Indy 500 (2009): Race Qualifying Rules
from: IndyMotorSpeedway.com (unoffical)
What are the Qualifying rules?
INDIANAPOLIS 500 QUALIFYING PROCEDURES:
Qualifications are also known as Time Trials. This means the drivers compete to see who is the fastest and gets to start the race close to the front.
The qualifying draw for positions is conducted in first-come, first-serve order the day before 1st Day of Qualifying, ie. the drivers draw to see who is going to get to qualify first, second, third, etc. Drivers generally will be trying to qualify both their primary car and a backup (T) car.
The pole position is decided by the fastest qualifier on the first day, or the fastest qualifier after one trip through the original qualifying line, whichever comes LAST.
Each car can make three qualification attempts. When a car completes a four-lap, 10-mile qualification attempt, its speed becomes official. [So, the qualifying speed is the average speed over 4 laps, not the fastest lap]. The car may not re-qualify. The driver, if the car is bumped or withdrawn, may qualify in another car.
Each car must take two warm-up laps. The decision to take the green to start the attempt or wave off must be made the second time past the flagstand.
The team owner or designated representative must raise the green flag to signify the start of a qualification attempt or the yellow flag will be thrown, aborting the attempt.
Qualifying is ran the two weekends before race weekend.
The first day of qualifying is a Saturday. It is known as "Pole Day". Positions one through 11 in the 33-car field are available to the fastest 11 qualifiers that day. Once the 11 spots are full, bumping will occur for the rest of the day to determine the Pole and the fastest 11 qualifiers for that day.
Second Day Qualifying, Sunday: Positions 12 through 22 are available. Once those spots are full, bumping will occur only in spots 12 through 22 for the rest of the day to determine the fastest 11 qualifiers for that day.
Third Day Qualifying, Saturday: Positions 23 through 33 are available. Once those spots are full, bumping will occur only in spots 23-33 for the rest of the day to determine the fastest 11 qualifiers for that day.
Fourth Day Qualifying, Sunday: The last day of qualifying is known as "Bump Day" and "Bubble Day". Any qualifying attempt on this day that is faster than a qualified entrant in the 33 positions in the starting field will bump the slowest qualifier from the field, regardless of the day of qualification. The “bumped” entrant will be removed from the field of 33, and the remaining field will move ahead one position in the starting field as the newly qualified entrant will take the 33rd position, or a higher position if faster than the other fourth-day qualifiers. As the end of the day approaches (6 p.m.) the driver sitting in last place of the grid gets mighty nervous.
Each car, primary or backup, will have three attempts per day to qualify for the Indianapolis 500. If a car is bumped on any day of qualifications, that entrant can re-enter the qualification line and attempt to re-qualify based on the numbers of attempts remaining for that car.
Entrants also can still withdraw qualified cars from the field at their choice, but that car still will be allowed to make qualifying attempts based on the number of attempts it has remaining for the day. The car does not have to be removed from competition, as in previous formats.
Qualify Rules and base schedules were changed in 2005 to this latest format, talked about above and summarized below:
from: FastMachines.com
- Only 11 starting positions will be contested per qualifying day, and teams will be able to use the same car to make multiple attempts.
- An additional qualifying day, which restores the four-day format.
- Fewer practice hours (a cost-saving 20 less for the month, with each day noon to 6 p.m.)
- A later (noon) starting time for the 500 on May 29.
- A different position for Carburation Day (Friday before the race, with a race added and Indy-car practice cut to one hour).
- A new home for the rookie orientation program (set to open track activities May 8-9).
from: Crash.net covering the 2005 Press Conference of the Changes
Brain Barnhart, President and chief operating officer, Indy Racing League:
"Qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 has evolved throughout the years, beginning with 1911 when the starting order was determined by the date when the entries were received for the event, and has continued to evolve throughout the years, and that continues up to the 89th running this May.
In addition to the excitement and drama of going for the pole, determining the starting order, and of course the drama of bumping, there is a new format in place this year that we think is going to add to the excitement and drama for the qualifying format for this year's race, and that is that we are only going to take 11 cars -the 11 fastest qualifiers on each day - for the first three days. Pole Day will determine positions one through 11, second-day will determine positions 12 through 22, and the third day will determine positions 23 through 33. The fourth day will bump the slowest car regardless of the day it qualified.
