WATERFORD – It’s a debate that has annually thrived in the Modified racing community as the Valenti Modified Racing Series has grown in stature over the last decade.
Heat races vs. time trial qualifying.
On the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, time trial qualifying has long been the standard for setting the field for feature events. On the Modified Racing Series heat races are how fields are set.
Which format is superior? On paper it would seem better to see cars battling for position on the track in competitive heat races to qualify for events rather than watching single car time trial runs. Sure, the theory sounds good. Though the key words there are competitive heat races.
The heat race qualifying system has long been a selling point for many trying to push the Valenti Modified Racing Series format as better. Listen to advocates of the system and you’ll hear how heat races are how it used to be done in the heydays of Modified racing and how heat races give fans more head to head competition for their money.
Again, in theory, it all sounds good. It sounds good until the cars hit the track. Where it hits the snag is when it comes to drivers who, not surprisingly, want to move on to the big show with properly operating equipment.
The reality is, you have a stable of Touring division drivers who have traveled to events to make the feature. Get wrecked in a qualifying heat and there’s a good chance making the feature goes out the window. To create competition on the track you have to have drivers willing to take chances. Drivers willing to make moves that are gambles. The nature of gambling is that sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. And it doesn’t take an expert on the laws of probability and chance to understand that drivers are highly less likely to gamble for spots on the track when a losing bet could mean going home and never getting to take the track for the feature.
Was it different in the old days when 60 cars would show up for 30 starting spots? Absolutely it was because you had to fight just to get in the show. There’s no fighting today. There’s no fear of not making the show. At most Valenti Modified Racing Series events nearly all the drivers that show up know, barring a heat race wreck, they’re going to race in the feature no matter where they finish in their heat race.
You can talk about plus/minus systems all you want and how those systems promote moving up through the field in heat races to improve one’s starting position. If virtually the entire field knows they’re going to make the show before the heat races begin it’s a recipe for boredom for fans when the heat races take to the track.
More often than not of late it’s a system that has created heat races that are nothing more than exhibition parade laps for drivers just trying to keep the nose clean and move on to the feature with an unbent racecar.
What happened at the Waterford Speedbowl in heat race qualifying Saturday for Sunday’s 100-lap Valenti Modified Racing Series feature has unfortunately become par for the course at most stops on the schedule for the division.
Of the nine top-three starters in the three heat race starting lineups, eight finished in the top-three of their heat races. The three guys that started on the pole for each heat race each won their race. Starting lineup for the first heat race, Chris Pasteryak, Mark Bakaj, Jack Bateman. Finishing order: Pasteryak, Bateman, Bakaj. Second heat race starting lineup, Joe Doucette, Doug Coby, Matt Mead. Finishing order, Doucette, Coby, Tommy Barrett Jr. (who started fourth). Third heat race starting lineup, Jim Boniface, Mark McClay, Mike Holdridge. Finishing order, Boniface, Holdridge, McClay.
See a trend?
Essentially what you’re left with is fields that are, for all intents and purposes, pretty much set by the luck of draw when it comes to pulling numbers for starting spots for heat races. That’s not competition, that’s playing Yahtzee.
Say what you will about time trials being devoid of dramatics because it doesn’t involve cars side by side on the track, but at least there’s still an element of competition in a contest to see who can turn the fastest lap, and isn’t that better than a competition to see who can randomly draw a better number?
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I think you are completely wrong on this one. As a crew member who has worked on cars in both series, I can promise you with equal cars, I like my chances much better to start in the top ten of a feature by drawing 40 at a VMRS event than drawing in the top 15 for time trials at a WMT event. If you haven’t noticed most of the top qualifiers from the WMT come from the back end of the draw. Where is the difference? I was not at Waterford yesterday, but having been to enough of these events I can say that the lack of aggressive driving has more to do with the series rules than the competitors. It just is not worth going to the rear if the guy in front of you chops you and spins himself out, you go to the rear too. I do not see how you can possibly believe the WMT race in the June race with the pole sitter likely to lead every lap is going to be a better show than this one with Coby starting 16th, Masse 18th, Pennink 19th, and Hinckley 25th. These guys would not be starting here in a time trial format (except Hinckley who had troubles, the others would likely be top 5 qualifiers). This is my first post, but I read regularly. I often shake my head in disbelief at some of your opinions, but I am grateful to have you at the tracks. Any news is good news covering local auto racing.
