News and Notes
- Updated: February 3, 2009
Big Bend, WI (February 3, 2009) – Some odds and ends this week before NASCAR opens up at Daytona this weekend.
Hello to Sebastian Daniel Wheldon. Congratulations to Dan and Susie Wheldon who celebrated the birth of their first child, Sebastian Daniel (6 pounds, 12 ounces) who was born at Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, FL, two weeks ahead of schedule. Both mother and son are “doing well.”
“It was just the most unbelievable experience of my life,” said Wheldon, the ’05 Indy 500 winner. “It’s one of those things that, until you experience it, you’ll never be able to put into words how great the feeling is. The first time I saw the little baby, and I’ve just met him, I was amazed by the amount of love you can feel for one human being at that moment.”
Wheldon’s parents, who are visiting from England, got to meet their grandson immediately.
“The entire experience just blew my mind, and hopefully my new family and the Panther team can enjoy another mind-blowing experience in May at the Indianapolis 500 this season,” said Wheldon. But Dan, did you miss the Super Bowl?
Good bye to, Jim McWithey, who drove in the Indianapolis 500 in 1959 and 1960. McWithey died Sunday, Feb. 1 in Gainesville, Ga. McWithey, a native of Grammer, Ind., was 81. Racing out of Anderson, Ind., for the majority of his career, McWithey switched from the IMCA sprint car circuit, where he ranked third in 1955, to USAC in time to pass a rookie test for car owner George Walther at Indianapolis in 1956. In his first Indianapolis 500 start three years later, he drove the Ray Brady Special from 33rd to 16th, completing the full 200 laps some 12 minutes after Rodger Ward had won the race, the rules at that time permitting as many cars as was reasonable to complete the distance. This feat earned him membership in the very prestigious Champion 100-Mile-An-Hour Club, which was discontinued in 1970. McWithey, whose nickname was “Gentleman Jim,” completed 60 laps in the 1960 “500” before being eliminated by brake failure. He also took part in 18 USAC National Championship events between 1956 and 1960, placing third behind Rodger Ward and Tony Bettenhausen in the 1960 season opener at Trenton, NJ In 1959, arguably his best season, he placed fourth three times and also won dirt track sprint car features at Terre Haute, Ind., and Williams Grove, Pa. He placed among the top 10 in Midwest sprint car point standings for four straight seasons and ranked fourth in the Eastern division in 1959. Sadly, with McWithey’s passing, the number of living drivers who had at least one start in a “500” while piloting a front-engine car is reduced to only 17.
In three weeks, IndyCar Series drivers will be on the Homestead-Miami Speedway oval for the first Open Test of 2009. The Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is two months off, and Brian Barnhart is encouraged by signs that will produce a healthy starting field for the season opener.
“We had our (driver) meeting Jan. 13 and we were all absolutely floored at the attendance level and the interest level of what’s going on,” said the president of competition and operations for the sanctioning Indy Racing League during a teleconference to provide an update about the new engine platform and manufacturers interested in participating in the IndyCar Series. “I think in this economic environment we’ve been anticipating a significant downturn. And I’ve come to the conclusion we might be better positioned from a league standpoint to be less affected by the economic climate than perhaps other racing series.
Remember when a driver could race into the Daytona 500? The top two qualifiers were locked in, top-15 in each qualifier made the race, then the next ten fastest qualifiers and three provisonals made it? Now you get this courtesy of www.jayski.com here is the Qualifying Procedure for the 2009 Gatorade Duels/Daytona 500:
Pole Day: This “locks in” the first two positions – the front row – for the Daytona 500. It also establishes the starting orders for the Gatorade Duels at Daytona, which are two 150-mile qualifying races for the Daytona 500.
The fastest car earns the pole for the Daytona 500 AND the pole for the first Gatorade Duel race.
The second-fastest car earns the outside pole for the Daytona 500 AND the pole for the second Gatorade Duel race.
