Wakefield winners

[Matt Dagostino]

Hum............

I'm with Spud too, get rid of Divisional Qualifiers.

Having Divisional Qualifiers does increase attendence at the Divisionals........over the decades we have done it both ways and when all qualifying is done at the Nationals boat count suffers at Divisionals.

With local racing sucking wind the Divisionals does give the conducting club a few extra boats and a 'big race' for drivers to compete in......

In todays world of racing, every boat we can get to a local race the better!!

Just a thought

[daveracerdsh]

Divisionals

Thread is getting a little off track, but I agree with Matt. Having divisional winners seaded in finals does sorta suck sometimes....but there are two ways of looking at it: It does (divisionals) increase attendance at the race, and some divisional winners that may not have been planning on going to Wakefield this year are now going, which is the case with Aaron Peterson in ASH. Also, I have heard the argument that if you win divisionals you do not get to run elims and get neaded seat time at race...but correct me if I am wrong...you can forgo your divisional seed and run elims if you so choose? Just a random thought...at this point in time I say keep things the way they are.

[Big Don]

There is a lot Donny & I don’t agree on but this is one item we do agree on. And let’s highjack this thread!!!!

Really? People only attend because of the qualifying? Do people only come because they could possible get qualified for the nationals or do they go because of the competition? Or because it a bigger race? Or because they get to race against different competition?

One could also make the argument that maybe the nationals would be bigger if there were open spots? Maybe they would come because there are 11 or 12 spots open not 7.

Might have to bring this up at the National Meeting this year.

[Racerkyle20]

Might have to bring this up at the National Meeting this year.

I'm sure Ed can't wait!!!! LOL

[daveracerdsh]

Nationals

It's sort of a catch 22...yah more people might come if there were 12 slots open....but who knows. I do agree that we need to talk about it at national meeting. David

[modracer7b]

I ran when their was only 1 guaranteed open spot at the Nationals as well as the 6 or 7. Back in the 60's I traveled from MA to Oregon unqualified with only 1 open spot. The divisionals ended up being the only race I lost all year. Racers go to win, not to get in with a 9th place finish. And yes, the 6000+ mile trip ended with the nationals win. The divisional qualifier gives you two chances to get in in case you have your bad luck at the wrong time.

Bill Rosado

[Nilsen Racing]

Here, here

Joey Z. in 25SSH!

I'm with Spud too, get rid of Divisional Qualifiers.

Just one person from Region 10, but it's hard to justify making a trip back to Wakefield or any other Stock National racing in the Mid-West or East Coast in the classes we have participated in ASH, ASR and more recently 20SSH & CSH, especially considering gas prices, if you are not seeded in the finals. And I can understand the same goes for those coming out West for a SO Nationals.

All categories agree on double points for divisional, but SO (in my mind) is like double dipping with divisional winners (8 boats or more) being seeded in the finals.

I'm sure someone will shoot me down, but just thought I needed to agree with my fellow teacher Donnie.

Jim

[HydroKyle93R]

i'm not a fan of beeing seeded at all. Not even last years Champ. Show us what you have here today not last month or year.

Just to clarify, i got lucky. Two other boats were just as fast as I was, and they had just as good a chance of winning as I did. And to add to that, I'll be bringing my A game, so don't worry I'll bring some dinner to the table, hopefully I'll be lucky enough to get some dessert!

And back to the topic, I'll give you my picks:
ASH: AAron Peterson
ASR: ?
BSH: Tate
BSR: Hearn (don't know which lol)
20ssH: conflict of interest
25ssH: Joey Z (i'll second that)
CSR: Bahl for the deuce!
CSH: conflict of interest
DSR: ?
DSH: MEATBALL!

[daveracerdsh]

Dsh

Meatball? Bring it on Banana!

[sponsonhead]

New Name

Meatball? Bring it on Banana!

We don't call him Banana any more.

With that all yellow cutsuit, lifejacket, helmet, and the little GoPro Camera on his head, my wife thinks he looks a little more like a Teletubby these days.....

R-19

[daveracerdsh]

Teletubby

Oh dear god....I am rolling on the floor right now...he DOES look like a Teletubby.....if only he were fat.....you just made my day Mr Gleason...totaly made my day......

[Dave M]

HiJacked !

There is a lot Donny & I don’t agree on but this is one item we do agree on. And let’s highjack this thread!!!!

Really? People only attend because of the qualifying? Do people only come because they could possible get qualified for the nationals or do they go because of the competition? Or because it a bigger race? Or because they get to race against different competition?

One could also make the argument that maybe the nationals would be bigger if there were open spots? Maybe they would come because there are 11 or 12 spots open not 7.

Might have to bring this up at the National Meeting this year.

Why not just add to the max number of boats allowed in a heat ? Especially at Wakefield, you could run a lot more than 12 and still have room to picnic lunch on the straights. Just some food for thought. 15 boats is not out of the question, and would add to the spectator appeal. Would also open up more spots to those wanting to come without losing your div. qualifiers. Sounds reasonable to me, but then I welcome competition, the more the better the fun. Tight racing is much more fun than running away.

[dwilderacer]

Why not just add to the max number of boats allowed in a heat ? Especially at Wakefield, you could run a lot more than 12 and still have room to picnic lunch on the straights. Just some food for thought. 15 boats is not out of the question, and would add to the spectator appeal. Would also open up more spots to those wanting to come without losing your div. qualifiers. Sounds reasonable to me, but then I welcome competition, the more the better the fun. Tight racing is much more fun than running away.

I agree, we could fit up to 20 ASR's in the mill pond. BUT, 15 of them will still end up in lane one at the exit pin. It would end up being like the last three laps of a marathon. BRING IT ON, it might help me beat the teenagers!

[Nilsen Racing]

We don't call him Banana any more.

With that all yellow cutsuit, lifejacket, helmet, and the little GoPro Camera on his head, my wife thinks he looks a little more like a Teletubby these days.....

R-19

Now that is funny

[Matt Dagostino]

Good Banter!

Maybe they would come because there are 11 or 12 spots open not 7.

Might have to bring this up at the National Meeting this year.

The Divisionals are always a interesting subject............as Rosado pointed out things in the 60's are a whole different then today!

I know our Divisional Event (Regions 4, 5, 14) benefits from having qualifiers for the Nationals in terms of attendence. Given the amount of elimination heats at the Nationals over the last decade, drivers finishing in the top three at the Nationals usually get in the final since all the Divisionals qualifiers sometimes don't make the summer trip to the 'big show'. And lets face it, if you can't finish in the top three in a elimination heat at the Nationals then what chance do you really have in the 'feature'??

Just seems we need to try every trick we can to bolster "local races", and having Divisional Qualifiers seems to add a little spice and more enteries to the Divisionals in addition to just double points!! It would be interesting to see each Region's statistics on this??????? And maybe the Nationals attendence does suffer from not having say 11 spots open?????? Wonder what Bill Pavlick, Howie Nicholes, Steve Noury and some of the other regional club workhorses think about this issue??

Oh, and there will be at least 8 spots open in CSH since we can't make the Wakefield trip this time......