Some, like Scelzi, have even suggested Friday night’s spectacle should be done away with altogether and NHRA should just hold qualifying twice in Friday’s sunshine and heat and keep the two Saturday sessions as they are. This clearly has merit–if all you’re trying to do
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Still others have hinted it may be time for a new seeding arrangement in qualifying, where instead of taking the quickest 16 after four rounds, perhaps the top eight after Friday’s two sessions are guaranteed a berth and Saturday’s sessions are left to fill the field and finalize the order. Or perhaps a sprint car-type deal could be worked out with top performers from opening day at each event heading straight to the A Main (eliminations), while the rest “race” their ways into the field.
Though I don’t necessarily like the idea that these kinds of arrangements might preempt the number-one qualifier from being bumped from his or her lofty perch on Saturday, it’s certainly not an unprecedented concept in racing as both the Indy 500 and Daytona 500 lock in their top qualifiers long before all qualifying opportunities are exhausted. If drag racing really does need (or is just considering) a new way of doing things, no idea should be summarily dismissed.
The one thing I really would like to see, though, is the first round of eliminations being completed Saturday night. Leave Friday as it is, maybe move Saturday’s two qualifying go-rounds ahead an hour or so, and start eliminations with the Pro Stock Bikes early in the evening. It would make Friday night’s qualifying directly relevant to the racing and light up the sky one more time for the fans. I realize it’d make for a long day for the crews, but simultaneously this format would provide for a tighter, shorter day on Sundays which would be good for practically everyone involved.
Of course, everything could be left pretty much as is, where you either go hard or go home–which I suspect is what most fans would prefer anyway.
Race safe,
PS. From one Canadian to another, congratulations to Paul Noakes on his second-straight IHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car win over fellow Canuck Rob Atchison, this latest one coming at Martin, MI, where Larry O’Brien also arrived from north of the border to reach the Pro Stock final. Go Canada!
