Refined team-picking qualifying method

[gordon]

Hi Guys,

While the method used to select driver-pairings for our 100th event was a novel and good idea (Luke's), it has a potential serious flaw as Arden pointed out to me. A driver can ensure that he's teamed with the fastest man by just going slow in qualifying and placing last. This way he gets paired with the quickest driver. I've thought about it a bit and have decided that a refining of the idea will actually work very well. Here's how we can pair drivers, using an example where we have twelve drivers (six cars):

• 1st and 7th
• 2nd and 8th
• 3rd and 9th
• 4th and 10th
• 5th and 11th
• 6th and 12th

If we have more than 12 drivers, the extras will be teamed like this:

• 13 drivers: 13 joins 6-12
• 14 drivers: 13 joins 5-11, 14 joins 6-12
• 15 drivers: 13 joins 4-10, 14 joins 5-11, 15 joins 6-12
  etc.

With this system I believe that anyone who is "sandbagging" will only do so to his detriment. We can use this method for the FTC races too.

What are your thoughts?

Gordon

[Luke]

Gordon ~ To me it sounds like six of one - half dozen of the other.

The second part though (13 to 18 drivers) "personally" was information overload ~ Simple Solutions went out the window for awhile...

Got the idea that 13 will be with 1 & 7 if there are 18 drivers but it felt like a uphill battle.

Did anybody have probs with their team mate?

Why should one think about sandbagging - well then drivers going for pole should think about it too...

Simple Solution - If You Off the Pace cant Race!

How that sounds for DETRIMENT

Luke

ps: I'm sure Bethany, Zoe, Jonathan & Adam could race those PC cars @ FRC under 12 seconds

[gordon]

Gordon ~ To me it sounds like six of one - half dozen of the other.

The second part though (13 to 18 drivers) "personally" was information overload ~ Simple Solutions went out the window for awhile...

Got the idea that 13 will be with 1 & 7 if there are 18 drivers but it felt like a uphill battle.

Did anybody have probs with their team mate?

Why should one think about sandbagging - well then drivers going for pole should think about it too...

Simple Solution - If You Off the Pace cant Race!

How that sounds for DETRIMENT

Luke

ps: I'm sure Bethany, Zoe, Jonathan & Adam could race those PC cars @ FRC under 12 seconds

I guess we need a 107% rule then. Except that only three drivers would have qualified for the 100th.

[Luke]

Okay then, 3 Qualified in 100th. wouldnt you say thats water under the bridge.

If the 107% rule is what it takes for the guys to race better

Why not but really & truly, I am cool with any method

Luke

[steveaca]

Luke, there is a definite difference in the pairings using the two methods. If one decided to 'hold back' or 'sandbag' to the extent that he got the slowest qualifying time, current method means that he would be paired with the fastest driver. With the new proposed method, the best he could now hope for would be to be paired with the 6th place qualifier. To be paired with the fastest qualifier would now mean that (assuming a 12 driver field)one would need to try to be 7th ! It probably is all academic though , as I don't think any of our FRC drivers would adopt such tactics ! I think that all the teams worked quite well together .
Concerning the 107 % rule, I can tell you that my qualifying time using the yellow and black 911 and which resulted in the second slowest time, was well outside the 107 % threshold and there was definitely no holding back there.

[arden100]

I did not try to qualify last, but i know i will be paired with a good driver if i was last so it really did not matter how i qualified. I must say the yellow and black porsche did help me to qualify in last position. Especially since i normally qualify better than Aaron.

Hey just playing with your head Aaron.

I believe that pairing is alot better Gordon.

My two cents.

Arden

[LEEding-Edge28]

I think with our group of competitors the current form is not a problem. There was no sign of anyone sandbagging and as far as I know we are a pretty honest group of guys. If arden's theory is correct about him possibly sand bagging then I guess 9 other guys were too because I was 2nd