Waltrip and Qualifying Rules...is it fair?

Question

Even though Michael Waltrip was faster qualifying than 24 cars that are IN the field for Talladega, because he is not in the top 35 in points, he didn't make the field. Fair or not?

Answer 1

Absolutly not. And in actuallity he beat 32 cars since there was a 52 car field trying. I actually posted a question about this same exact thing. But it's not fair, it just isn't right. I'm just waiting until say Kasey Khane falls out of the top 35, qualifies 20th and misses the race. Then some more people will think about it because apparently not very many people care about Mikey. And I'm just saying Kasey because he's a big name, and he's 33rd in owner points.

It just is not right that you qualify 20th and miss the race. I also checked all the speeds and every single one of the cars that had to qualify on speed did. They were fast enough to make it into the field but didn't because the top 35 are guarenteed and qualified slower than all those cars.

Answer 2

Not fair.

There are better ways.

There are some good suggestions here, and the media gurus have mentioned some of the solutions/suggestions.

There is a simple solution--instead of protecting the first 35, why not just protect the top 25.

Let the others either 1] race a one tank shootout of how many laps one tank would get for that track and the field after the protected 20 is chosen by finish ordder, or 3] just go by qualifing time for all the others after the top 20.

Protecting 35 is a bit extreme and seems very unfair to the sponsors who are shelling out mega-millions.

Answer 3

I am a Mikey fan and have been quietly suffering this season because it seems no one cares about him or whether he makes races or not. Finally someone is talking about him making a race. I wholly believe that if any of the top name drivers were in Mikey's position, the rules would change in an instant. It all goes to NASCAR favoring the teams with the deepest pockets. Also, NASCAR can't make up it's own mind about rules. The revamped chase format for 2007 disregards consistency among driver finishes instead choosing to reward wins. However, the top 35 qualifying rule rewards consistency. NASCAR can't make up it's own mind. So of course underfunded and start up teams can't catch a break. Unless you drive for a top team your pretty much starting out losing. Look at Cal Wells he was pretty much forced out of the series because as a single car operation his pockets just weren't deep enough to get NASCAR's attention. I know I've gone off on a tangent here, but Mikey's season thus far has forced me to look at NASCAR with different eyes and realize the hypocrisy that NASCAR has become. As long as Brian France continues to steer the sport in this direction poor Mikey doesn't stand a chance. And believe me as a Mikey fan it truly pains me to say that.

Answer 4

I agree with you one hundred percent this rule about the top 35 are a lock in for the race is the most ridiculous thing they ever came up with. Most of the rules in racing years ago was to try and help the under budget team save on cost and be able to compete with the big buck teams but today they are sort of acting like they want to get rid of the lower budget teams. New nascar sucks and that is all there is to it.
The Busch race today was great though. Love the big track.
But Michael needs to get his head on right and realize he needs to get with a good team if he ever wants to win again. I don't think he's got it on his own.

Answer 5

Not fair. But in all actuality, the cars that were set for the top 35 used "race set-up" for qualifying and the cars that needed to get into the race relied on "qualifying set-up", so therefore lies the descrepancy in the speeds. If they all would have used qualifying set-up, the speeds would all have been different.

Answer 6

This rule was put in place to protect sponsership, so, that the big sponsers, would not leave the sport. Now with that in place, are they saying that NAPA, UPS, DOMINOS, and all the other sponsers that are not in the top 35, are not good enough to protect. Why should they protect any of them? Let the fastest team race and the sponsership will take care of itself. I think sponsership will be lost and only go to teams that are in the top 35. This rule is wrong.

Answer 7

These are rules they have used for a long time. What do they do, change the rules so Waltrip can finally qualify?

Answer 8

waltrip will come around, i can only imagine what it's like to run a team and try to race. it really doesn't seem fair that a fast car get's left out because of that hopefully they will change it and soon. his team wont be going anywhere either he's got a driver (00) who seems to get better each week, and waltrip will come around here soon and get his groove back.

Answer 9

I say let any car that shows up to race race!!!! :-) they used to race with 50 and 60 cars back in the day, can you imagine a 60 car train at Talledega? LOL

But seriously, I think its a good rule. What are you going to do when Dale jr. doesn't qualify well? He is starting 36th sunday, can you imagine them saying sorry jr. you didn't make the field, and darn, you don't even have a past champions provisional to get in. sorry bud. and sorry jr. nation....... (which is prolly 60% of the fan base at the track). This is a good rule, this is what happens when you only have 43 spots available and 53 cars show up at a track to race.

Answer 10

They should have duel/heat races for the guys outside the top 35. That way the underfunded teams can also get more practice, and the real fastest cars make the race