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Surferjer:

Andy-I was not at Arkansas.  Did the run/grid thing change from last year?  Last year at Finger Lakes we actually could get out of the car, water tires, etc between runs.  Are we now doing consecutive runs like dual course pros? 

Arkansas this year was just like Finger Lakes last year.  Basically, a Tour grid with half the classes, where the pace of running was about twice as quick as a Tour but less than half as quick as a Pro.  I have not heard which format will be used at Finger Lakes, but in the absence of any change announcement, it will be the same as last year.

To me, a big part of Pro Solo is the pace.  It is "do or die".  Four runs with just a few minutes in between.  Just enough time to check/change pressures and maybe turn a shock up/down.  Collect your thoughts, and go again.

With the "half-Tour" grid style, you can pretty much do everything you do at a Tour.  Get out, take a drink, compare data logs, change tires, spray tires, change sway bars, watch other people run, etc.   Much more relaxed (i.e. boring) pace.  No adrenaline, no drama.  Too much standing around, IMO.

Pro style grid adds drama when one class (or two small ones) "owns" the stage lanes ("Here comes Super Stock!!!").  Anyone competing or watching knows exactly what is going one, when new top times get set, etc.  And for rounds outside of the first, the leaders come up first so you know who they are and can see exactly how the top times change.  There is very little drama with a Tour since a heat takes over an hour to complete.  With the PS grid, a class is done in about ten minutes.  *That* is exciting.

There are also major sandbagging possibilities with the "half-Tour" style.  Which I won't elaborate on here (but which I have told Howard about).

All that aside, the biggest issue with the "half-Tour" grid is the equitable treatment of two-driver cars.  At Arkansas this was a major problem.  When it was cold, those drivers were going out with majorly warm tires versus everyone else.  And two-driver teams in the final heat cause major delays in the event as everyone waits for five minutes or so to elapse between runs for a handful of competitors.  The two-driver issue has been solved cleanly by the Pro gridding format and we should use it for single course as well as traditional dual-course events, IMO.

--Andy 

Thanks.  Agree with everything you said.  Why can't we grid/run like a regular Pro?  I love the pull around, go again. 

 I'd still prefer to do a Single Course Pro over a tour.  More runs, less waiting.  challenges. 

Andy Hollis:

I'd can go either way on whether you count best two runs from any heat or best Saturday plus best Sunday, but either is better than best of each of three heats (i.e. three-day Tour).

--Andy

Having redlit 1.6 seconds away in the first heat in the Arkansas Pro and dropping from 3rd to 7th, my weekend was over in the first heat.  I agree that it had to be changed because a you should be able to win or lose it on the second day, not the first heat.

I wasn't expecting the rules to be changed halfway through the season, but I'm glad they did.  The way it was in Arkansas was like a bad tour.  At least this way when I redlight my first heat away the weekend won't be over...just like at a dual Pro.

Howard, thanks for changing the scoring.

TedDBere:

I wasn't expecting the rules to be changed halfway through the season, but I'm glad they did.  The way it was in Arkansas was like a bad tour.  At least this way when I redlight my first heat away the weekend won't be over...just like at a dual Pro.

Howard, thanks for changing the scoring.

After lobbying for a change right after AR I was given the impression from the powers-that-be that a change would indeed be made.  It would certainly have gone over better if it was done back then rather than right before the next event. But better late than never, IMO.

--Andy 

I was all for this change.  At the FLR Pro last year I would have lost after the first heat, as we found out we needed to devise a flapper (had issues during practice, howard re-aligned the lights, they seemed to go away, only to resurface in the morning, giving me 3 redlights...... that would have sucked..... car ended up going 1-2 in class.

I'd be for the 'pro' style gridding/running it does make things more interesting, however the 2nd driver is still open to sandbagging, but thats less of a factor since if they are the faster person they loose that ability in the future heats unless they really want to play it close and stake everything on the last heat....
 

Pro Solo Rules Update 

See link above.  Looks like they are doing all three parts of the change discussed after AR.  The previously-announced "best two runs" scoring, and also a change to a traditional Pro Solo grid style (your class comes up and owns the stage lane, takes all three runs, and then goes to impound) and finally, putting the faster drivers first for Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning class comp.  All good stuff, IMO.  Should make for a better event overall.

Interesting that Finger Lakes may actually make the 200 entrant cap, as they are now hovering around 180.  Whooda thunkit?

--Andy 

Andy Hollis:

Pro Solo Rules Update 

See link above.  Looks like they are doing all three parts of the change discussed after AR.  The previously-announced "best two runs" scoring, and also a change to a traditional Pro Solo grid style (your class comes up and owns the stage lane, takes all three runs, and then goes to impound) and finally, putting the faster drivers first for Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning class comp.  All good stuff, IMO.  Should make for a better event overall.

Interesting that Finger Lakes may actually make the 200 entrant cap, as they are now hovering around 180.  Whooda thunkit?

--Andy 

I like the rules changes and I signed up.  I still think the idea of a single-course pro defeats the purpose, but whatever.