The Gatorade Duels at Daytona: These two 150-mile qualifying races set positions 3-39 for the Daytona 500.
A combined total of 66 cars will be allowed into the two Gatorade Duel races.
Cars must compete in one of the Gatorade Duel races, in order to race in the Daytona 500.
Odd-number finishers in the final car owner point standings from last season (1st, 3rd, 5th, etc.) are in the first Gatorade Duel race.
Even-number finishers in the final car owner point standings from last season (2nd, 4th, 6th, etc.) are in the second Gatorade Duel race.
Additional qualified cars that weren’t in the final top 35 in last season owner’s points are alternated between the two Gatorade Duel fields using an odd-even format.
Setting the Daytona 500 field: Cars that finished in the top 35 in last season’s6 car owner point standings automatically make the Daytona 500 field.
The top two starting positions are determined by Pole Day qualifying speeds.
Positions 3-39 are determined by finishing orders in the Gatorade Duel races.
The final four spots in the 43-car field will be based on Pole Day qualifying speeds of cars that have not already earned a starting position. However, if there is an eligible Sprint Cup Series past champion entered who has not already qualified, that past champion will receive the 43rd and final position. If there is more than one past champion eligible for this berth, it goes to the most recent champion.
another way to look at it:
The following cars will be assigned to the first of the two qualifying races:
The odd-number positions (1st, 3rd, 5th, etc.) of the highest-ranked 35 finishers in the final previous Cup Series car owner points standings.
The pole winner from Pole Qualifying scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 8 [1:00pm/et Fox] . Should the pole winner be among the highest-ranked 35 in the previous season owner points, the pole winner will start in the first race regardless of his odd or even position in those standings. The following cars will be assigned to the second of the two qualifying races:
The even-number positions (2nd, 4th, 6th, etc.) of the highest-ranked 35 finishers in the final previous season Cup Series car owner points standings.
The second-fastest qualifier from Pole Qualifying. Should this car be among the highest-ranked 35 in the previous season owner points, it will start in the second race regardless of its odd or even position in those standings. Additional cars that were not among the highest-ranked 35 in the final previous season car owner points will be alternated between the first and second 150-mile qualifying events using an odd-even format. The odd-number positions will be assigned to the first qualifier while the even-number positions will be assigned to the second qualifier.
The odd-even positions are not determined by where the car qualified in the overall field, but their specific qualifying order among those cars not part of the highest-ranked 35 group. For example, a car qualifies eighth overall in Pole qualifying, but ranks third fastest among those cars not part of the highest-ranked 35. That car would be an odd-number position and start in the first race as a result of its qualifying standing of those cars not in the highest-ranked 35.
The lineup for each qualifying race will be set based upon the qualifying speeds in the time trials for all cars, including those who are among the highest-ranked 35 in the final previous season car owner point standings. The highest-ranked 35 designation does not determine the car’s starting position, only the assignment of its 150-mile qualifying event.
A maximum of 66 cars will be permitted to compete between the two qualifying races, and all cars must compete in one of these events to be eligible for the Daytona 500.
Starting positions for the Daytona 500 will be designated for the highest-ranked 35 positions from the final previous season car owner point standings from each qualifier, the two-highest finishing cars in each qualifier not among that highest-ranked 35 group and the two front-row qualifiers.
The balance of the 43-car field will be filled by the fastest remaining qualifiers who have not earned a starting position, with the exception of the 43rd position which will be assigned to an eligible former or current Cup Series champion. Should there not be an eligible champion, the position will be assigned to the next fastest qualifier not in the field.
The simple version: how the Daytona 500 lineup is set:
Pos 1 and 2: Pole sitter and outside pole sitter from Pole qualifying
[no need to be top 35 in previous season car Owners Points]
Pos 3 thru 39: top 35 in previous season car owners points and two highest finishing teams in each Gatorade Duel races race NOT in the top 35 set by their finishing position in the Gatorade Duel races.
