Qualifiying for UL GP? Bring it back!!

[J Farrell / Speed Tech Motorsp]

I say make the feature race ULGP a quailifying race again. Why did it ever not be a qualifying race?
I mean it is usally the fastest race of the day so why not make it qualiying? It makes it fair for everyone in the race to start off where they qualified at. Plus there is money on the line.
I say if the race pays manufactures $$ that it should be a qualiying race. There is a lot of money on the line in these races and it would only be fair to make it qualifying for those races.
I believe the Manufactures qualifying would be difficult to pull off but at least make one race (ULGP) a qualifier!

What do you think?

[Super Dave]

I thought it was a great idea, and it was actually a good reason to have the stupid transmitters. 

I mean, we're required to utilize them, ultimately, we pay for them with our entry fees (even though we still pay for manual scoring too), and I think it actually added to the small bit of the show that is our sportsman level of club racing at local events. 

It was motivating to me as a competitor.  With seemingly eighty races on the schedule, I, as a motorcycle road racing enthusiaist, get really bored of the schedule. 

[Scotty Ryan]

Here it goes - So in 04 and 05 I ran just about every race I could afford to enter....Then in 06 I was short on cash because I was trying to run more AMA - I still wanted to be at the local CCS rounds when I could and help support the track/Series. The second thing that appealed to me was that if I only ran Unl GP - the structure/schedule was more like an AMA schedule(Run a Friday practice - Saturday I got two practice sessions, then Sunday I got a practice session along with a Qualifying session and then a race). So I found that it was a good way for me to invest my money.... First off - I still got practice time on Saturday, I was able to go out and Qualify in a proper position - and have a real shot of earning back my money - if not making actual money.... Personally I find that I only needs SO much track time - and sometimes more isn't beneficial....This season when I heard that there wasn't going to be qualifying - for the only cash paying event of the weekend - I was dumbfounded.....

I know that I wasn't able to attend all the rounds this season - but I can be 100% confident saying that I would have signed up and spent my money to compete - if things were the way they used to be..... This season I only raced one CCS weekend - it was at BHF and it was only for testing purposes with my team.... I did attend the events that I was in town for - as a spectator/pit bitch - but the only bike I brought to those events was my road bicycle.....

[JBraun]

I agree that we should qualify for ULGP. It just makes sense because there's money on the line. It also makes that race a bigger deal than the rest. Right now, it's just another sprint race.

As far as contingency races, you can't expect CCS to make special consessions for those of us chasing contingency on that particular weekend.
If I pre-enter to get good spots, and when I show up they tell me it's a yamaha weekend so now I have to qualify when I can't win money on my kawi anyway, I'd be pissed. I don't want to burn tires and fuel to get what I already pre-paid for.

The contingency schedules come out quick enough. You know what races pay, so pre-enter for them.

Farrell, WTF?? you win from the back of the grid anyway, so quit bitching!!!

[Super Dave]

The contingency schedules come out quick enough. You know what races pay, so pre-enter for them.

Not Suzuki. 

[TommyG]

I don`t want qualifying for ULGP back. For me it was a waste of money and energy.  If it comes back I`ll have to enter less classes. No matter what I do it seems like I can only physically handle just so many classes on Sunday and qualifying is like an extra race! Don`t forget we already have a bazillion classes and occasional time problems. ULGP qualifying is kinda like adding a race. In 06 there were a couple of time issues with red flags/clean up/ambulance/lunch time delays. If it comes down to having am/ex classes combined so you could make time for UNGP qualifying would you do it? I don`t think you can have it both ways.

Not looking for a fight boys! This is JMHO!      

[CCS]

Without qualifying, ULGP averaged 16.29 entries per weekend....with qualifying it averaged 15.24.

With qualifying, all riders had to split their practice between their 600's and their 750/1000's in the same session....Without qualifying they have a session for 600's and a session for their 750/1000, benefiting 150 racers a weekend, not just the 15.24 who ran qualifying. Sorry, it is a numbers game, and keeping the majority of our riders happy is more important.

If you want to qualify like the AMA, please enter one of our ASRA events, we'd love to see you there.

[Super Dave]

Without qualifying, ULGP averaged 16.29 entries per weekend....with qualifying it averaged 15.24.

While I recognize those numbers, I will say that it rained a lot last year (2006).  I think that might play into entries, just like it played into people getting into CCS LP track days in 2002...it just seemed to rain all the time.

I do see where ULGP is just barely paying its rent, though.

[steve p]

Sorry Jason,  way too much pressure for qualifying.

[Sobottka]

got a survey from track addixs today and one question asked about running a gt race (with discounted entry fee) to determine grids (by lap times not finishing position) for the rest of the races. if you dont grid up for the gt race you are gridded behind those who did... but it is qualifying! i like it!  what do you think?