News & Multimedia

USAC Midget Racing Features Unique, Action-Packed Event Format Heats

June 26, 2018 | By Paul Kelly, Indianapolis Motor Speedway

INDYCAR and NASCAR fans are accustomed to a standard format for races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway such as the Indianapolis 500, Freedom 100, Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard Powered by Florida Georgia Line and Lilly Diabetes 250.

In those events, defined qualifying sessions set the grid for one feature race.

But the race format will be different for the Driven2SaveLives BC39 USAC P1 Insurance National Midget Championship event Wednesday, Sept. 5 and Thursday, Sept. 6 on the Dirt Track at IMS. Quite different.

Short-track racing features a time-honored, traditional format consisting of heat races and “Main” qualifying races to set the grid for the 39-lap feature race, which will boast more than $70,000 in purse and incentives, including a $15,000 winner’s purse – the largest in Midget racing.

The system of heats and “Mains” creates almost a race within a race just to make the A-Main feature race, guaranteeing plenty of wheel-to-wheel action at all times.

Two days of track activity will start Wednesday, Sept. 5. All cars will draw for heat race positions and hot lap with their heat race. Two rounds of hot laps will be held, starting with the final heat and snaking back to conclude with the final heat.

Heat races will be 10 laps each, with the starting lineups determined by random draw. Points for the heats will be accumulated by finishing position and total number of positions gained or lost. Cars will be positioned into qualifying races Thursday based on the points accumulated in Wednesday’s heats.

On-track action Thursday, Sept. 6 will start with hot laps, as all cars will practice with their respective qualifying races.

All cars are eligible for the qualifying races, with up to 12 cars competing per race. Qualifying races will be 10 laps each, with top-six starting positions inverted with the top point earner from Wednesday’s heat races starting sixth. Total points from the heat races and qualifying races will be added to set the feature starting lineup, along with transfers from the B-Main, C-Main and front of the D-Main races. The top 16 overall in accumulated points will start straight-up in the first eight rows of the feature.

G-Main: 10 laps. Includes cars 87th or higher in points, with the top four finishers transferring to the F-Main.

F-Main: 10 laps. Includes cars 73rd through 86th in points, plus the top four finishers from the G-Main. The top four finishers transfer to the E-Main.

E-Main: 10 laps. Includes cars 59-72 in points, plus the top four finishers from the F-Main. The top four finishers transfer to the D-Main.

D-Main: 12 laps. Includes cars 45-58 in points, plus the top four finishers from the E-Main. The top four finishers transfer to the C-Main.

C-Main: 15 laps. Includes cars 31-44 in points, plus the top four finishers from the D-Main. The top four finishers transfer to the B-Main.

B-Main (Semi-Feature): 20 laps. Includes cars ranked 17-30 in points, plus the top-four finishers from the C-Main. The top six finishers transfer to the night’s A-Main feature event.

The 39-lap A-Main feature will have 22 starters, plus two USAC provisional starters (if applicable) and two IMS options.

Visit www.ims.com/bc39 for more information about the Driven2SaveLives BC39, including tickets and camping.