Thank you
Brian,
First, the column had nothing to do with comparing which division puts on better races, it was solely comparing qualifying formats. Secondly, you backed up exactly the point I was trying to make in the column by saying drivers don’t think its worth it to race in the heat races. If drivers are consciously not racing in the heat races, as you said, “not worth going to the rear” then what is the point of having heat races? You explained exactly the point, it’s not worth it. In the old days when half the guys in the heat race weren’t going to make the feature heat racing made sense. It doesn’t make sense in a series where virtually everbody knows they’re going to make the show no matter where they finish in their heat.
Doesn’t the qualifying format determine what kind of race you going have? Your blog title was “hardly burning with dramatics” Isn’t it dramatic that top runners are going to start near the rear? You said that has become par for the course for these races. This is simply inaccurate. Didn’t Coby pass like 6 cars in the heat last year? The heats at other races were filled with similar drama last year. I remember many pole starting heat winners starting tenth in the feature last year. That means someone was passing cars.
Brian,
Again, the column had nothing to do with how good the feature events are. Are there certain times in heat races where a driver or two make runs to the front? Sure there are. Though, the norm is follow the leader.
Shawn,
Your article points out some great facts and I read it as you are an advocate for time trials. Am I correct in this statement?
If so how would you propose we fix the racing in the feature? If the format goes to time trails there will be a cry to start the cars straight up and the feature then becomes much like heats, the fast guys check out. This type of racing happens down south all the time.
I appreciate you pointing out many of the pitfalls we have around here but lets complete the circle and offer up a solution along your ideas. No one wants to only hear the complaints, I am sure everyone would love to see a proposed solution as well. You never know who is listening and may use your idea to help our great sport.
Doug,
I never said I was advovating that time trials are the answer, just saying that it’s interesting that many involved with the VMRS sell Heat Races as a selling point as being better than Time Trials. The point I was trying to make is that if the heat races really aren’t the competition that’s being sold is it really better than time trials? An answer to fix it, that I’m not sure about it. Is time trials the answer? I don’t know. I just don’t think heat races work with a touring division if there’s no fear factor about not making the show as long as you stay out of trouble. How do you fix that? Not sure, until there’s some incentive for drivers to push during heat races they’re most likely going to stay in line and ride it out and ensure they make the show.
As somebody who pays to go to the “RACES” to watch “RACING” time trials suck. Fans want to see side by side racing not boring time trials or do it like it use to be done with time trials and the fastest 10 go right into the feature the rest have to run heats. Give the paying fan something to watch because without us there would be no show !
Sean,
I know this story is about qualifying. I would just like to know why you have an axe to grind with the MRS. Nothing they do seems to be good enough for you. My preference is the heat races,meaningless or not. On the Whelen tour when there arent enough cars to fill the field, why time trial? Just let them pick out of a hat for starting spots. The Whelen tour drivers don’t want to wreck in qualifying, they save their crashes for the main event. I went to one Whelen race 2 seasons ago at Stafford, sat through 150 laps of no passing. I haven’t gone back. You may think the MRS isn’t as good, professional,etc.,but in may opinion the whole show is better.
Ed,
An ax to grind? Why do you say that? Quick, when was the last time I wrote something critical about the division? In the past have I written critical stories about certain things with the series? Sure. I’ve also done that concerning topics with the Modified Tour, divisions at Stafford, Waterford, Thompson and wherever else. Just because you write a column stating an opinion doesn’t mean you have an ax to grind. And yeah, I’ve been to Whelen Modified Tour events devoid of passing. I’ve been to MRS events with no passing either. It happens everywhere at times.
If you have more starting spots than cars the heats are always boring. If it works out the other way around it can be really fun to watch. I recall an outstanding consi race at Stafford when the MRS made their debut there. That was more the exception than the rule though. I’ve sort of settled on the idea that qualifying isn’t going to be exciting anymore regardless of how its done. I just hope for a good feature that ends before sunrise.
