complete which would fall mostly on Saturday. The downside is that the next day schedule doesn’t normally have that must open room on the schedule.
2. Hold qualifying on the next day for only the go or go home drivers, the cars that are required to qualify on speed. This option would set the field by owner’s points for not only the top 35, but for the entire 43 car starting lineup. There really isn’t as big of a downside here, it would only take 30 minutes, plus a practice session before the qualifying and the field is set by owner’s points.
In my opinion, while I would like to see the first option happen with all drivers/teams attempt to qualify, it may not be possible for that to happen due to the next day schedule, so instead the second option is better, first it takes less time for qualifying to be held along with a practice session before qualifying if it wasn’t held the previous day and most importantly, it allows the go or go home drivers (the must qualify on speed cars because they don’t have a golden pass) to at least make an attempt. Every drivers/team has a chance to make the race period.
Either way that NASCAR goes would be better for those teams that are outside of the top 35 in points, just remember, NASCAR has always been open on having an driver/team come in to any given race whether it’s the Daytona 500 that draws 50 cars sometimes, the Brickyard 400, Bristol 500 or another race and be able to attempt to make the field, that’s racing, any (eligible) driver/team who can go racing, should be able to go racing in all of NASCAR’s three national series and that shouldn’t change just because NASCAR is getting bigger every year.
In 2009, NASCAR should add this to their qualifying policy and in the current shaky economy, more sponsors and owners would find this appealing considering that NASCAR is a sponsorship driven sport.
- Racedriven
