Perth Motorplex has announced changes to the format for upcoming Top Fuel Pro Series rounds at the venue for the coming season. Top Fuel will be run in a round robin format to maximise the exposure to spectators dubbed the “Maximum Exposure Elimination Format”, below is the statement from Perth Motorplex regarding the changes
Perth Motorplex statement:
Perth Motorplex is excited to once again support the sport’s quickest and fastest cars by providing two ANDRA Championship events for Top Fuel in season 2012-13, In a changing entertainment landscape and with more competition for the corporate dollar than ever before, we understand the importance of maximising exposure for both the individual competitors, as well as a strong collective showing from the category overall.
Some of you have already contacted us with an expression of interest to implement “a more round-robin, or inclusive racing format approach”.
We could not agree more with you!
Perth Motorplex has experience in running such a ‘3-round’ format – the Maximum Exposure Elimination Format or ‘MEEF’ for short.
Why would teams tow across country only to be eliminated after one round?
Why would spectators attend race day eliminations, when the majority of the field is sent home after 20 minutes of racing? What if YOUR sponsors or spectators arrive 30 minutes late and YOU were eliminated in the first round under the current format?
If V8 Supercars can offer multiple Championship rounds in a single race weekend (in a product that is on track for far longer than Drag Racing), then why can’t the ANDRA Championship?
In fact, we believe the MEEF is crucial for the sport’s long-term survival.
KEY BENEFITS:
• A guarantee of at least four passes per competitor during each race weekend.
• Increased prizemoney structure with no sliding scale. The posted prizemoney attached is guaranteed and will be deposited into your bank account during the week after the second event.
• Whilst the prizemoney is for the combined results of the weekend, each day is an ANDRA Championship points round. As you all know, the hardest costs are the logistics of moving men and machinery to and from these rounds. By providing extra Championship rounds without extra racing days or passes, means you are getting maximum impact for your team’s budget.
• ANDRA have expressed a desire to concentrate on eliminations racing moving forward with Television, and this format caters for this perfectly. In fact the sport should eventually seek to make each race day (ANDRA round) a separate TV show package (2 shows per event).
• Drag Racing is fast, almost TOO FAST – this reduces your exposure window to spectators and sponsors. This format ensures a lift in Media Monitoring outcomes, which means a better sell-through to your sponsors. More seconds equals more dollars!
• With each day being a separate ANDRA points day, the mid-event points ‘reset’ provides a strong second-chance opportunity to please sponsors and supporters by performing well on a particular weekend.
• A much stronger spectator experience, knowing that the product is consistent, well represented and strong throughout the entire event.
Drag Racing’s historical obsession with sending great racers and machines to the trailer has always challenged our logic.
The 3-round ‘MEEF’ format is inclusive, keeps great racers and cars on track – but still rewards the star performers!
With more racing opportunity, a better series package and a boost in prizemoney, we are excited with what is ahead for us together this season.
The Perth Motorplex has scheduled two events for the Australian Top Fuel Championship in the 2012-13 racing season. In order to improve the Top Fuel show the Perth Motorplex proposes the following format and prizemoney (based on an eight car field) for these events.
DATES:
The scheduled event dates are:
• Event 1 – Friday 30th November and Saturday 1st December 2012
• Event 2 – Friday 1st February and Saturday 2nd February 2013
RACE FORMAT:
Perth Motorplex proposes that each event day be run as a separate Championship points round using the “Three Round” or Maximum Exposure Elimination Format (MEEF) with the schedule and format as follows:
• 6:00 pm – Qualifying / Seeding Round (All Run pairings as per regulations)
• 8:00 pm – Elimination Round (All Run seeded from Qualifying / Seeding Round)
• 10:00 pm – Final Round (‘A’ Final 1 & 2 points and ‘B’ Final 3 & 4 points)
PRIZEMONEY:
It is proposed that the Prizemoney for the event be awarded on the basis of the total of Championship points accumulated by each competitor over the two rounds on the weekend.
