The racing season is just around the corner for most of us...FINALLY!

Can you feel it? Racing season is about to get underway up here in the North and it seems like winter gets longer and longer every year. There have been a lot of interesting announcements from both sanctioning bodies lately but the most interesting one is IHRA announcing the IHRA Summit Super Series presented by Pontiac. I mentioned this a couple months ago and was a little skeptical about how they could administrate it. I still have some questions, but IHRA chose the right guy to put in charge of explaining this to us bracket racers. Michael Beard is IHRA's point man on this huge undertaking.

He started off by getting every IHRA track that wants to be part of the Super Series to purchase special software for their timing computers that will keep track of Super Series participant's points through a special car numbering system. A great idea from a young man who understands computers, track operators and is a very accomplished bracket racer. Good luck with this project, Michael, I hope it works out for everyone. I thought I would use this column to go over some of details of this complex program to see who is "The Best Bracket Racer in the Country".

I will attempt to "break it down" a little and see if it is easier to understand or totally confuse you. You be the judge.

WHAT IS AT STAKE? WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO?

How does $150,000 sound? That is what the best bracket racer in the country could win. There are some rules and requirements and they seem very reasonable. You need to buy a Super Series number from IHRA and name your home track. The cost is a measly $10. Of course you can only earn points at an IHRA-sanctioned track. There is a points fund for each local track, divisional champions and the World Champion. You can double your winnings (which boosts the Champion's package to more than $111,000 in cash) by purchasing $1,000 worth of product from Summit Racing between January 1, 2002 and July 1, 2002. Read the rules closely because you need to give the order desk a special Summit Super Series Code: SPR002.

MORE STUFF THAT IS REQUIRED

All racers who want points must display a Super Series decal on both sides of their race vehicle. I totally agree that is fair. All racers must have IHRA / Summit Super series emblems sewn on their fire jackets. Sounds OK, but where do we get the emblems? If you race at more than one IHRA track you can earn Super Series Points at only the "home track" you declared when you ordered your number. You earn points for every round you win; no points for entering a race and no points for buy-backs or rounds won AFTER you buy-back. Run-off or King of the Hill type races do not count. Bye-runs will count but you have to stage and take the tree.

NOTE: It is the driver's responsibility to make sure they check their ET Slip for the correct car number. Be aware--this could easily be the single most important thing you check every round. If the tower accidentally enters the wrong car number you will NOT get the points. If you note an error on your ET Slip you MUST have the tower correct it before the nest round is started.

HOW THEY KNOW WHO THE CHAMPIONS ARE

The tracks will be sending in results at the end of every race and here is how they put your races together. I will try not to confuse you with this math. It is their formula I am just trying to make sense of it.

CALCULATING THE "PERFORMANCE RATING"

Racers will have their "round win percentage" weighed against the total number of rounds actually run in their bracket. This number yields a Performance Rating (PR). The performance rating averages a racer's performance for the entire year. The math will be automatically computed from each track's race log. Here is how you compute your PR (Performance Rating).

Example: You enter a race at MIR and it takes seven rounds that night to win your bracket. You win three rounds and lose in the fourth round. Round Win Percentage: _ = .750 Possible Win Percentage: 3/7 = .429. To compute the PR do this: *Double the round win percentage: .750 x 2 = 1.5. Then add Possible Round Win Percentage .429 + 1.5 (doubled Rd. Win %) = 1.929 *Since a racer has more control over this element, we double the Round Win Percentage, thereby putting more emphasis on it. Performance Rating = 1.929 divided by 3 (items used to arrive at PR)= .643 PR.

I am pretty sure I can do the math, but I am confused about comparing tracks that get 125 cars in one bracket against another track that gets 16 cars in a bracket. I tried some of my own math and here is what I got. Example: A racer enters Top (S/Pro) at CFR. He wins three rounds and loses in the fourth round (which is the final round). Rd Win %= .750. Possible Win %: _ = .750. Double the rd win % = 1.5 add possible win % .750 = 2.250 PR (Performance Rating). The racer did the same amount of winning, but his PR is better than the racer who runs at a bigger track.

Somewhere along the line I think this will equal out. It is possible the points will be kept initially by the rounds won and then once you reach the end of the year they will compare rounds won against rounds lost and possible rounds you could have won to get you annual Performance Rating. The main concern for racers from smaller tracks is that your points races need to have "offered" a minimum of 50 rounds of competition in your bracket at points races. If your possible rounds are less than 50 the difference will be added into your lower number as losses until you reach 50 possible rounds. It will be important for smaller tracks to have a lot of points races if their racers are to have a chance at the National Championship.

Overall, I think IHRA and Summit have really stepped up and put their money where their mouth is. All sanctioning bodies will say, "Bracket racing is the backbone of our sport." Before the IHRA Summit Series it was just "lip service" to keep bracket racers appeased and memberships coming in. Now things have changed. $150,000 potential winnings for the World Champion bracket racer is the REAL DEAL. As a bracket racer, I want to say "Thanks" to IHRA and Summit for stepping up to the plate and rewarding the bracket racers for their hard work and great driving skills.

PRE-SEASON CHECKLIST

With the race season right around the corner, there are several things I want to remind you of before you hit the road. Just a few checklists for you to consider.

Safety: Every trailer or tool box should have a good first-aid kit in it. Band-Aids(r), some gauze pads, antiseptic cream, nail clippers, tweezers, some aspirin or Tylenol and don't forget the Tums or Rolaids to recover from those "Track Dogs." I suggest a couple 5-pound dry chemical fire extinguishers (and be sure to show the wife, kids and crew how to use them). Just because you are in staging doesn't mean an accident can't happen near your parking area. Can you imagine how ugly a fire in the pit area could be if it started spreading from trailer to trailer and motorhome to motorhome? BAD DEAL!

Towing: I know I get so anxious to go I forget the simple things sometimes (thank goodness Barb make me check this stuff!). Trailer tires properly inflated and visually checked for weathering or sidewall damage. Torque the trailer lugnuts. Repack wheel bearings and check connections on electric brakes. Look over the trailer frame and the coupler area for cracks. NOW, is the time to fix those trailer light wires you cobbled together on the side of the road last summer.

Checklist: I mentioned this last year, too. I have a list that I make copies of that has oil change schedules, tire rotating schedules, tool list, spare part list, generator maintenance schedule. Types of fluids the motorhome needs, etc. I check the list on Thursday before we get ready to go racing. It eliminates costly errors from lack of maintenance, and for me, it makes things simpler when I have a full time job and a race car to get ready as well.

MILLION DOLLAR RACES?

Why do they keep calling them that when they NEVER PAY A MILLION DOLLARS? Even IF they got the number of entries they needed the money would be split up so far down nobody would get close to a MILLION DOLLARS. I think the racers who can pony up the $2,000 entry fee DON'T CARE if it pays a million. They are there to get to eight cars (to be in on the split) and of course win it so they can home on the cell phone in the Winner's Circle!

In my opinion (and nobody probably cares about my opinion) I think they should open that race up to No-Box racers as well. The No-Box racers run their own eliminations until there is one Box car and one No-Box car left. Then let's see who the big dog is! How about it George? Why not try that approach, maybe you can get another 100 to 150 entries! You would be a lot closer to paying the $1,000,000.

Well that is it for me for this month. I am getting everything ready to go to the Tenn-Tuck Race at Bowling Green, KY on March 22-24. If I have some luck I'll get the Burkster to post the BIG NEWS. Headlines will be something like "Old Fart does good in Kentucky" or something like that.

'Til then, race safe and live life to the fullest. See ya at the races!

jok@racingnetsource.com

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