ANTICIPATION BUILDS AS WDRL READIES TO UNVEIL NEW QUALIFYING SYSTEM
System marks first change in qualifying format since series’ inception in 2002
By Tom Lathen
WORLD Dirt Racing League

Gilman City, Mo. (July 19, 2006) -- Anticipation and enthusiasm continue to build as the WORLD Dirt Racing League PolyDome Late Model Series readies to
unveil its much anticipated, newly revamped qualifying system.

After using an electronic draw to place cars in qualifying heat races since the series’ inception in 2002, the popular Midwest touring series will implement it’s new Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation Qualifying System, which includes hot-lap qualifying, beginning with this weekend’s four-night swing through western Iowa and Nebraska.

“The time for talk is over,” said series founder and president Jim Wilson. “This weekend, we are going to see how the new system works.
“It’s been an extremely busy few weeks getting things ready to go,” he added. “We had to have a new (computer) program written, and we have networked all of the computers, so we should be ready to go this weekend.”

As opposed to the former system, which had drivers draw for their starting positions in anywhere from four to seven qualifying heat races (depending on the size of the field), the electronic draw will now be used to place entrants in hot lap qualifying groups.

According to Wilson, the number of qualifying groups will depend on the size of the race track.

“At a typical half-mile race track, we will probably place eight cars in each qualifying group,” he said. “At smaller tracks, we will adjust the number of cars in each group to suit the size of the track.

“In general terms, we most likely would have six cars in a group on a three- eighths mile track and probably four on a quarter-mile race track.”

The drivers in each qualifying group normally will be given two laps to find their preferred line, before the green flag is unfurled and qualifying begins. The best of two qualifying laps, using the WDRL’s new transponder-based electronic scoring system, will constitute the driver’s official qualifying time.

The new system will use an invert to provide race fans with plenty of action in each qualifying race and to keep entrants from trying to manipulate their qualifying speeds in order to achieve a preferred starting position.

“One thing we were concerned about was drivers ‘sand-bagging’ so they could start up front in the qualifying races,” noted Wilson. “In order to prevent that type of thing from happening, the fastest five drivers in each qualifying race will be inverted, meaning the fastest qualifier in each heat race will start on the inside third row.”

“We still believe that a driver should have to race his way into the feature race, and by inverting the fastest five cars, that will definitely be the case.”

The series has also revamped its passing point chart to place more emphasis on position advancement, as opposed to mere finishing order.

Under the former system, the driver who won the qualifying race earned 59 finishing order points, with the runner-up driver receiving 55, and each position throughout the finishing order dropping by four points per position. Every position advancement, meanwhile, earned a driver an additional 1.76
passing points.

Although a driver will earn the same number of finishing-order points, 59, under the new system, finishing-order points will descend only 3.5 points throughout the field. Each position advancement, however, will earn the driver a whopping 2.25 additional points.

Current PolyDome Late Model Series points leader Brian Harris feels the new qualifying system will provide plenty of excitement for the race fans who attend a typical WDRL event.

“Anything that makes it a better show for the fans is what is important,” commented Harris. “That’s what we’re trying to do, put on the best show possible for the fans.”

According to the 26-year old Davenport, Iowa, native, although the local driver might have a slight advantage during hot lap qualifying, the added emphasis on position advancement during the qualifying races will make it possible for a driver to secure a spot in the feature race, regardless of how deep in the field he starts.

“The local driver may have a little bit of an advantage during hot lap qualifying because he is going to know the track better than any of us who haven’t raced there all year,” he said. “The local guy is going to know how free to make his car or how tight to make it.”

Added Harris, “With the emphasis on passing, though, it’s going to get everybody more hyped up before the heat races and get everybody a little more aggressive. That’s what is going to make it better racing.”

Third-year series driver Eric Pember of Pittsville, Wis., agrees with Harris that the new system should be exciting for race fans.

“The fans pay the dollar to see us race,” he said. “They want to see us racing close to each other, mixing it up and passing people and I think they’ll definitely see a lot of that.

“With the new system, you’re going to have to drive hard all night long,” he added. “You want to time in pretty good, but then, if you are starting up front in your heat race, with the invert and the new (passing point) chart, you know you’re going to have a lot of good guys gunning for you.”

Although the former system had served the series well for the past three and a half years, according to Wilson sometimes a change is still good.

“One school of thought is that ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’,” he said. “But there is certainly nothing wrong with trying to make a good thing better. Over the past few years, we’ve noticed that sometimes one or two heat races might be loaded, while another heat race might be a little light. With the new Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation Qualifying System, the drivers with the fastest qualifying times will be spread out throughout the heat races."

The series’ commitment to passing points qualifying remains intact, according to Wilson. In fact, he said, with the new system, an even stronger commitment to passing points is evident.

“When you change from a 1.76 factor for advancement points to 2.25 like we’ve done, I don’t think there is any question that we still feel very strongly about the passing points system of qualifying,” he said.

WORLD Dirt Racing League fans and drivers will have their first opportunity to evaluate the new qualifying system this Thursday night at Adams County Speedway in Corning, Iowa. The system will also be used at this weekend’s Pump and Pantry Late Model Nationals, Friday and Saturday, at Mid-Nebraska Speedway
in Doniphan, Neb., as well as at the series’ first-ever appearance at Boone County Speedway in Albion, Neb., on Sunday.

For more information on WDRL or the latest PolyDome Late Model Series schedule, check out the WORLD Dirt Racing League's Web site, www.worldraceleague.com.