(CLEVELAND, OH) Qualifying for the Inaugural ASRS Twitchy Race Reports Triple Crown just got more interesting as drivers will race their race into the Feature event through heat races.  The heat races will mark the first time that the American Sim Racing Series has used the format to qualify drivers for an event, the finishing order of the heat races will set the front portion of the starting grid for the feature event.

Only 24 starting positions exist for the feature event and nearly 70 drivers have expressed interest in racing for the Twitchy Race Reports Triple Crown.  Instead of rewarding drivers who can turn one fast lap by themselves on the track, heat Races will bring about a new element with drivers having to race against their competitors in order to qualify for the feature event.

Heat races will run 15 laps, with no cautions.  Heat races will be lined up by average points earned, and drivers will be assigned a “qualifying group” that will practice and compete in the heat race together, with multiple sessions running simultaneously.  Once the heat races are completed, the transfer drivers will take a break while the remaining drivers that have yet to qualify for the feature event will race in a ‘Last Chance Qualifier”.   Either four or six drivers will transfer from the Last Chance Qualifier.  In some cases two “Last Chance Qualifiers” will be run with the transfer positions being divided by two, meaning that two or three drivers will transfer to the feature event.  Drivers transferring through the Last Chance Qualifier will start at the rear of the field in the feature event.

Finally, the Feature Event will take center stage with a 10 minute warm-up that will conclude with the Bill Mathews Four Wide Salute.  Then the feature event will be lined up and will race 50 laps, with cautions turned on.  The feature event will be lined up based on finishing position in the heat races with the heat winners starting in front of the second place finishers and so on.

“We had alot of input from our members that they wanted heat races and that authentic dirt track feel for these races, and I’m happy that we were able to give that to them” said ASRS President Jim Foose.  “This is our first foray into dirt racing and I feel it is important that we honor the dirt track way of doing things.  This format gives us that Saturday night short track feel, while keeping things competitive and creating more action on the race track.  Qualifying into a race by turning one fast lap is fine on asphalt tracks, but with ever changing track conditions on dirt, having to race your way into the feature provides a unique challenge and gives us what I feel will be the best quality starting field possible.  I can’t thank Jared (Mogard) and Twitchy Race Reports for joining in and making this a reality, he’s not only a sponsor but he’s been involved in much of the event format and helping me understand some of the quirks of dirt racing.  We agreed to cut the races from 100 laps to 50 laps to fit this format into a time slot we prefer and Jared has been there offering his expertise from the beginning”.

The Twitchy Race Reports Triple Crown will run 50 lap feature events May 4th at Volusia Speedway Park, and May 11th at Williams Grove Speedway.  The Twitchy Race Reports Triple Crown will wrap up with a 100 lap feature event at Eldora Speedway on May 18th.  Each race will pay $25 iRacing credits to the winner, with an extra $25 available to any driver who sweeps the Twitchy Race Reports Triple Crown.  If a driver does not sweep the races, the $25 bonus credits will be paid to the driver who scores the most points in the three events.