Superspeedway Qualifying Format Updated for Talladega, & Daytona

[RP Motorsports]

Someone WILL try this. Its something I've been thinking about ever since this was announced. The original post even says that cars will be released from pit road at a "predetermined time interval". Even if they wouldn't allow stopping after exit to wait for the next car, a driver could pull all the way to the backstretch (and by then would be when the next car should be released or else if NASCAR waited, by the time the second car made it up to full speed the first one would catch them anyways), then slam on the brakes, wait for the other car, and then continue qualifying as a tandem. They could probably go as far as backing up to the exit of turn two to try and get enough speed to hit atleast 180 coming to the first lap. And by then there would more than likely be a THIRD car released to which could make it a three car pack. NASCAR certainly had no problem with drivers driving backwards a lap when they spun out on one of their laps, so I don't see why drivers couldn't do it here. Im not trying to be pessimistic about this, I'm just saying someone's going to try this unless further rules are added. Just go back to the old single-car qualifying at superspeedways, it was flawless.

Pretty sure NASCAR's going to release them in such a way that they can't wait on eachother. That's the whole point of the new system. Once a driver starts their timed lap, any shenanigans would totally decimate any chance of putting up a good lap. We're talking about a 2.5 mile track with restrictor plates; momentum is essential. Something as minimal as breathing the throttle is enough to screw up your lap - nevermind all this "pull up high, slam on the brakes, wait on the backstretch," etc...

And that's all assuming NASCAR didn't tell the teams "no shenanigans", which you can absolutely bet they did. Again, that's the whole point of the change. They're essentially bringing back single-car runs without straight-up calling it "single-car runs".

 

[K.Chuck]

The drivers don't want to be doing shenanigans anyway, they just want to get in the race with their primary. But if you put anyone of them in a position that they fell they can be the fastest they will take a shot at it. The previous system wasn't thought out very well by NASCAR, knowing that teams would try drafting strategies. Glad they tried it cause now we know, but its time to race on race day, not qualifying. Id still be cool with it for the 500 though, anything to make it more of a challenge, only makes its that more special.