[Alan Roehrich]

I think it was Clark Holroyd that won 2-3 heads up runs in A/SA on his way to the National Event win a year or so ago.

IF you are speaking about Biondo, Bertozzi, Fletcher, or Rampy, (or others like them, for that matter) when you say "professional racers", they aren't often ducking heads up runs. I know for a fact Bertozzi takes his heads up wins and losses like a man. He beat Merrill Schrimscher last year on a heads up, and did not gloat, and he lost to us heads up this year, and came by the trailer and offered a handshake and a "well done". I suspect the same of the other three as well, since I've seen nothing less sportsmanlike on their part. I know before Anthony Fetch put us out, he had just won a heads up race as well. Most of those guys, IF they are "playing the ladder" are looking FOR a heads up they think they can win, and looking for the bye. Most of them have a pretty fast competitive car, for the simple reason is that it is very hard to win when you have to worry about ducking a heads up run. IF that becomes a big concern, it makes life pretty hard.

I agree, more heads up races is better for the eliminator. However, I fail to see how placing class winners who single for their win at 0.501 under is going to generate more heads up runs in the eliminator. They sure aren't going to have a heads up run in the eliminator after they SINGLE for their class win.

Further, IF the vote came during a debate for a two tenth reduction in the indexes, and the vote was in favor of the index reduction, then it was pretty much in favor of not letting anyone single for the win at what now amounts to 0.5 under (since what now amounts to 0.5 under would only be 0.3 under).

MAYBE limiting the field to the 128 fastest cars will reduce the field, and maybe it won't. There will be a different group that will have less chance of making the field. As it stood before the rule change, you have the people who can run 1.0 under in the heat pretty easy, those who gamble they can run about .85 under and get in the top 112 or so, and those who figure they can single for class just barely faster than 0.5 under. AFTER the rule change, you'll have more people who are more encouraged to gamble that .75-.85 under might get them in, and the few that counted on 0.5 under and a single, and can't run much faster, will stay home. Or work on their car and hope. In any event, we probably won't have a good sample this year, since those who really couldn't afford to gamble a year or two ago are even less able to afford it, and more likely to stay home.