Shawn, I see your points but i disagree with you on this.
The key to all this is the statement “If virtual the entire field knows they’re going to make the field before the heat races begin…..
28 cars in the paddock for a 26 car starting line up? Yeah not a lot of drama. But what if the there was say 34 or 36 cars trying to make the field? I like the heats, do away with the consi.
Run 2 heats, a la Daytona 500 qualifiers. Granted, we’re dealing with economic issues still, but just sayin…..
I was @ the track and i thought the heats were not bad at all. Having to watch the 25 scramble his way back up through cars after bobbling on lap 1, turn 1 provided excitement for me.
T
Dont fix what isn’t broken. WMT ran Monadnock last year with Todd Szegedy leading all 175 laps from the poll after time trials. Both vMRS races were amazing and we have a 3rd race this year. heats were a little lack luster but the features were AWESOME as they always are!
opinions of a FAN only
The most logical scenario would be combining the 2 divisions and creating one series that has an higher car count and more competition to make the feature…AKA The “Great Days” of Modified racing? Heat race’s would be back and they would be like they used to be…when Modifieds were Modifieds and raced together up and down the east coast! Not segregated divisions of Modifieds. A nice thought but will it ever happen agian? It kind of reminds me of the “cliques” in High School where the jocks would not associate with the gearheads…childish. Unite the Mods agian and we may have 50 cars competing for real purse’s agian like the old days. And I would ask Ben Dodge to be the Promoter!
its not whos right from wrong if you knew anything about race cars you wouldnt be making these stupid comments all it is your long standing ego that you have against the mrs the way you speak in the paper it`s a wonder if you dont get barred from the race tracks all your doing is hurting the sport we grown to love,i know if i was a promoter you would be barred from entering my premises, in other words you dont know what ur talking about
Terry,
Congratulations on leaving the longest sentence ever written in the English language. My ego against the MRS? What does that mean? I wrote a column stating my opinion. It wasn’t an attack and it was hardly ego driven. I wrote a column about why I don’t think the current format for heat races works well. Tell me in any way how me writing that hurts the sport or why a promoter should bar me from the track for stating that opinion.
I completely agree Shawn. Everything you said is right on and I go to all of the MRS Touring events. You get to see half of the MRS races, because of them being in CT. With that being said you have seen enough of the MRS races to have a very good opinion on the this matter.
I’d rather watch a freight train than just the engine….lol. time trials lead to 150 lap freight trains obsessed of 12 lap ones…… Which is better?
Instead of
Shawn,the biggest race of the year in the country,The Oxford 250 uses heat races.The WoO sprint cars use heats.The ACT uses heat races except maybe for Loudon.Isma uses heat races…
John,
Did you read the column or the first three sentences? Where did I write that heat races were bad? I wrote that they don’t work now with the VMRS format. Heat races at the Oxford 250 are some of the best competition you’ll ever see in racing anywhere. Why? Because the races mean something. They mean the difference between making the show or not. That factor is hardly a worry for VMRS drivers and it shows through with exhibition parade lap heat races instead of competitive racing. And ut had nothing to do with doing anything the NASCAR way.
bottom line is these divisions don’t need to do it Nascar’s way…….and I’d rather see heat races when they mean something rather than time trials……
You just have to shake your head and laugh when John tries to compare a VMRS heat race to an Oxford 250 heat race. How many cars go to Oxford to try to qualify for X number of positions? Yeah, and lets ban Shawn from the 3 Connecticut race tracks. That’s a bright idea, because we have plenty of coverage from the other papers. He’s giving his opinion. Good or bad. Doesn’t anyone think that if you had 40 VMRS cars trying to qualify for 28 spots the heat races might be just a little bit more intense than when you have 28 cars going for 28 spots. Obviously Terry thinks that Shawn is going to be the one responsible for keeping the fans from going to the track because of “bad press”. So Shawn please stop reporting on the VMRS and please stop giving bad opinions about them because after reading your article I think that heat races completely suck and you know what? The VMRS sucks and I’m not going to one more race unless they change to time trials. And I hope the promoters are reading this so they kick Shawn out next time he shows up hahaha…..
