Race Length

[lnin0]

Has there been any changes to the way Champ Car will run races this year? Am I the only one that finds the "70 laps OR 2 hours - whichever comes first" rule an annoying proposition.

Either set the lap number and go with it or set the time and go with that but stop doing both. I know the 2hr thing was probably due in a large part to media coverage that refuse to go into overtime for the CCWS so why not just change to timed events if that is the case?

[StuiE]

I think the races usually wouldn't go near the 2hr limit, only if there is excessive yellows. It's been like that for a few years, and it rarely goes to the 2hrs.


or is EVERY race 70 laps or 2hrs now?

[racerkeke]

Two hours is the time limit, yes. But the number of laps is based on how many laps could reasonably be expected to complete in about an hour and a half. So different lengths of track will have different numbers of laps as the race distance -- for instance, Road America will require many fewer laps than Edmonton. I believe there is a lower limit for number of miles in a race, as well. Haven't looked at the rule book lately...

keke

[Adam43]

The two hour time limit has been in force for many years and has been used - normally when it rains.

I'd like each race to be different length in miles, or time, or either, but that is a different point really.

[Dutton]

I've always been into the idea that you have your No. of Laps (or time limit), and that is that.

That number of laps (or time limit) is to be completed, and that is that.

If TV channels won't show the race until the end, well, yeah, that sucks. Tough poopie to the TV viewer, for the viewer is watching an event (the event is not occuring for the sake of TV).

In such a curtailment, well, I would think the event in full would be shown again at 3am or something.

However, as things stand the 2hr limit works perfectly well, and is not, relatively speaking, used very often.

I don't suppose there is any particular need to change things.

[drewdawg727]

Doesnt bother me at all..the time limit is just put there in case of the race being longer than expected.

If they were to make every race timed, then some of the more shorter races will just get boring.

[Amar7605]

It is annoying when a time limit is put in place, but statistically how many times does this happen? It's not like this happens every other race, even though it may be easy to think it does.

[Stuart Hill]

Originally Posted by Dutton

If TV channels won't show the race until the end, well, yeah, that sucks. Tough poopie to the TV viewer, for the viewer is watching an event (the event is not occuring for the sake of TV).

I think you'll find that most "top-end" motorsport is ONLY taking place because of tv. Do you really think that the various sponsors plough so much money in for the sake of some free tickets to the races?? F1, Champ Cars, IRL, Nascar, etc are just fast moving bill-boards and marketing toys for the various companies involved.

[JABWOA]

Ever thought about the drivers? Do they want to keep racing for 3 hours, especially if it's wet and stuck permantly in a full course yellow? (F1 introduced the 2hr rule for driver safety but then they have set rule that each event will be approx 190miles/305kms except Monaco.)

[Purist]

NASCAR consistently runs 500 miles. Sportscars and GTs run up to 24 hours, with drivers taking anywhere from single to quadruple stints (Stints last around an hour apiece.). Two hours is hardly a stretch for a race driver. F1 used to run most of their races to around 300 miles, which took nearly four hours in some cases (German and Pescara Grands Prix).

The street circuits probably should hold to the current lap number and two hour limet, but the faster courses like Cleveland and the road courses should run longer distances (225-260 miles) and to a somewhat longer time limit (say, 2hr 30min).

Example race lineup:
Long Beach (90 laps, 177.3-miles, 2hr)
Houston (100 laps, 170-miles, 2hr)
Monterrey, Mexico (80 laps, 168.3-miles, 2hr)
Milwaukee (250 laps, 250-miles)
Portland (116 laps, 228.2-miles, 2.5hr)
Cleveland (117 laps, 246.4-miles, 2.5hr)
Toronto (95 laps, 163.5-miles, 2hr)
Edmonton (116 laps, 227.4-miles, 2.5hr)
San Jose (104 laps, 150.5-miles, 2hr)
Denver (97 laps, 160.1-miles, 2hr)
Montreal (85 laps, 230.4-miles 2.5hr)
Road America (65 laps, 260-miles, 2.5hr)
Surfer's Paradise (65 laps, 181.7-miles, 2hr)
Mexico City (79 laps, 220.1-miles, 2.5hr)

This is just an idea of how it could work out. Lap numbers are best guesses as to current lengths, if I don't know exactly, or what would seem to be reasonable distances.

[Mystery]

Just reading up on the CCWS rules here and the time limit is not in them. It can be imposed on a per race basis by the Race Director, so no reason to think it won't ever be changed or adjusted should circumstances allow it.