Atcos new qualifying rules

[racerlee]

the best part of the indexes at Atco was the qualifying. 2 shots to do it and if you could'nt then T/S, load it up and try next time. the last event from 08 sucked. i can't figure out if there are going to be two 32 car rounds or if the " all run " 32 car round is going to qualify 16 cars. E-town was giving us a free time shot before the 2 rounds of qualifying and it was nice to have to set the car for the days conditions. if that's what they are looking for then just give the racers who are there early enough the free time shot. why do they always have to screw around with a good thing. Atco's index has been the 'gold standard' that all the other guys are trying to match so why f*** it up?

[c&c-nova]

Atco qualifing?
This rule change has really caught everyone by surprise, no one can has any idea what to expect and i'am sure that quite a few have been turned off by it. Why would the track (Atco) that introduced Index racing to the area change the rules at the last minute without any warning? Etown has even changed their rules this year to match Atco's original rules. Cecil is introducing two new index classes 10.0-12.0 this year, and now with 3 tracks with the same basic rules and no conflicting schedule.The index racers can race at least 3 times a month.With the 3 index classes there is around 150 different racers that support these classes.We are not looking for a change most think the original rules are just fine. If the payouts have to change well that is totally up to Atco management.
I hope Atco can take the time to explain the new rules, most of us have spent time rebuilding our cars over the winter and looking forward to get back racing.
Enuogh said Carey

[1BAD396]

Atco qualifing?
This rule change has really caught everyone by surprise, no one can has any idea what to expect and i'am sure that quite a few have been turned off by it. Why would the track (Atco) that introduced Index racing to the area change the rules at the last minute without any warning? Etown has even changed their rules this year to match Atco's original rules. Cecil is introducing two new index classes 10.0-12.0 this year, and now with 3 tracks with the same basic rules and no conflicting schedule.The index racers can race at least 3 times a month.With the 3 index classes there is around 150 different racers that support these classes.We are not looking for a change most think the original rules are just fine. If the payouts have to change well that is totally up to Atco management.
I hope Atco can take the time to explain the new rules, most of us have spent time rebuilding our cars over the winter and looking forward to get back racing.
Enuogh said Carey

well said carey !!!!!!

[small block notch]

CAREY, SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT.

I DON'T MIND CHANGES IF IT IS TO BETTER SOMETHING THAT NEEDS IMPROVEMENT.
DIDN'T THINK AT ALL WE NEEDED IT FOR THIS.
EVERYONE ENJOYS INDEX @ATCO AND THAT'S WHY THE TURNOUT IS GREAT.

I SURE HOPE JOE SPEAKS TO US FRIDAY AND EXPLAINS HIS REASONS FOR THIS FURTHER.

CHRIS

[HonkIfPartsFallOff]

Silly me but i don't think Joe is going to be explaining anything. It's his track, his rules. By changing to all run more cars will show up. With this economy the man needs to bring more cars in the gate. Don't we all want the track to stay open?

It's funny that you guys mention whinners, when it's what some of you are doing. Fact remains that if it's all run you still need to be 10.0x to have a good shot at making it past the second round.

[REDGAR]

Not tellin' anyone how to run their track but you get the same amount of cars going to an "All run" class and keeping the qualifying format. I believe that is what Cecil is doing. I think that is what is poking most the most. There seems to be no reason to remove the qualifying method, at least not that I can see.

Like Carey and others said, if money is tight and you don't want to pay back as far down then don't pay back as far down but then racers might be in an uproar about that too.

You are right it is his track and he does what he wants but he is not blind either and the class counts have been going down for a couple years. We have to give him credit for doing something about it.

Just bring back the qualifying...really it is not much harder to pair 32 cars vs 16...it is 8 more pair is all. We do it all the time at E'town in our Corvette Challenge

[smike]

I also liked the way it was. But thats probablly due that I did qualified for every race except the 2 i missed. That was the fun of it. Bit my nails a couple races when your sitting on the bump. I am trying to go on memory but I think the where a few races that there wasn't much more than 16 show up. My personal opinion would be to keep it like it was but have a 32 car feild and pay 2nd round winners. But like everyone said I don't run the track. I will still be there. I like the index races and the pro tree. Wish they would start a pro bracket race ( bracket race with a pro tree).
Mike

[cmracing]

smike: E-Town does have a class like the one you are looking for, it is called the Pro Dial Dash.

