The Olympics has qualifying for track events, yet the fastest qualifier doesn't get to start ahead of anybody in the 100 meters, 200 meters, 1500 meters etc. Its called an even chance of winning. I get the feeling most of you feel that qualifying should go a long way towards who wins the race and I strongly disagree with that. The race today was an excellent example of the drivers who were fast enough finding a way to the front. We also got to see drivers up front who we normally don't see. Even rookie phenom Rubens Barrichello made a valiant bid for a podium finish. I for one enjoyed seeing Justin Wilson take off like a rocket at the start, Sato make a strong bid as well and the great fights for position we got throughout the race. And I think the way the grid lined up today had a lot to do with that. Ernest
Sorry you were concerned about the weather and hope you and the familiy came out alright.
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Here's what I don't understand: the point you make with the words you've chosen, whether you intended that meaning or not, is that somehow the NFL Draft is responsible for the worst teams getting home-field advantage for half of their games. This does not make sense.
A system that would emulate the NFL Draft would be allowing the last place teams first choice as to who they want to drive their car(s), or allowing the driver who is last in points first choice as to who they want to drive for, both of which are impractical and would never happen.
There's no way to give a racing team or driver a home-field advantage because there is no equivalent concept in racing.
RIP Daniel Clive Wheldon, 2005 & 2011 Indianapolis 500 Champion
In fairness to Ernest, yes, today's mixed up grid allowed some drivers to showcase their pace in a way they might not have had they not been jumbled up.
I just disagree that finding a way to legislate jumbled starting grids is a path to growth and success. It just smacks of desperation and irrelevance. If it happens due to engine changes or other penalties, fine, but as something to pursue? Just doesn't do it for me.
Maybe they should just let each car run the race distance one at a time and compare the elapsed times? That would be fair. And completely asinine. And a total bore.
Here are some more examples to chew on. Qualifying for the U.S. Open golf tournament. The low qualifier doesn't get to start in the lead, he starts tied with the other 149 golfers in the field. The OKC Thunder may well end up as the number one seed in the NBA Western Conference but their advantage over other teams will be only one more home game throughout each series. There is no other sport that gives its leading qualifier such an advantage over the field as auto racing does and it needs to be changed. My provocative new idea would be a way to truly separate the men from the boys with no doubt who the best driver in the series is at the end of the year. Ernest
"The IRL's future should be good, but it can't be the grass-roots series Tony George envisioned. That was a wet dream." - Bobby Unser
This is about as absurd an idea as I have ever seen trotted out.
But the biggest problem with this idea is the communist/socialist implications it entails.
Let's reward all for the common good of everyone.
No thanks. Take somewhere else.
Maybe the North Koreans would like to start a racing series.
"The number of threads by one poster in the OT is getting a little out of hand, IMHO. "
"In the land of freedom we are held hostage by the tyranny of political correctness...If we speak..we say it the wrong way; if we do not speak we are cowards…."
or they could just give everyone a participatory ribbon at the end of the event. everyone can be a winners and no hurt feelings to boot. sheesh, no need to reinvent the wheel dude.
No it isn't... the goal of a top tier non-spec series, and non-feeder series is to find the best mechanical and driver combination as well as ingenuity. F1 would be nothing if they had the same drivers but just gave them all the same chassis and slapped on some touring car "ballast and reverse grids" rule. Actually... such a thing exists... it's called spec or feeder series and touring car series uses your idea of "balancing the field" with success ballast and reverse grids.
So why don't you watch BTCC or WTCC then?
Hyperbole
A figure of speech in which the expression is an evident exaggeration of the meaning intended to be conveyed, or by which things are represented as much greater or less, better or worse, than they really are; a statement exaggerated fancifully, through excitement, or for effect.
Uh, no. In any race over 100m the faster runners based on their times in the qualifying heats get their choice of lanes on the staggered starts. The same is true in swimming. In drag racing the faster qualifier gets lane choice.
Wait, now that I think of the fastest qualifiers in the 100m get lane choice too.
The Ayn Rand of Indycar
No one had to badge the Offy.
Uh no. Only the 200 and 400 meters have staggered starts. And they are all running or swimming the exact same distance aren't they? Do you think some should get a head start? The bottom line in all of this is that the runner or swimmer didn't have a time advantage over his opposition at any time. They started the race equally. Ernest
Faster than a bullet from a gun
He is faster than everyone
Quicker than the blinking of an eye
Like a flash you could miss him going by
No one knows quite how he does it but it's true they say
He's the master of going faster. -George Harrison
Why don't we just not score the finish positions. That would be the fair way. No one gets their feelings hurt and all would be equal.
1958 - Eddie Johnson - Bryant Heating and Cooling Special.
And so it began!
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