Pos 40-42: fastest qualifiers not in by above
Pos 43: past champion provisional, otherwise the spot goes to the next fastest qualifier.
The Gatorade Duel races: The Daytona 500 pole-sitter will start on the pole of the first Gatorade Duel at Daytona. The outside pole winner will start on the pole of the second qualifying race.
Cars that finished in odd positions (first, third, fifth, etc.) in owner’s points last season will fill the first qualifying race, and those with even-number finishes will compete in the second race. The lineup for each qualifying race will be set based on the qualifying speeds. Owner’s points do not determine the car’s starting position, only which of the two Duel races in which it will race.
Cars that were not among the highest-ranked 35 in the previous season will be alternately entered into the two 150-mile qualifying events based on qualifying speeds. The non-top 35 car with the fastest qualifying time is entered into the first (odd) Duel race, the next-fastest in the second (even) race and so on.
Past Champions Limited To 6 Provisional Berths in Cup: NASCAR announced an update to the past champion’s provisional rule in the Sprint Cup Series starting with the 2007 season. A past champion’s provisional may be used by an eligible driver a maximum of six times over the course of the season. In addition, a team with a past champion eligible driver may only use this provisional a maximum of six times during a season. Previously, there was no limit on usage of the past champion’s provisional over the course of the 36-race season. The provisional gives the eligible driver the 43rd and final starting position in the race field. “As NASCAR seeks to place more emphasis on competition, we have decided the time is right to limit the number of provisionals allowed,” said NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton. “We believe this revision brings the provisional policy in line with the continued growth of the sport.” (NASCAR PR)
This is only for a team/driver OUTSIDE the top-35 in owners points, drivers whose team is in the top-35 in owners points, would already be guaranteed in the field and not need the Past Champions Provisional
What happens if qualifying gets rained out?
If it is the first 5 races of the season, the previous season OWNERS points are used:
#1) – Previous season Owner Points [position 1-35][team does not have to attempt all the races]
#2) – Race winners from the previous and current season not already in the field
#3) – Past Sprint Cup Champions not in by 1 or 2
#4) – Current season Owner Points [Top 35][not in by rules 1-3]
#5) – Current season race attempts ties broken by current owners points standings [not in by rules 1-4]
After the 5th race of the season, the current season OWNERS points are used:
#1) – First 35 by current Owner Points [team does not have to attempt all the races]
#2) – Last Years Cup Champ or the Event Champion if not already in the field
#3) – Car Owners whose team has won in the previous and current season not already in the field
#4) – Drivers who have won in the previous and current season not already in the field
#5) – Past Sprint Cup Champions not in by 1 thru 4
#6) – Qualifying Attempts with Owners points as the tie breaker
#7) – Qualifying Order Position
(all above apply as long as the team was entered by the entry deadline – usually 7-13 days before the race)
Frustrating isn’t it?
IndyCar and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway contributed to this article
Steve Zautke, a Milwaukee, WI native, was raised in the sport of auto racing. His father, Bill, was a movie photographer that shot racing footage at tracks such as the Milwaukee Mile and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the 1960’s and 1970’s Steve’s first professional job in racing was as an Emergency Medical Technician at tracks such as Angell Park and Hales Corners Speedway (1988-1991). Steve has also worked for the Milwaukee Mile as videographer, in media relations and historian (1993-2011). Steve also has worked as a reporter for Racing Information Systems (RIS) and has written features for ‘Vintage Oval Racing’ and ‘Victory Lane’ magazines. Most recently, Steve has written a book on Road America for Arcadia Publishing. ( http://www.amazon.com/Road-America-Nascar-Library-Collection/dp/1467111457 ) Steve co-hosts “Sparky’s Final Inspection” a motorsports-based radio show with hosts, Steve “Sparky” Fifer and “NASCAR Girl” Summer Santana on Sports Radio 1250AM in Milwaukee and is also available on the internet at www.Sportradio1250.com. A member of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Induction Committee, Steve follows all types of racing from the dirt tracks to Formula One.
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