Championship battles leading to the closing events of the season are what all short track management teams would like to see at their facilities.
But late season championship battles have been hard to find in recent years at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl.
Newly named race director Scott Tapley is hoping to change that fact with the implantation of a new points system.
For years short tracks in the area have settled up on a standard and simple system for most weekly divisions that awards 50 points to the winner of a race and 48 points to second place, and decreases by two points all the way down through the finishing order.
Tapley has instituted a system for the 2015 season the Speedbowl that will more closely mirror what’s seen in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.
The new points system will award 32 points to the winner of each event. Second place will earn 29 points, and each position following will earn one less point down to 30th place, with any spot below 30th earning one point.
“Last year they had 10 divisions at the Speedbowl that raced for points between Saturday and Wednesday and only one of them came down to the final race,” Tapley said. “The majority of them were decided weeks in advance. I think the system – with the amount of races that the Speedbowl races – is just outdated. When you have 11 or 12 cars in a Late Model race, your bad days really aren’t bad. It just needed to be more modernized. The [NASCAR Sprint Cup Series] is sort of show that that model works, and the Modified Tour and all the other Touring Series’ have shown that it kind of gives everything back to the drama of the championship chase. The drama of the championship chase is what you want as a racetrack. If you can update your system to give yourself that drama then why not do it?
“The way the car counts are nowadays I just think that the 50 to 48 and so on system is just outdated.”
The track will also award points for heat races with first place in each heat race earning five points, second place four points, third place three points, fourth place two points and fifth place one point.
Tapley has also instituted the heat race points system for weekly divisions at Thompson Speedway, where he also serves as race director.
“Really now, Stafford [Motor Speedway] is the only track around on the East coast that doesn’t award heat points,” Tapley said.
I like the heat race points. Very smart.
Sounds good to me.
Doesn’t this effect National Points?
Well Mr. Tapley I hope you’re successful with your revised point system. Surely a system that creates more excitement is a good thing. However, the line about Stafford Speedway sounds like a criticism. Being as Stafford has one of the top short track programs in the country, never mind the northeast, I think it might make more sense to look at what they do right, rather than criticize what you think they don’t.
JS,
Not at all. The national points system has nothing to do with the individual track points system.
Jerry The Builder,
I wouldn’t take Mr. Tapley’s quote in any way as a criticism of Stafford Motor Speedway or their system in place. He was simply pointing out that Stafford is one of the few short tracks around at this point that doesn’t offer points for heat race results.
I agree with the reasoning for changing the point spread for the features. Not so sure I agree with points for the heats. Sure it might spice up the heat races, but it might cause unnecessarily wrecked cars for the mains. But, for the love Pete, if there are any tracks out there that are restricting a drivers handicap because they aren’t in the top 20 or so in points, and the last I knew there were (Stafford), don’t implement this policy. The front runners should have to pass every car that has a lesser handicap than them. That’s what the fans want to see.
This will work good if the handicap is right. If there is a random draw like the 2014 VMRS system it can be easier for good cars to pad points with an early draw. Either way it does create harder racing.
Jerry,
Please understand that there is no bigger fan of Stafford Speedway, the Arute’s and Tom Fox than myself, and there is nothing negative about what I said. In fact, they are one of the few tracks in the country that actually will be using heats to qualify cars in their top division (which is the ultimate in heat race competition) and I’m very proud and happy for my friends at Stafford that they are able to do so.
My point to Shawn was that while heat points will be new to Thompson and Waterford, they have been around for decades in most other states and series and I’m confident that it will add to our programs at both facilities. Growing up in Maine and attending Oxford Plains and Beech Ridge my whole life, I was actually surprised to learn that the CT tracks didn’t award heat point like we always did, when I moved to the area in 2005.
We obviously have a long way to go to reach their competition level as it relates the amount of competitors as they are the bench mark not just in New England but in the entire country and I will give my all to try and bring our programs to a much higher level.
Scott Tapley
Bob, I don’t follow your top 20 in points comment, restricting drivers handicap?
Modfan, he’s referring to if you’re not in the top 18 in the point standings at Stafford you start behind the qualified cars from the heat races. On the nights when there are no heat races if you’re not in the top 15 in points you start 16th or back.
I LOVE points for the heat races! However, as Daryl stated, the handicap has to be done in an appropriate fashion too.
As far as wrecked cars in heats, if it does happen because of points, it might be more towards the end of the season I would think, if at all.
Growing up in CT watching the races at the Danbury Racearena, I liked their handicap system. You had to qualify for the feature and they did an inverted starting order based on point. The points leader stated 20th. It was very exciting to watch the point leader have to work their way thru the field.
Heat points is begging for wrecked racecars
Im all for change to shake things up to help provide end of season completion and excitement,maybe im not understanding this correct but will a dominant car not still rack up win after win,plus heat points and be miles ahead come September? 1 dnf will kill a guy. if a low funded but consistant car has a bad wreck and has to miss a week that’s it they’re out of the mix. Maybe implement a 2 race throw away and use best finishes minus the 2,or do a mini chase type deal with 4 races to go separate the top 10 by 2 point incraments then let em race for it? I don’t know lots of ways to shake things up I guess but heck at least there is still a track to make changes to.
I have to agree with Scott I think it will make more exciting racing for the fans.Although a few may end up on the wrecker…
Will there be heat races on Thursday Night ?????
Shawn,
Please let it be known that Seekonk also does not give heat points.
Thanks
There won’t be any more excitement In the sk division. Rocco finishes on the podium every week. People bash him for his aggressive style, those people must not have watched almost every week last year at the bowl. Passing people at will on the outside and not touching most of them on the way by. Any contact made was right at the front at the end of a race, which anyone would do to get the win. Also one of the best at hitting cause to move them and not wreck them. Takes great car control and skill to master that.
Not to change the subject but what is the tire for the sk mods this year, only makes sence to run the same tire as stafford and Thompson
Nothing is given to him most the time he has to get from the back of the track to win.
How much is admission this year at the BOWL ??????