The Difference between a Guaranteed, Provisional, and Preferred Starter
Confused about guaranteed, provisional and preferred starters? Many people are.
Here is how to figure out who is a guaranteed, provisional or preferred starter in 2016. The top 12 in each series point race (except the big blocks) carry a provisional starting spot into the weekend. In the Super DIRTcar Big-Block Modified Series a number of drivers carry Platinum Status based on series attendance. These drivers carry provisional status. However, that does not make them automatic starters in the big races. They need to run the time trials, heats and, if necessary, the non-qualifiers race. If they have to run the non-qualifiers race, they start at the front of the field. If they don’t make it their provisional status may kick in, depending on the number of provisional spots available and the number of provisional drivers “hanging.” A non-paid provisional starting status may be used if the field is complete, and if pit stalls are still available.
In the Bud Light 300 Big-Block Modified race the only guaranteed starter is the driver who wins the “Win and You’re In” race at Fulton Speedway the night before the Bud Light 300.
But what about drivers that won qualifiers throughout the year? The Big-Block Modified, 358-Modified and Sportsman qualifier winners actually earn Preferred Starters status. They must run time trial, heats and possibly the non-qualifiers race, again starting behind any provisional drivers, towards the front, in the non-qualifiers race. And if they don’t qualify after that they have to sit out the features.
As for the Pro Stocks, their series carried “guaranteed starting status” going into their final point race. These series winners have to run time trials. If they do not make the top 24 times they will be added before the non-qualifier cars are added to the back of the feature starting field.
This year a special 358 Regional Starter-Series was established in the 358-Modified division. Each DIRTcar member track picked three of their races to count towards the Starter Series points. One of these three races was tagged as a Guaranteed Starter Race, with the winner earning a guaranteed starter status for the big race at Oswego. These drivers must attempt to qualify up to the non-qualifiers race. At that point they can be added before the non-qualifier cars in the feature.
2016 BIG-BLOCK MODIFIED SDW 46 QUALIFIERS – Preferred Spots
*=non-point or non-Super DIRT Series race
2/17/16 30 Volusia Speed Pk* FL 0.500 Tim Fuller
2/18/16 30 Volusia Speed Pk* FL 0.500 Matt Sheppard
2/19/16 30 Volusia Speed Pk* FL 0.500 Rick Laubach
2/20/16 50 Volusia Speed Pk* FL 0.500 Brett Hearn
4/30/16 100 Fulton NY 0.375 Billy Decker
6/22/16 100 Williams Grove PA 0.500 Matt Sheppard / Dave Blaney (2nd)
6/26/16 100 Cornwall, ON CAN 0.250 Stewart Friesen
6/30/16 64 Canandaigua NY 0.500 Tim Fuller / Peter Britten (5th)
7/3/16 60 Utica-Rome NY 0.500 Matt Sheppard / Danny Johnson (2nd)
7/6/16 100 Albany-Saratoga NY 0.400 Stewart Friesen / Marc Johnson (4th)
