More Indycar Rules Nonsense?

Practice sessions will take on an entirely new dimension at IZOD IndyCar Series oval event June 22 at Iowa Speedway. That’s when heat races will replace single-car qualifications to set the starting grid for the Iowa Corn Indy 250.

INDYCAR, the sanctioning body of the IZOD IndyCar Series, announced that three heat races of 30 laps each would follow practice earlier in the day. Three groups would be determined by practice times: One group for the top 10 that would set starting positions 1-10, another for odd-numbered practice positions that would set starting positions 11, 13, 15, etc., and a third for even-numbered practice positions that would set starting positions 12, 14, 16, etc.

Beaux Barfield, INDYCAR President of Competition and the IZOD IndyCar Series Race Director, also said that double-file restarts will remain part of races except at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and Auto Club Speedway (the high-speed ovals on the 16-race schedule). He also noted that standing starts could be implemented at a few events later in the season.

"I've spent the past five weeks writing rules and I have to write a lot more rules for standing starts," Barfield said. "There's a lot of equipment necessary to get and put into place, and most importantly there's so much development going on with the teams and the cars that I want to be respectful of before I throw a lot of new things at them."

The new oval qualifying procedure will complement the three rounds of qualifications held on road/street courses, culminating in the exciting Firestone Fast Six.

“In the same vein of implementing double-file restarts, we looked at heat races as something that could add excitement to our races and just improve the product,” said Barfield, who added that 2013 oval events could be a mix of heat races and sigle-car qualifications. “This is the first of a few concepts we’re considering. The build-up we presently have for the Firestone Fast Six has that excitement and we wanted to do something similar for the oval events.”

The season finale Sept. 15 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., is the only oval event to follow Iowa Speedway on the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series schedule and will continue with single-car qualifications with cumulative time of two timed laps setting the grid. Also, single-car qualifications will continue to set the starting grid at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and the Milwaukee Mile. Qualifications for the Indianapolis 500 are four timed laps.

“With the addition of three, 30-lap heat races for qualifying, fans who attend the Iowa Corn Indy 250 weekend will get INDYCAR racing on both days – enhancing the overall experience they get at Iowa Speedway,” Iowa Speedway President Stan Clement said. “Our fans already understand this style of qualifying, so we know they will really enjoy it.”

Tickets are on sale for the Iowa event at www.iowaspeedway.com. Single event tickets go on sale Feb. 23.

This is going to be COOL.

I'm so glad they're getting rid of those stupid 2-wide restarts on the big ovals. They were pretty much trying to be cool like NASCAR. I also would pick standing starts on road courses over rolling starts on any day. That even a lot of things out IMO. As for the heat races, I'm honestly not sure how to feel about it. Kind of brings back the days when I used to compete in quarter midgets. They should try doing something like this at one of the road course events.

Gonna be interesting, how are the starting lineup's going to be, by the practice times or the points standings?

This is the best thing I've heard from motorsports all off season, aside from Allmendinger getting the 22.

I can't wait to see how this will turn out. If I'm correct, this is the first major racing series in recent memory to use a heat qualifying system.

Antman do you hate Indycar or something, Cause this season is already looking more fun then Nascar.

Alta wrote:

Antman do you hate Indycar or something, Cause this season is already looking more fun then Nascar.

QFT

i agree, this is the only time i've ever really wanted to see what goes on in Indycar beyond the 500. standing starts would be freaking awesome

i dont its just that since people were raging over the 26 car cap, that maybe people will rage about this too.

i have no problem with either of these.

Double file starts should just be axed entirely. I get why they are done with them on ovals, but on certain roadies, it's just asking for more cautions

As for the qualifying setup... very interesting indeed....

Standing Starts... interesting, but why do I have a feeling we will have a fail start or two?!?

Awesome idea. Instead of going off of straight time, it's now down to who wants it more which I think makes the pole battle/race to make the race that much more intense. Safe to say that fans at the track are definitly going to get their money's worth, that's for sure.

The only thing I'm wondering about is just how many race cars are going to be tore up in the heat races.

Now imagine if NASCAR implemented this, and the battle that would ensue between the go-or-go homers. Would they actually race or would it be a race between who stays out on the track longer before parking? I would love to see that for strictly the bottom 10 spots though, especially with all of the new entries intended for the season. The Gatorade Duels are already intense as many times it determines who makes the race and who doesen't. However, I'd like to see the bottom 10 as well as those who didnt make it on speed battle in a heat race to see who makes the field. That would sure force the start and parkers to race their way in, even if they do plan to park. Earn your money!

Great idea, I love it. Now, I'm just waiting for someone to make a bonehead move in one of those races destroying the field and putting everyone in the race at the rear of the field