So what we are really trying to attempt to do (is) to increase the drama and excitement for the fans - and give them what they want - and that's bumping on each day of qualifying. So once we have 11 cars that accept times on Pole Day, we'll begin a bumping process on Pole Day. At the end of Pole Day, there will be only 11 cars in the field. So you'll have the continued excitement and drama of going for the pole and the front row on Pole Day, but you'll also have the opportunity for bumping on Pole Day.
So we're very excited about the format. We think it carries over a lot of the same traditions that exist. It also has some evolutions and twists. The cars will be allowed - in the past they were allowed three attempts to qualify, provided neither of the first attempts were run to completion. Now they have three attempts per day, even if they run an attempt to completion.
If the first run takes the checkered flag, that car can come back either by being withdrawn by the entrant or by being bumped out of the fastest 11. That same car-engine combination can come back and run later in the day, up to three times a day. So theoretically, car No. 7 has three attempts on Pole Day, three attempts the second day, three attempts the third day and three attempts the fourth day. Obviously, that's 12 theoretical attempts per chassis out there.
We're very excited; our thought process behind that is we're extending the life of the equipment, making more equipment available to the teams to participate. Instead of putting the pressure on a team thathas only one chassis and a couple of engines, now they've got three attempts on that chassis per day, even if they take the checkered flag, (then) get bumped out later, they can come back and try again. We think it's going to give the fans what they want, and that's some bumping on each of the four days of qualifying, returns us to our traditional four days of qualifying that we've had. In many ways it keeps the traditions alive but also it changes and adds some new twists and new challenges to the guys that sitting up here with me."
Question: After a qualifying run, I assume the cars will go through a post-qualifying inspection. How does that change? As you approach 6 p.m., in order for someone to have a chance if they've qualified second and want to go back out. Do they have to go through inspection or can they stay out and go back through the qualifying line?
"It brings up a detailed thought process by the (Indy Racing) League. In order for the drama and the strategies to play out that we have anticipated with this format, it's important for the League to make equipment available to these guys as quickly as possible, especially in the last hour or so of qualifying.
So what we're going to do is a very traditional and normal post-qualifying technical inspection process for cars that qualify between noon and 4:45 p.m. Those cars will come down, if they've taken the checkered flag and they're in the fastest 11 at that time, they will pull into the photo area as they've traditionally done, then they'll go to the garage area and do a traditional post-qualifying inspection. We will notify the teams in the qualification meeting tomorrow that if they qualify between noon and 4:45 p.m. and go through this process, they will need to anticipate it will be between 55 and 70 minutes before the car is made available again. So a car that qualifies at 3 p.m., that owner needs to know he will not get his car back until 4:10 p.m.
Any qualification attempts that take place between 4:45 and 6 p.m. that are completed runs, receive the checkered flag and move into the top 11 for that day, those cars will come down pit lane after completing their run, stop at the start/finish line in front of the Pagoda, and be immediately impounded. Those cars will then sit in pit lane right in front of the Pagoda, (and) once the driver gets out, the crew cannot touch them if they're in that fastest 11.
If they get bumped out of the 11, the owner and team can take that car immediately, go make changes and get back in line and start playing the game again. If they see they think they're going to get bumped and are sitting 10th after that run, and they don't want to wait until that physically happens, they can sign a withdraw sheet, withdraw that time and get that car back immediately.
If they want to keep that car in the impound area and stay in the top 11 as long as they can, and play the game with the "T" (backup) car at the qualifying line, then the same rules and procedures apply that have traditionally been in place. If Tim (Cindric) is in the impound area with car #3, and he comes across the tech line with car #3T, when that car gets to me at the head of the line, the same procedure that historically has been in place is still in place: I'm going to look at Tim and say: 'You make a choice. Are you withdrawing the speed of the #3 car and going out with #3T, or are you pulling out of line with the #3T and standing on your line with #3?'
This is the same thing they've always been able to do.
Once a car gets into that impound area in the last 75 minutes, the owners have multiple choices again, taking consideration where they're at with the (fastest) 11 for that day, if they're going to play the game with the spare car, if they want it back right away to go change gears, they can withdraw the time, and they're out. If they want to wait to get bumped, that's what we're talking about. This thing's going to have a lot of strategy and drama to it. That's our procedure.
Noon to 4:45 p.m. will be a fairly normal tech process. It will take 55 to 70 minutes for (teams) to get their cars back, from 4:45 to 6 p.m. we'll have an impound corral where the cars will be
immediately impounded. Any car that's still in the top 11, when the 6 p.m. gun goes off, will then roll up quickly to do photos, then go through post-qualifying procedures after the track closes at 6 p.m."
