[JGrossijr]

If you don't recognize how AHFS has changed qualifying strategies, or understand that the fastest guys aren't showing their potential, then you might not understand why qualifying in the top 10 (or 16) isn't a goal for a lot of racers anymore.

Qualifying in the top 3 has advantages with the right number of cars in the field, but with the risk of taking a strike and possibly a HP hit down the road. It's a risky play that racers with the potential contemplate when there's an odd number of entries and singles in the right places.

Strategic position qualifying is also a strategy when you're the fast guy with slower cars in your class at the event, or have a competitor in a points battle that you want to take out. The right position could be anywhere on the ladder.

Qualify dead in the middle of the pack and you can draw one of the top 3 and take their single, or end up drawing someone on the bottom of the ladder. The middle of the ladder can be a good place to be.

If you are fast and have laid down too many fat numbers, or have someone else with your combination blowing up the average in your class, then you better be qualifying somewhere around .65 under to bring that average down to protect yourself from getting hit.

If you want to see racers showing their true performance potential in qualifying, then there needs to be incentives to do so. There's a myriad of ways to do that, but for now the smart play for a fast guy is to lay low so he can pounce when necessary without being punished.

So yes, qualifying is important. There's just more to it than being in the top 10