PREMIER SPEEDWAY general manager David Mills is remaining open-minded about the possibility of another Fifty for 50 as drivers praised him for taking a punt on a new format.
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The Fifty for 50 format involves qualifying, heats, two dash races and the features, including 30 (first night) and 50-lap (second) A-mains.
The second A-main also had a seven minute pitstop for crews to work on the cars.
The fastest in each heat qualifying drop to fourth with second, third and fourth moving up a starting spot.
The dash re-draw involves all heat winners and remaining fastest overall qualifier drawing first for positions one to six in dash A, then the remaining six for dash B.
The top two in dash B, move into dash A. Third to sixth started ninth to 12th for the A-main.
The finishing order of dash A determines the top-eight starting positions for the A-main. Each dash is eight laps.
The prize money was also split over the two days with $35,150 (Friday) and $64,800 (Saturday) up for grabs.
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Mills said the event was a combination of Pennsylvania Speedweek, World of Outlaws and All-Stars formats.
He added the Fifty for 50 was a good test but the club was putting its efforts into ensuring the 49th Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic ran in 2022.
Jock Goodyer, John Vogels, Jamie Veal, Robbie Farr, Corey McCullagh, McFadden and McHugh praised Mills' for trying something new but said the event would need fine-tuning if it returned.
Goodyer, Vogels and McFadden were open for it possibly becoming part of Premier Speedway's calendar while Veal, Farr, McHugh and McCullagh preferred the one heat format.
"I feel it should be a spot on the calendar ... it'd be cool to keep another event going and another prestigious blue ribbon race," Goodyer said.
McFadden said the event was a work in progress.
"The problem with our sport at the moment is we reward people who aren't fast in qualifying too much and that's how we have always done it in Australia," he said.
"With the tracks like it has been it's tough for a fast qualifier to pass guys who are second and third quick to make the top of the dash.
"It is what it is and it's the same for everyone. It doesn't matter the format the same guys still race for the lead so you have to learn the format and do as best you can."
McCullagh added: "It's certainly different and I still think it needs a bit of fine tuning. It's 2021 and 2020 was a weird year so we may as well try something new if we haven't got the original Classic.
"Personally I don't think so (on it returning permanently) as I prefer the traditional formats. It needs to be better explained as half the drivers were confused and I'm not sure what the crowd was thinking.
"I'm sure it will get better and better. Like anything the first time you always get the rookie mistakes and I'm sure it'll get better."
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Sean Hardeman
I'm a sports journalist for the Warrnambool Standard who covers a number of different sports across the south-west of Victoria. I enjoy watching cycling, surfing, football, soccer and Formula 1.
I'm a sports journalist for the Warrnambool Standard who covers a number of different sports across the south-west of Victoria. I enjoy watching cycling, surfing, football, soccer and Formula 1.
