"The Most Dangerous Thing I've Ever Done In Racing"....

Brian Vickers offered that assessment of NASCAR's new made-for-TV Knock-Out qualifying system. Cars cooling their engines between speed runs must idle around the speedway, while others, at speed, are whizzing by at a 140 mph speed differential............

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2014/03/07/nascar-drivers-say-new-knockout-qualifying-format-is-dangerous/6190953/

LAS VEGAS -- NASCAR's new knockout qualifying format has been universally hailed as more exciting and interesting than the old single-car system.

But for the second week in a row, drivers also said it's extremely dangerous. Since the only legal way for teams to cool their cars is to drive slowly around the track, there's a dramatic speed difference between drivers making qualifying runs and those driving as if they're in a construction zone.

"Riding around the bottom we've got to do it, it's the only way to keep the engine cool but that has got to be the most dangerous thing I've ever done in racing," Brian Vickers said after Friday's session at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. "(Reed Sorenson) went by me at 170 mph faster than I was going. Had he slipped or hit me, I'd be done. It would be so bad."

QUALIFYING: Penske takes front row

Joey Logano won the pole and teammate Brad Keselowski completed the front row for Team Penske the second consecutive week for a Penske sweep after Keselowski captured the top spot at Phoenix International Raceway.

But the talk after Friday's qualifying centered around a safety issue which NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said the sanctioning body is still evaluating.

Teams need to cool their engines between attempts at fast laps in order to keep their cars from overheating.

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Teams are not allowed to cool their cars on pit road in between runs because it would require opening the hood to attach a cooling box. NASCAR does not want teams to make adjustments on pit road during the knockout sessions and since policing every open hood would be difficult, it is not permitted.

As a result, the disparity in speed created some dicey situations several of which occurred again Friday.

Clint Bowyer, who qualified third, said he nearly collided with Dale Earnhardt Jr. during one run and called for a change due to the "dangerous" difference in speed.

"We've got to stop that," he said. " I about smoked him. That's not the guy you want to hit at a 140 mph deficit. (A collision is) going to hurt me and it might hurt Dale Jr., and that would be bad for business."

That is an issue I had not anticipated in that form of qualifying. Obviously, something needs to be done and I have a few suggestions, but I'll leave that to the experts. There are plenty of those around.

Bopper... when I saw the headline, I assumed you were going to tell us the most dangerous thing you'd ever done in racing was tell your wife how much you'd spent!

A handle needs to be gotten quickly on the unanticipated problems that have come along with the group qualifying.

I just don't see the problem with letting them use the cool down box. Why not adapt an outlet to the out side so they don't have to open the hood all the way. jmo.

wouldnt an external hookup solve the deal? I mean like a quick disconnect they use to add water, the recirculating lines arent that hard to use.....................!

Bill wonder why open minds sometimes think alike ?

Maybe NASCAR ought to call Wilmington, NC and ask Hoss Ellington his thoughts on this cool down stuff. Remember July 1986 at the Beach?