The prizemoney has been boosted for the Perth Motorplex Rounds as follows:
• Winner (highest points) – $15,000.00
• Second – $9000.00
• Third – $7000.00
• Fourth – $6000.00
• Fifth to Eighth – $5000.00 each
Total Prizemoney payable for 8 cars has been lifted to $57,000.00 and is not subject to any sliding scale and will be paid as posted.
Trophies will be awarded to the Winner and Runner up on each day.
In the unlikely event there is a “tie” in the points total over the two days the winner will be the competitor with the lowest ET.
ROUND POINTS:
It is proposed that each event will consist of two points rounds with points (and therefore winners) allocated on each day as described in the MEEF regulations.
The allocation of round points are being worked through for ANDRA approval at this point in time, but the key intention is that each racing day will award ANDRA Series points
MAXIMUM EXPOSURE ELIMINATION FORMAT (MEEF) REGULATIONS
• FIRST ROUND – COMPULSORY QUALIFYING / SEEDING ROUND – 6:00 pm
All entered cars wishing to contest the ‘Elimination’ round must contest this round.
• Vehicles must cross the water under their own power and attempt a burnout to be seeded into the Elimination round.
• Failure to do this will result in the loss of 20 points and $2000.00 if the competitor contests the Elimination Round*
• The pairings for the Seeding Round are selected as follows:
a) If it is the first event round of the Championship the pairings will be seeded from the final Championship points from the previous season.
b) For all subsequent rounds the pairings will be seeded from the current Season Championship point score.
• Lane choice is allocated to the competitor with the higher standing in the point score.
• Although this round is important a poor performance does not exclude the racer from the next round.
* This is subject to ANDRA adopting this points penalty.
POINTS ALLOCATIONS
ANDRA Championship Qualifying Points also apply as per the current Group One Championship points structure, which are awarded at the completion of this qualifying / seeding round:
• Top Qualifier – 8 points
• Second – 7 points
• Third – 6 points
• Fourth – 5 points
• Fifth – 4 points
• Sixth – 3 points
• Seventh – 2 points
• Eighth – 1 point
• SECOND ROUND – ELIMINATION ROUND (8.00 pm approx)
All vehicles that competed in the first round will be seeded in the second round unless they have withdrawn due to breakage etc.
• Pairings and lane choice are determined by the 6.00 pm first round qualifying / seeding elapsed times.
• Any bye run available goes to the LOW ET from the qualifying / seeding Round.
• The four LOW ET winners from this elimination round will contest the A and B Finals, respectively.
• The “A” Final will determine the winner and runner up.
• The “B” Final will determine third and fourth position
• In the case of a small field the quickest loser(s) will be reinstated to the B Final.
• FINAL ROUND 10:15pm approx.
• The four LOW ET winners from the second (elimination) round will contest the finals.
• The first and second LOW ET winners from the second (elimination) round will race for First and Second positions. (also known as the A final)
• The third and forth best winners from the second (elimination) round will race for Third and Fourth positions. (also known as the B final)
• In the unlikely event of there being 6 or less vehicles in the second (elimination) round, the ‘B’ final (for 3rd and 4th) may be contested between the 3rd LOW ET winner and the LOW ET loser from the second (elimination) round.
POINTS ALLOCATIONS
ANDRA Championship Points also apply as per the current Group One points system, which are awarded at the completion of the final round (on each event day):
• Winner – 100 points
• Runner up – 80 points
• Third – 65 points*
• Fourth – 55 points*
• Fifth to Eighth – 40 points
• Non Qualifiers – 20 points
• Low ET – 5 points
• Top Speed – 5 points
* In traditional Eliminations racing, the two (2) semi final losers are allocated 60 ANDRA Championship points each for 120 points total, whereas under the MEEF system – 3rd and 4th are separated (but still total 120 points) to provide racer incentive to win the ‘B’ Final.
TRAVEL ASSISTANCE:
The Perth Motorplex will again offer a total Travel assistance pool of $48,000 for the 2012/2013 season.
The $48,000 travel assistance pool will be divided evenly between the travelling Interstate teams to a max of $8,000.00 per car over the two events. The Travel assistance will be paid to those Interstate teams that attend both rounds at Perth Motorplex and will be paid at the completion of the second round in February.
