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The two rounds of the ANDRA Drag Racing Top Fuel Series at the Perth Motorplex in 2013 will see a revolutionary new format come to the fore, guaranteeing more action right across the weekend.
The two day events to be held on the weekends of November 30/December 1 and February 1-2, will be split to see each day become its own event. ANDRA Championship points will be allocated on each day as well. It has been dubbed the Maximum Exposure Elimination Format.
Rather than the traditional head-to-head elimination format where cars are eliminated during each round, the Maximum Exposure Elimination Format model will ensure all nominated competitors participate throughout the first two racing rounds on each day.
The first session will see all competitors set a time in qualifying, before they are seeded for elimination shootouts in session two.
Session two is a more traditional elimination-style round, which will see all competitors aiming for the quickest winning time down the track.
The interesting part in the format is that winning a race in session two may not be enough to get through to the final.
The four fastest winners (based on elapsed times) from session two will go into the final round. The third and fourth fastest competitors will race in the B-Final, whilst the fastest two will race off in the A-Final to be declared the round winner.
The second day will see the format repeated in its entirety, with the ANDRA Championship points added from the two days and an overall event winner crowned.
“The format of breaking events into separate races over two days has worked for V8 Supercars over recent years – which has far longer races than Top Fuel. Drag racing lends itself to a format like this,” explained Perth Motorplex Drag Racing Manager, Dean Neal.
“We recognise that for most Top Fuel teams – the majority of whom are based on the East Coast – coming across to Perth is a long and expensive trip. By introducing the Maximum Exposure Elimination Format, it allows the competitors to race more and most importantly, gives the public greater opportunity to see and feel the most explosive form of motorsport on the planet.”
Neal – who has just joined the Perth Motorplex following a long time role as ANDRA’s Broadcast Manager – identified the Maximum Exposure Format as providing a far better television spectacle.
“For TV, it allows viewers to have a far more interesting format to watch and for the racers, it gives them more exposure which one would hope would allow more sponsors to come into the sport.
“Drag racing should be all about entertainment and its been shown that Top Fuel attracts crowds that may not traditionally attend a drag racing – or motorsport – event. To allow the crowd to go home each night having seen the event come to a conclusion, we believe, will attract more people to the sport.
“For the racers, being forced to set quick times to get themselves into the A or B-Final to maximise their Championship points will ensure they are going out there to put on a show. There’s no way that they can sandbag or fox their outright speed – every run counts, which will ensure an exciting battle on every day that Top Fuel is present at the Perth Motorplex.”
