Heat Races VS Time Trials

"This ain't NASCAR!" One person commented on when asked their opinion of time trials at local race tracks. What ever happened to heat races? When did it become so serious that almost every class of racing, save the Ucar and Youngun classes, have to have time trials? Time trials take 2-3 hours to complete, they're boring to the fans, and is the sole reason that it takes soooo long for the local race track to finish before 2am. Talking to some old timers they always count their wins, to include heat races. It was good for racing back then, it's good for racing now - bring back heat races to local racing!!!

I've won one race in my short career and that was a heat race and I'm darn proud of it. Like Ricky Bobby says "2nd place is the first loser!" End time trials, lets get back to racing - THIS AIN'T NASCAR!

It is my VERY STRONG opinion that the advent of time trials and elimination of heat races has lead to many a boring night at the local short track and a decline in the fan base.

The driver's don't want heat races in the upper classes. They would rather qualify, start straight up and chase to the finish. On the dirt tracks without a good prep program, a train race usually occurs.

The outlaw tracks I grew up at all had heat races and even earlier consolation races. The top 5 to 10 (depending on the number of cars) would earn their way into the main. Sometimes the heats were more exciting than the feature. If you did not make the heat you had to start in the rear if there was room for you.

The heat races also paid the first few positions as well as earned points toward the track championship. If a race carried a purse and earned points they should be counted in a drivers stats.

The fans come to see racing, not qualifying. When I was racing the only fans that attended qualifying came with the crews or came to get their favorite seat.

The best weekly short track shows I ever saw anywhere were when former star driver and car builder Emanuel Zervakis promoted Richmond's Southside Speedway in the 1970s under NASCAR Sanction. Every Friday night we had the likes of Sonny Hutchins, Ray Hendrick, Al Grinnan, Ted Hairfield, Runt Harris, Jimmy Hensley, Paul Radford, Joe Thurman, Eddie Royster, etc, etc... the absolute cream of the crop of NASCAR Late Model Sportsman.

No time trials. Only 3 divisions of cars... Hobby, Limited Sportsman, Late Model Sportsman.

2 heat races in each series and a feature.

1st heat started at 8:30 pm... you could set your watch by it.

Last feature checkered flag fell by 10:30 pm. You could set your watch by it.

2 solid hours of non-stop racing, one show behind the other.

The only thing in short supply were seats, because the place was jammed full of fans every Friday night.

Unfortunately what the drivers may want may not be what produces a good show for the fans and sells tickets.

Our member Butch Zervakis can tell you a lot of other things the track did to be successful. By ending racing by 10:30, the stories and pictures always made the next morning's paper.

Drivers and car owners need to put themselves in the place of the fans. The fans want to see good cars race to the front, not start there because of time trials.

Dave, I agree, there are too many classes taking up time, limit the number of classes to 3-4 and get back to racing. One reason I don't go to the track very often is those stupid time trials, it's a waste of the fan's time.

Dennis, I like that setup you described. A payout for first place in heat race would boost competition and ultimately ticket sales. 2-3 hours at the track sitting in the bleachers is about all most of us can stand. Sitting there until 2am is ridiculous. If the drivers don't like it, go to another track however, I believe most drivers would prefer it, it allows for more track time, practice, and FUN!

At Southside, South Boston and Langley they started the heats on the Money/Point system. Drivers with most points/most money won started at rear of heat race. For the life of me, though, I can't remember if a "visitor" or track newcomer started in the rear or at the front of their heat race. Getting too old to remember. Bet Ray Lamm can tell us... he was at all of those shows.

I race at a local dirt track.. they time all cars. the track is wet to start then goes very dry slick. The race takes till 12 am or worse. also any car that spins another one out goes to the rear .. [that one does not work out to well !!] the races are mostly train style... ''-IF-'' there were heats ,the track would get worked in much better. I started back racing after 20 years out of it. one nite my first year back they had a big race in red springs nc. [hammerdown] my first time there, 4 laps practice ,qualify... 3rd. race starts and hugh ray is fighting for the lead and im under himin 3rd. i get hit in left rear and it bends rim ect... they do nothing about that. then i miss my 3 lap tire change . oh,well. 1 lap down. i make it back to 7'th and a caution.. they say i must go to rear. ? ? i ask the track owner after race why? he says all lapped cars go to rear. i say how come i keep gettin penilty for their spinouts? would'nt i be running 7'th 1 lap down ? NOPE ! you have to unlap your self in 25 laps and hope there is no cautions. i assured him that i was lost ,but not to worry i had a friend who knew the way home... My point is .. " RACING AINT WHAT IT USED TO BE '' ! dont get me wrong. i know there is still -good- racing going on!