7/7/16 100 Mohawk Int’l NY 0.400 Stewart Friesen / Billy Dunn (3rd)
7/12/16 66 Five Mile Point NY 0.250 Matt Sheppard / Frank Cozze (2nd)
7/14/16 60 Grandview PA 0.333 Matt Sheppard / Duane Howard (4th)
7/20/16 100 Eldora OH 0.500 Tim Fuller / Jimmy Horton (3rd)
7/21/16 100 Sharon OH 0.500 Jimmy Phelps
7/26/16 100 Drummond, PQ CAN 0.500 Frank Cozze / Larry Wight (2nd)
7/25/16 100 Granby, PQ CAN 0.500 Matt Sheppard / David Hebert (5th)
8/1/16 100 Merrittville, ON CAN 0.333 Matt Sheppard / Chad Brachmann (2nd)
8/2/16 100 Ransomville NY 0.375 Stewart Friesen / Vic Coffey (9th)
8/9/16 100 Weedsport NY 0.375 Gary Tomkins
8/23/16 100 Lebanon Valley NY 0.625 Matt Sheppard / Kenny Tremont Jr (3rd)
9/5/16 100 Weedsport NY 0.375 Matt Sheppard / Alan Johnson (4th)
9/9/16 100 LeRPM, PQ CAN 0.250 Matt Sheppard / Steve Bernard (5th)
9/16/16 100 Brewerton NY 0.333 Matt Sheppard / Tim Sears Jr. (2nd)
9/17/16 100 Weedsport NY 0.375 Danny Johnson / Mike Mahaney (7th)
9/24/16 100 Fonda NY 0.500 Jimmy Phelps / Pat Ward (6th)
2016 358-MODIFIED SDW 46 QUALIFIERS – Preferred Spots
G=Guarateed Starter Status
6/4/16 Merrittville, ONT (G) CAN 0.333 Mark D’Ilario
6/17/16 Granby, QUE (G) CAN 0.500 David Hebert
7/2/16 LeRPM QUE (G) CAN 0.250 Steve Bernard
7/29/16 Mohawk Int’l (G) NY 0.500 Billy Dunn
8/6/16 Brockville, ONT (G) CAN 0.375 Kyle Dingwall
8/14/16 Cornwall, ONT (G) CAN 0.250 Chris Raabe
8/20/16 Drummond, QUE (G) CAN 0.375 Mario Clair
8/28/16 Humberstone, ONT (G)CAN 0.250 Erick Rudolph
9/2/16 Ransomville (G) NY 0.375 Kenny Wills
5/23/16 100 Merrittville, ONT CAN 0.333 Erick Rudolph / Danny Johnson (2nd)
5/30/16 75 Ransomville NY 0.375 Erick Rudolph / Pete Bicknell (3rd)
9/4/16 125 Cornwall, ONT CAN 0.250 Gage Morin
9/16/16 75 Mohawk Int’l NY 0.500 Billy Dunn / Corey Wheeler (3rd)
9/23/16 100 LeRPM , QUE CAN 0.250 David Hebert / Dominic Dufault (2nd)
9/24/16 100 Drummond, QUE CAN 0.375 David Hebert / Carey Terrance (2nd)
10/5/16 75 Weedsport NY 0.375
10/6/16 100 Brewerton NY 0.333
2016 SPORTSMAN SDW 46 QUALIFIERS – Preferred Spots
4/29/16 40 Fulton NY 0.375 Brad Rouse
7/26/16 30 Drummond, QUE CAN 0.375 Michael Richard
7/27/16 30 Granby, QUE CAN 0.500 Shane Pecore
9/4/16 50 Cornwall, ONT CAN 0.250 Martin Pelletier
9/9/16 50 Ransomville NY 0.375 Ron Davis III
9/11/16 50 Humberstone CAN 0.250 Ron Davis III / Dave Marcuccilli (3rd)
9/16/16 30 Brewerton NY 0.333 Ron Davis III / Rocky Warner (4th)
9/17/16 50 Mohawk Int’l NY 0.500 Shane Pecore / Thomas Cook (2nd)
9/23/16 50 LeRPM, QUE CAN 0.250 Alex LaJoie
9/24/16 50 Brighton, ONT CAN 0.333 Martin Pelletier
10/1/16 50 Fulton NY 0.375
10/5/16 30 Weedsport NY 0.375
10/6/16 30 Brewerton NY 0.333
2016 PRO STOCK SDW 46 QUALIFIERS – Guaranteed Spots
6/10/16 47 Granby, QUE CAN 0.500 Stephane Lemire
7/22/16 35 Albany-Saratoga NY 0.400 Kenny Martin
7/23/16 30 Lebanon Valley NY 0.625 Jay Corbin
7/31/16 50 Cornwall, ONT CAN 0.250 Charles-David Beachamp
9/9/16 50 LeRPM, QUE CAN 0.250 Stephane Lebrun
9/17/16 50 Mohawk International NY 0.500 Rob Yetman
9/23/16 50 Fonda NY 0.500 Rob Yetman /Robbie Speed
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