Question: If that #3 car goes out at 5:10 p.m. and is third quickest, and comes down to the impound area and they decide they can run for the pole, and goes back in line with the same car, does that speed go out?
"Yes. He has to withdraw that speed to get that car out of the impound area."
Question: As long as you don't take a checkered flag on a run, is that not an attempt at all?
"That rule also has not changed. An attempt is defined by taking the green flag. We'll still do the same thing: an owner or team representative will go to the north end of pit lane with a yellow or green flag, second time by that team representative needs to hold up the green flag or a yellow. A green flag signifies the start of an official attempt, which they get three a day, a yellow flag or a 'no flag' is a non-attempt and they come back to the pit. So the definition of an attempt has not changed; it is taking of the green flag to start a qualification attempt."
Question: So even if you don't finish that run, it is considered an attempt for that day?
"Correct. And is unchanged from previous years."
Question: Can you stand on a time, from a previous day, on Bump Day if the field is not yet full?
"There is no standing on a time. If you are bumped out, then that time is wiped off the board. It is not held in reserve in any way, shape or form."
Question: This will provide some incredible drama for folks watching here in person, but for those folks watching at home, how do we (broadcasters) know when, say, Tim Cindric comes to you and says, 'I'm going to withdraw that car.' Is that something that's going to come from you or Tiffany (Hemmer, IRL director of administration), or for us to be able to tell people at home that someone has just withdrawn a car and then for us to watch the drama of that car being pushed back in line? Will they make an announcement here? What is the protocol to release that?
"The capability of withdrawing a car's time will be able to take place at two locations: at the impound corral, and at the head of the (qualifying) line, where I will be. If one of them (teams) fills out the form that withdraws that time, we will instantly announce that over our internal radios and we'll make sure the p.a. announcement is made immediately that that happened. We'll make the adjustment on all the scoreboards around the track to tell the fans what's going on."
Question: What signs do you have to tell you that there will be anything left to do on Bump Day, given that, according to my calculations, it looks like we have 32 car-driver combinations right now, maybe a 33rd? And also, if more cars and equipment are available with the new format, do you really sense that teams will really make equipment available?
"The whole format creates a platform for increasing the likelihood of those scenarios developing. They've always existed in the past, but there was so much difficulty in getting people to use cars that are available, and I think the format will make that more likely to happen, to have the same traditional last-weekend deals come in play. As we're sitting here talking, we haven't even come to the first weekend yet, and we've got more car-driver combinations than we've had the last couple years. So I feel very good about the same historical last-minute deals coming in play. These rules make that easier for that to happen."
Question: If the weather on any of the first three days restricts attempts to less than 11, will that day carry over to the next day before you start the next day's official qualifying, or how will that work?
"We're capable of making a good decision with the officials of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I think we need to take into consideration that there are so many factors in that hypothetical. Have we had a break in the line yet? Have we not had a break in the line?
The easiest way to say it is, if we've had a good-weather day and we've qualified for six hours from noon to 6 p.m. and we did not have 11 cars accept times, say we only had nine cars took a checkered-flag run, then two spots would carry over into the next day, and we'd qualify 13 cars on that day instead of 11. The other scenarios are difficult to get into. If you've had a full day of qualifying, for six hours, you'll be hard-pressed to not have 11 guys complete runs."
TIM CINDRIC (President, Marlboro Team Penske):
Question: Does the new format allow you to really focus on a pole run on Pole Day now?
"I think it is pretty dynamic. The whole thing has four or five variables, some of them were here before, some of them weren't here before. The draw is something that definitely plays into your strategy depending on where your car is for a particular draw. The weather can have a lot to do with what to do in terms of qualifying days like it has in the past. What the teams are going to be faced with come Friday night is what is realistic for your individual situation. Are you going for the front row? Or are you going for the elite 11? Those are decisions that we are going to have to make on Friday night and Saturday morning.
As Tom (Anderson) said, egos always get involved in this game. If you look back to the year that Tom Sneva had run a 200-mph lap, you saw that some guys made the right choice. (Jim) McGee will tell you how he went for too much and had to go the next day. You have seen things play out where a team withdraws a car and goes for the pole at the end of the day. That same situation can happen and is probably more likely to happen than in the past. It has a lot to do with being practical to what your individual situation is."
Question: How important is it to be in the top 11 on day one? How greedy would you be to take a car back out there to get into the top 11?
"I think everyone here knows that if you are in the top 11 you sleep a lot better on Saturday night. There is pride that is in there, but the bottom line is getting yourself in position to win the race. Most of the winners come from the top three or four rows. It certainly puts you in a much better position at the start so that you can get to the end."
