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For the way I consume the races the current structure works, semis would add nothing. The heats are more of a preview to check out the track and the riders to get an idea what to watch for in the main. Single main events build excitement and keep my attention, they only have one shot at it. That's enough to get my fill and walk away looking forward to the next race.
I do like the idea of taking less from the heats and more from the LCQs.
Triple crowns are fun a few times a year but they would get old really quick if there were 17 of them. By the third race I've usually seen enough and I don't really care if a 3-4-2 beats a 1-3-5 for the overall. I prefer to see the night's overall winner cross the finish line first and head to the podium.
36 racers signed up for 450sx in Seattle. 2 heats =18 per heat. Top 5 transfer to main in each heat, that leaves 13 in each semi.
The current program is cleaner than the semi program. Adding a SMX Next or WSX main after the LCQ makes a perfect night show IMHO.
That makes sense. I assumed there were well over 40 entries, thought I saw a C class the other day on RDL.
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Yeah, the teams and riders may like one day format, but as a fan I don't like it. Used to be amateur day, press day, qualifying and practice Saturday, racing Sunday. Was awesome to get that much national caliber rider exposure over multiple days. Could walk the track on Saturday and take in all vantage points, much more relaxed, take your time. Now on Sunday get in at 7am, walk the track during practice and settle in for the race. Sort of hurried IMO now. Not expecting it to change back due to riders/teams preference, but it was nice will it lasted with great memories of friends and family enjoying same in a relaxed multi-day format.
I like this idea! Pay points for the top 3. 3 points for 1st, 2 points for 2nd, 1 point for 3rd.
Double as exciting? The day usually ends on a dud race where the overalls are basically confirmed and everyone is just riding around. Race 1 doesn't matter because there's 2 more to go. Race 2 is usually good as it determines the overall, and race 3 just sucks.
While I would love to see more racing, it really comes down to time constraints, and Peacock/NBC isn't going to give anymore time to SX. Why do you think they didn't move the Charlotte SMX up due to the impending weather? Because Peacock didn't want to.
Yeah you’re right 2.5 hours of commercials and gate pick selection is way better then 6 races with the top guys the entire night.
What a fucking joke.
Wanna add time to the program that actually provides good entertainment for the average and core viewer with a points structure option?
Superpole.
The show has More gate drops and more racing every week for the fans … what a novel idea. 🙄
We used to have practice and racing to get into the night show not timed riding.
Races were shorter sprint races done by laps not time.
Night show had 2 Heat races 20 racers 5 advanced, 2 Semi’s 4 advanced, LCQ 2 advanced and main event 6 races per class.
Man you're really emotional about the triple crown format lol
The standard is just so ridiculously drawn out and to see people defend it kills me lol.
We have too much racing that doesn’t mean anything. Imagine sitting at a race and explaining to someone, “ok so we have daytime qualifiers to get into the night show but that doesn’t actually mean you qualify for the real race. You still have to qualify in the night show by finishing high enough in the heat race. If you don’t qualify there, there’s another race called a semi where you can make it. Then again if you don’t qualify there, you can still do the last chance qualifier. Once you qualify, and after hours of heats, semis, and lcqs, the actual race begins but it’s only 20 minutes long.”
There was actually less actual riding/racing with the semi format than the current format of timed heats, LCQs, and mains. Semis did nothing other than clutter up the program with the logistics of lining up a few more gate drops just to decide the gate pick order for the final race of the night that actually matters.
The current standard isn't a hill I'm going to die on, I'm just not completely on board with the triple crown. Webb qualified 7th and finished 4-2-3 in the motos at Houston. It seems unfulfilling at the end of the night to have a race winner that didn't win shit. More racing isn't necessarily better racing.
I do agree. I’d like it more if it was Mx format and Mx points but anything other than the traditional.
You’re so core bro.
Pit Row
I don't mind having 8 hours of riding on tv , do I watch it all? eventually yes. Most of the time I just watch the mains on race day. But I understand what and who is racing, but if you talk about the causal person just watching it. They never understand all the races with guys they know and races without guys they know. People don't go to a football game or baseball game to watch 4 games, some with players and some with out players, they go to watch 1 game.
For comparison. The average NFL game is more than three hours, MLB is two and half, Nascar between three and four hours. The SX format run time at 3 hours is equivalent in time spent viewing. And the three other sports mentioned have all instituted changes to increase the excitement and casual fan engagement: e.g NFL changing rules to encourage more passing plays, e.g MLB limiting batter time outs, and speeding up game play, e.g. Nascar reverting to 10 race chase. Like mentioned in others posts in this thread, the triple crowns have increased the SX format excitement in making each race count. I would argue casual fans are more likely to be aware of the top ten racers and want to see them race, and race again than the 11-30 ranked racers in a semi, let alone everyone else in a lcq.
I always loved the semis.... just more racing to me... and it was cool to see more people get a win and tv time at each race...
Yes, we need C qualifying. How else can I even dream of having a chance?
Maybe we should have more holeshot devices like Kitchen's - that randomly decides not to unlock from time-to-time?
What if the start gates were staggered? Have the far left start gate be closest to the first turn, then each gate was set about 6 inches behind the gate next to it. Almost like the red flag restart format, but less extreme. Then, choice of gate pick would become more important.
Yeah, I liked it because it gave me a chance to see more of the mid-pack guys. The current format means we usually don't get to see much of guys like Mookie, Ferrandis, Savatgy, Marchbanks, Nichols, etc. Guys who usually qualify through the heat (so we don't see them in the LCQ), but usually don't compete for heat wins OR for final qualifying spot.
I prefer the old format. Would love to have the semi‘s back. But I understand why it wouldn’t fit in the TV program anymore and allow enough track maintenance to keep things safe.
That would sap all of the excitement from the main event. Fastest guy goes first . . .
Like R/C racing…. No thanks. The mains would be a snooze fest.
I don't know anything about R/C racing.
But they could add a randomized inversion for the main event.
You have it backward Lumpy...2 Heat races 20 racers top 4 advanced, semi's top 5 advanced then LCQ 2 advanced.
Post a reply to: Explain to me why they shouldn't bring back Semis