Pro 500 Tree, dial-in your car, handicapped start. Deep Staging allowed. Trans brakes and two-steps allowed. See their site for the complete rules. It is run on Saturdays, 11 events this year, two are already in the books. $50 entry fee, $30 goes to the track, $20 goes to the payout. The more cars the more $. We have never had more than 16 show-up. This past Saturday we had a whopping 3! Weather was terrible, 50-60 mph gusts, sometimes across the track, mostly a head-wind. We only ran 1/8 mile. Track conditions were also bad. Too many street cars causing a lot of grief that day. Normally it is ok.

There are usually a lot of 10 and 9 second Fords racing in this class. I am one of the few GM cars out there.

[Road Runner Kev]

Honk... I agree that the economy is driving tracks to make changes, HOWEVER.... racers aren't exactly K-Mart shopers!! We don't go looking for sales and good deals. We just make the kids eat more mac and cheese and put off the new roof on the house in order to fund our racing addiction. Racers are gonna RACE but they may choose thier races more carefully in order to save money. That seems to be why Atco changed the quallifying. I sure can't speek for anyone but myself but I can tell you the reason I go to Atco isn't for the race, it's for the quallifying!! Yea heads up index racing is fun and beats a bracket race (marginally) but there is nothing out there that compares to the excitment, stress and challenge of getting the car quallified in the first place. I drive 2.5 hours each way and had to take alot of time off work on both Thursdays and Fridays to make that race not to mention, it would cost me over $200 in fuel, tolls, entry fees and food every time I go to Atco. Oh did I mention I'm only a half hour South of Cecil. With that said, If I have to start making choices, Atco's new rules no longer put it at the top of my list as a "must race event". Look, I know everyone likes something different. The old rules were just what I liked. You know the old addadge "if it were easy everyone would be doing it"? Maybe that's what they were thinking when they changed the rules. Make it easy and EVERYONE will do it! I might be wrong, but... I doubt it. I guess we'll see how this season turns out.

[BlownchevyII]

I have to agree with you Kev!! Qualifying is what makes index racing so much more exciting than brakets for us racers, of course this is just my opinion. Yes you have to run the number to make it past first round, but for the guys that can tune their junk to run the numbers to make the show, its a slap in the face to let guys in who ran under both "time runs" Whats the point in having a championship points race if qualifing doesn't mean anything!!

[c&c-nova]

The rules for each class state that for example 8.50 cars must run 9.00 or quicker & in 10.0 it is 10.50 or quicker but if u breakout in the first 2 passes even if its all run do u still race? The rules are not clear.
Out of most of the posts alot of the racers even if they have qualified or not,enjoy and look forward to this type of racing.Yea Honk its like bracket racing just showup and qualify & not just once then u will figure out the difference.
Most of us are trying to show Atco our concern.-Carey

[REDGAR]

Good question Carey. Same on my side. When I first read the update I presumed everybody gets in. I think a guy going under twice is safe as going under means you are much quicker than the minimum to get in.

However, those of us hovering around that cutoff are now left wondering because the cutoffs remain in the rules. I think I might be okay for Friday but am not sure I want to take the chance.

[84regal]

I am going friday with an open mind at this point, lets see what happens and go from there.

[bowstang]

What's random pairing a duck hunt or will a track offical pick the cars?

[K*A*B]

i think they do this on purpose just to get people all riled up a week or 2 befor the first race .....lol
good luck guys , hope it is still fun for you

[84regal]

Quack,Quack, remember guys its 10.0, dont turn it into a demolition derby trying to line up against me

[HonkIfPartsFallOff]

Yea Honk its like bracket racing just showup and qualify & not just once then u will figure out the difference.

Don't get what your trying to say....

[HonkIfPartsFallOff]

i think they do this on purpose just to get people all riled up a week or 2 befor the first race .....lol
good luck guys , hope it is still fun for you

I called ahead and told the Joes that i was late getting my stuff together and wouldn't have any time to test, they said they would go ahead and do me a solid and make it an all run deal... After all they gotta take care of the bracket racers.

[K*A*B]

damn race car guys