first of all the way the gas prices are and the cost of getting a family into a race event like blast off cost enormous secondly you writing negative things about a division running people might think well if that happened on sat it might happen on sunday I`ll stay home real modified fans want to watch heats instead of time trials. the mrs is run the way it should be intead of nascar sucking your wallet dry with these stupid fees you have to pay to run thier event one other thing we see all green flag racing not 70 laps or more run under yellow
Terry,
Did you miss “how to use a period in a sentence” day at school? I’m a reporter Terry, not a promoter. It isn’t my job to write artificially positive stories to get people to show up for races. You have a very weird idea of how the media works huh?
the people come to watch heat races not time trials it`s all about what u get more for the buck and dont you thing track conditions on sat may have had a little to do with the frieght train
No, don’t think it was track conditions. Same freight train seen at most of the VMRS events in Connecticut last year. But good stab at an excuse.
im not going to school right now dont have time dont like it erase it
shawn , are you happy ? . oh my bad i didn`t capitalize your name ,hows this Shawn.
Thrilled.
that shows you, you dont know how a race car reacts to poor conditions ,rain,cold temps, damp, maybe you should go to troyers school, you might learn something
Terry,
So I guess the heat races in the sun at Stafford last year were parade laps because of the conditions too? Not for nothing, but based on the results I’ve seen you don’t seem to know all that much about how cars go either.
John ,your 100% right thats why Jack Batemans product is affordable and better racing. the vmrs dont tell thier competitors that we are shortening the race, becuase the next class comming out needs tv time and robs the paying fan the chance to see the advertised distance.which happens to be nhms
ok lets talk about stafford a one lane race track hmmmm.
Terry,
Really, another excuse? Heat races stunk at Waterford because of weather. Now you say they stink at Stafford because it’s a one groove track. Do tell me why they’re freight train parade laps at Thompson too?
seems to me if your on the outside u go backwards or u wreck cause u cut the car off on the bottom to get into his lane enough said
Terry,
You seem to have all the excuses for why guy’s don’t race in the heat races, so tell me again why the heats are good if nobody is racing.
so what did u call the north south races last year
When was I comparing feature events for the two divisions? Thats not the topic here.
Suffice it to say there’s more of a “battle” here on this thread/topic then there was in the heat races at Waterford… how mildly entertaining; way to stir up the new place..
I agree with Mr. Long standing ego against the MRS …
Until these guys have several more cars show up vs. starting positions, they might as well line up based on practice speeds and save fans time from watching otherwise useless heats.. What’s the point? I suppose the same could be said for the tour when they have a thin field; hand the pole over to the fastest in practice… oh wait, there’s the whole TT / race set up, rules thing.. yawnnnnn….
I really don`t care what Shawn says however I am happy he provides coverage for the sport we all love. I think there were several factors that effected the racing at the bowl this weekend. yes cold temps.. first race of the year would have alot to do with some drivers and teams on track decisions.. I looked at my friend sunday and questioned why several top guys didn`t pit with cars that were not “right”in the SK and VMRS races.we agreed most were probebly not going to take a risk the first race of the year and would probably be happy to finish after a long cool weekend. I believe the racing will get more exciting as the season unfolds.several teams were not ready to race as well.the decision to possibly bring it home in a bucket vs finish with 4 tires on is easy.I also dislike time trials ..could care less who is the fastest all alone.. doesn`t matter as far as I am concerned. I love watching any modified racing and always hope it wont be a follow the leader type show. I think a big issue remains tech and making sure all cars are on a level playing field.this would make for better racing..I would like to see a shared rulebook for the sk lights/xmods etc. I think more teams might consider running two tracks if the rules were the same. come to think of it all three tracks should share the same rules and have the optional crate motor/spec motor rule and ENFORCE .. thanks for the coverage Shawn ! P.S. great job by the bowl staff/owners/promoters to stay the couse and get the show in.. !!
The feature racing is better because of the heat and handicapping format. Except for loudon the Mrs racing has way more passing.
On another note- why don’t more NASCAR Tour Owners come and race with MRS? More money to win after expenses….
Modified racing is the best racing around and it seems that no one wants to race, Every SK light, SK and Modified in the northest should be at these open weekends….