jeff5768: Good post. You explained things that anyone one could understand. I also would like to see NASCAR go back to the old qualifying format. I think the first row should be set by the qualifying times done on Sunday, but with one exception. I wish they would not be conunted in picking the 15 positions set in each Duel run. Give them the win and the money but don't count them in the final 15. They already have their spot secured. Pretty much the same way they do for the points in the Nationwide. If you are going for the points in Sprint you don't get credit for the points in Nationwide, but you still get the win and the money.

Anyone can qualify for the 2012 Daytona 500 with enough money. Points are money. I doubt the original intention of the Top 35 rule was to actually sell starting positions. That's Daytona, today. Anyone, with enough money, is guaranteed to start the first 5 races.  


I doubt you'll see 100,000 fans in the stands today. Wonder why?         
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I agree with Mikeyfan on quite alot of what he said in his postings on this topic.  Had he not said his words, I would have nearly mirrored some of what he said. 

Leave it to a simpleton like Pete Pistone to make it sound like only 30 cars started the Daytona 500 prior to the Top 35 rule.  He simply stated that you had to finish in the top 15 in each Duel race and you were in the race and then if you finished worse than that, you were not in the Daytona 500.  Well, that was simply hogwash.  Once again Pete trying to lead his sheep.  At least De Los Santos mentioned a bit more to how the Duels work in today's day and age.

A little addendum to what Mikeyfan says is this:  The top 35 rule was put in after the 2004 season and thus this hard to figure NASCAR qualifying rule set, for the Daytona 500, was 1st instituted for the 2005 Daytona 500.  2004 only had 45 cars show up for the 500, which means 2 cars went home.  The top 2 on qualifying day won the front row(one thing that's stayed the same) and the Duels were set by odd-even after that.  If you qualified 1st, 3rd, 5th, and all the odd #'s down the line, you started in Duel 1.  If you qualified 2nd, 4th, 6th, and all the even #'s down the line, you started in Duel 2.  Pretty easy system.  The top 15(or 14 if the front row drivers in Quals finished further down) in each Duel did make the 500.  Indeed pretty exciting.  After that, those that didn't make the 500 that way, spots 31-38 indeed were in on fastest Qualifying speeds.  Spots 39-42 were for those not in the field from those 2 prior scenarios, as provisionals from prior season's owner's pts. and lastly the 43th car was for a Past Champion and if not needed, then another provisional from the prior season's owner's pts.  Rarely did the Past Champion's provisional get used in the very late 90's to early 2000's.  In 2003 and for a few season's earlier spots 37-42 were the provisional spots, which meant less spots to get in by speed.

I am a numbers kind of dude and totally understand how this qualifying format for the 500 works currently, but I know it's not so easy for most fans to get because it surely is not simple.  I too wish it would go back to 2004 and earlier or to make it even easier, I'd make it where the top 30(15 from each Duel) make the race and then spots 31 to 43 get in on fastest speeds after that with not one provisional, not even for a Past Champion. 

All of this said, are the Duels anticlimatic?  To me, no they are not, because I find it intriguing watching those not locked in fight it out.  Usually Speed focuses on that aspect of the race and it can be exciting indeed.  Last year Brad Keselowski pushing his brother Brian into the 500 was awesome.  In 2005, Kenny Wallace edged(by a mere nose) out Kerry Earnhardt out of a 500 spot, which was so heartbreaking, as this was the only time that Kerry tried to make the 500 and he came oh so close.

Enough said on this matter for now.

Jeff  

Here's hoping he can stay out of the wrecks.