"Any time you withdraw a time, it is a tough decision to make. I've had to do that myself. To have to talk to Brian and tell him that you are taking your time off the board is a tough decision to make whether you are eighth, seventh, second, third. It has a lot to do with the run you made. Was that run the best you could do or is there more that you hoped for. It's a risk-reward type of program here. Any time you take a time off of the board, you have to know that anything can happen. It all comes down to what is realistic for your situation and being part of that top 11."
MIKE HULL (Team managing director, Target Chip Ganassi Racing):
"We've talked about it a lot, to be very honest. The last three or four weeks we've devoted some time to it, Chip (Ganassi) and the engineers, the managers. We talked about it. There's a lot of things that can happen. Probably the thing that we have to be very careful about and mindful of, even before qualifying begins, is the 35-tire rule.
If you think about what a team is going to have to do to qualify for the Indy 500 - normally, what you do if you're not quite fast enough or you want to be faster is you always wait for the racetrack to re-open, and then you go out and make sure you're right. That's a set of tyres. It might be two sets of tyres. You get in line, that's another set of tyres. You might have already made an attempt. That's another set of tyres.
So on the first day, you have an allotment of 35 sets of tyres for the entire month, which to most people seems like an enormous pile of tyres, you've used a good percentage of your tyres just trying to get into the race, and you might not get in the first day. If you're not lucky enough to be one of the chosen 11 on the first day and you've got to start thatprocess all over again for the second day, then you're into another five or six sets of tyres at minimum. Not only on Race Day, you want to have a minimum of 10 or 12 sets of tyres to support your effort for a 500-mile
event. That's why this thing is really difficult to totally understand the scope of what we're trying to do here.
If you're like Tom (Anderson) down there with Hondas, you're going to get in. Some of us, like Tim (Cindric) and us, we're thinking about what it is we've got to do with what we've got with tire allotment to do the best job to peak at exactly the right time and not screw up our chance on Race Day. That's really what this is all about for us."
(About going back out late in the day to get into the top 11) "I think you have to be, at Indianapolis greed is never your friend here, to begin with. I think practicality and honesty and self-evaluation is what gets you in the race and helps you win the race, and that's really what we're talking about.
Maybe that's the basis of your question. It's very important to analyze where you are. In our case as a team, we have one driver who has never been here before. For him to go through the qualifying process is going to be a massive, pressure-filled situation for him. In his case, we're going to make an attempt so that when he's ready to make an attempt, if the first one doesn't work for him, he'll be solid, and he'll be able to do it. The other two guys are going do it, because they want to read the racetrack, because that's how you get in the race.
For us, I think the most important thing to do is to consider that there are two things that are important here in being at the front at the end of a 500-mile race. One is what Tim referred to in qualifying in the first three rows. Yeah, there have been winners come from there, but the second thing that you're qualifying for in this format is pit selection. If you're 10th, but that time ends up in pit selection putting you 20th in pit selection, you're going to reconsider that situation, because being toward pit out or being away from the drama that's created from pit in to pit center is something that's going to be critical in your decision-making process as you take that qualifying lap or whether you pull out and go again. So unless you're on the front row, unless you're in the first three, four, five, six spots, I think you're going to think about that."
(About possible pole speeds on Saturday) "We learned last year that Buddy Rice surprised us. That's probably a good lesson for non-tow laps during the week. Our guys from that have paid more attention to, these days we've got guys who specialize in specialized software, and we've got somebody who has worked for us all week long, or up to this point anyway, on non-tow laps. If you did the same, which is easy to do these days with the IRL Timing & Scoring program, if you just use that as a baseline, you'd be surprised at what you may see there. That's probably what you really need to look at as a legitimate answer as to what people might do on Saturday."
(About tyre wear and durability) "In terms of qualifying you would prefer not to make another qualifying attempt on the tires, but what Firestone has done a fantastic job of since we started with Firestone in 1996 really is work on not only durability but not having the performance of the tire degrade through the run. If you watch guys run out here, if you sat out there with a clipboard and watched the tires like the IRL, they monitor the tires every day by bar-coding and scanning what goes on, the performance of the tyre doesn't really come off. We've run our tires, and I'm sure these guys have done the same, over 40 laps, and the performance hasn't really fallen off on the tyres. That is something that they constantly work on. It'd be great if we could just have 35 sets of stickers and do nothing but qualify, but we can't do that here."