Back in the good ole days there was a points system set up-- the winner of the feature started the next weeks feature on the rear--and the rest were lined up accordingly-- if you were a first timer you started on the pole.. heat races were lined up also as you won the previous week inverted ---we usually had 4 heat races and a consi--that lined up the feature (IN REVERSE ORDER) This made for some exciting racing because the faster cars were always on the rear and had to plow through the field as far as possible.. every race we had at those wonderful dirt tracks were the best.. I never liked timetrialing but that seemed the way of the future. The racing at the local tracks for the Vintage cars would be great done this way-- No one would have an unfair advantage. A 6 cylinder could realistically win a feature against the v8's..Jim Wilmore would really crow doing that over Bobby .. If you held 10 races then the person with the most points was champion-- each weeks winner was awarded 20 second 19 and so on ---worked great for us in the 60's and the fans were always on their feet pulling for ------maybe you back then--------------------------------memories

Best race this ole boy ever saw was a mini siock heat at Oak Level dirt track. Downside is when there is a small car count and cars get taken out in the heats , leaving fewer to contest the mains. Overall, heats are better because qualifying is as boring as watching paint dry

Don't get me started about staying until 2 a.m. I just about quit going to our local dirt track because of late running events. I'll try them again this year, but looking at the number of classes running, it will probably be the same old story. I've gone too many times and left before the features even started.

You make the perfect case for restricting the number of classes to a maximum of 3.

There are always two sides to every opinion. Yes, there is a chance that there could be a few cars taken out in a heat race and there is a fix for that...DON'T WRECK EACH OTHER!

One thing I learned in racing in the vintage class is it is possible to have a ton of fun racing while avoiding wrecking each other. Not to say we don't bump and rub but we surely won't take someone out for first place. Point is, is that drivers would adapt to heat racing and save their cars for the main. I think the ONLY folks that like the clock are the drivers and, it is fun to try and get the fastest time....YAWN.

Feb 14, 9:41 AM EST

IndyCar to use heat races for Iowa qualifying

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The IndyCar Series will use heat races for qualifying at Iowa Speedway this year.

First-year race director Beaux Barfield tells The Associated Press the heat races are a trial for something the series could implement at certain ovals in 2013.

The IndyCar Series currently uses single-car qualifying on ovals, and three rounds of qualifications on road and street courses.

Qualifying for the June 22 race at Iowa will consist of three 30-lap heats, and the field in each heat will be set by practice times. One heat will determine the top 10 starting spots, the other two heats will determine odd-numbered starting positions 11 to 31 and even-numbered starting positions for 12 to 32.

The series will revert to single-car qualifying for the season finale at Auto Club Speedway in California.

For Indy to try heat races should send a message to the rough and tough stock car community that if Indy can run delicate race cars in 30 lap heat races a 5 or 10 lap stock car heat race is pudding.

There's nothing more boring and annoying than time trials!Heats are much better, especially if only 5 or 6 cars qualify from each, you have a consy or 2 for the rest to get in the main.Makes it more exciting for the fans, too!

The Promoters need to get back to entertaining their fans. Time trials are not it. Make the heat races a big part of how you start the feature. Florence Speedway in Kentucky did away with the qualifying, pill draw for heat race start & added passing points to their heats to determine feature line-up, makes the show very interesting.

Back in the 70's when I was racing at Eldora every week, heat race finishes paid points, like someone else already mentioned, but we did qualify back then. Back then it was a fast heat, second fast etc. how you qualified was what heat you went to & the inversion for the feature was determined off the heats. If you was in the slower heat you most likely was starting in the back of the feature.

But like most of you, I think the casual fan is bored to death with time trials. It time the tracks got back to taking care of the fans & us racers will still be right there entertaining them.

@Bobby and the rest of you that have made comments here, this is the best thing that can happen to local racing, not just the topic rather, the fact we are still talking about it.

We got a new owner at one of our local tracks this past summer. They do time trial but waste little time doing it, if you are not ready, to bad. But they also brought back the 4 car fast dash & you have to run a heat race. Once they started putting a full program together, the fans are now back to supporting the track & the car count is also up in most of the classes. Their ideal was what the fan wanted was what they were going to get.