All 2013 procedures announced: National Late Model, Sprint Car standings based on best 20 of first 40 starts
VINTON, IOWA (January 18, 2012) – National point standings for IMCA Late Models and RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Cars will be based on drivers’ 20 best finishes of their first 40 starts this season.
Previously, national standings for both divisions were determined by the best 20 of drivers’ first 55 starts.
“It made no sense to have a 55-race cap when Late Model and Sprint Car drivers weren’t getting anywhere near that many starts,” explained IMCA Vice President of Operations Brett Root. “Forty starts is much more in line. Drivers racing three nights a week, plus the occasional midweek special, could hit that.”
“Forty starts is the right number based on what the IMCA Late Model weekly schedules have experienced in the past,” he added.
The average number of point races held at Late Model sanctioned tracks in 2012 was 13; Sprint Car sanctioned tracks and series had a range of five to 19 dates, averaging out to 10.5 each.
Only two drivers in final top 25 Late Model standings had more than 40 starts in 2012; seven had 30 or more. Four of the top 25 Sprint Car drivers had 30 or more starts. Drivers in both divisions will receive as many as 20 bonus points, determined by average car counts, for a single track championship.
National and regional standings for IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, and national standings for Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods, Smiley’s Racing Chassis Southern SportMods and Mach-1 Sport Compacts will still be determined by the best 30 finishes of driver’s first 55 starts.
Home region starts will be included for the Modifieds, Stocks and Hobbies. A maximum of 20 bonus points will be awarded for each of as many as two local track titles or one track and one special series championship in the Modified, Stock, Hobby, SportMod and Sport Compact divisions.
Tracks and special series must hold a minimum of four sanctioned events in any division to crown a champion. No bonus points will be awarded when seven or fewer events are scheduled.
A minimum of eight events must be scheduled and held for the champion to receive full bonus points. Should inclement weather result in fewer than eight races being held, the champion will receive pro-rated bonus points.
A clarification was made to the tie-breaker system for track, series, state, regional and national standings. The higher finishing position will go to the driver with more 40-point wins in sanctioned events, then 39-point finishes, 38 point finishes, etc.
A 39-point, second-place finish would be worth more than a 38-point feature win, for example.
Tracks will have the option to line up season championship features, but not mid-season championship features, straight up by points in 2013.
And no points will be awarded during the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals week of Sept. 2-8.
Procedures will be posted on the www.imca.com website and included in decal packets to be mailed to licensed drivers beginning in March.
Category: Iowa
