Sarasota shapes up to be the deciding race in the season. Three F1 teams are in contention for the title: F1-10, Gino & Mark (404 points,) with a 62 point lead over F1-29, Team Typhoon (342 points.) Only 18 points behind Typhoon is F1-83 Screamin’ Eagle (324 points.)

For the rest of the field, the season is for all intents and purposes over.

If Gino wins again in Sarasota, the title is as good as his. Or so it seems.

But it is more likely that this season will be decided in a Divisional in some backwater town.

Typhoon entering and winning a second tier race could propel them to the lead. If a local hotrod gets lucky on the other hand, it may cost Typhoon the title.

Here is why:

Beginning in 2003, APBA rules state that a team can trade in any Pros-Series race for a Divisional. If you win a Divisional with 8 boats in the running, it gets you 107 points. You trade that for any Pro Series race of your choosing. Of course, you would only want to trade that for the race that gained the lowest amount of points. And herein lies the rub.

Typhoon can trade zero points in Daytona for their 107 points. Net gain: 107 points.

Ginos’s “worst” showing was Marathon, deduct 84 points Marathon, add 107 points divisionals, 23 points net gain.

Screamin’ Eagle’s “worst” result was Daytona, wipe out 69 points, add 107 points, 38 points gained.

Typhoon has the by far biggest swap potential. Gino & Mark have already won a divisional. Typhoon hasn’t entered one so far, but you can bet they will.

If both teams would apply their point swaps, the standings would be:

Winnebago: 427
Typhoon: 449

With a divisional win applied, Typhoon could even come in second behind Winnebago for the next two races, and they would still be ahead by 2 points.

Peconic

As I remember this being said in Daytona this year,you could not replace a bad finish(or drop your lowest score) If you could'nt make a race because of personal commitments(such as business or work) you could enter a divisional race to make up for the missed race. Has this changed since Daytona?

APBA, 2003 General Rules:

RULE 4 - AWARDING OF PRO SERIES POINTS

C. Pro Series Dropped Race Make-Up Points / Divisional Race Participation –
In order to encourage more participation at Divisional events, APBA Offshore will offer Pro Series boats an opportunity to improve their total points accumulated for the year toward a Pro Series Championship by attending a Divisional event. A Pro Series boat may elect to drop their lowest score from any one (1) Pro Series race and make up those dropped points in accordance with the following procedure. Specifically, Pro Series points will be awarded to a team participating in a Divisional event according to its finishing position at that event. The points actually awarded shall be 100% of the total points assigned to that finishing position in accordance with the chart above, including points earned under paragraph B of this Rule. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a team may only apply the make-up points secured pursuant to this paragraph from a maximum of one divisional event. To be eligible to receive points under this sub-paragraph, a minimum of two legal boats in the class must start in the race in which the team is competing for points. Subject to this one race limitation, any make-up points received by a boat under this paragraph shall be added to the final total of Pro Series points earned by that boat only if that boat has elected to drop their lowest score for any one Pro Series race. (See also Section VIII, Rule 2, paragraph 3)

D. In the event a Pro Series team is prevented from attending a Pro Series race due to circumstances beyond their control (ie: injury, illness, death, etc.), that team may request permission to make up points lost from that race by attending a Divisional event. Said permission must be obtained from the President of the Association a minimum of two (2) days prior to the beginning of the race that will be missed. Specifically, Pro Series points will be awarded to a team participating in a Divisional event according to its finishing position at that event. The points actually awarded shall be 100% of the total points assigned to that finishing position in accordance with the chart above, including points earned under paragraph B of this Rule. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a team may only apply the make-up points secured pursuant to this paragraph from a maximum of one divisional event. To be eligible to receive points under this sub-paragraph, a minimum of two legal boats in the class must start in the race in which the team is competing for points. Make up points accumulated under this paragraph may only be applied one time per season. (See also Section VIII, Rule 2, paragraph 3)

Peconic
I think your theory is wrong. Typhoon received 48 points for Daytona not 0

Thats why I love this guy he is never wrong!!!!
MD

Another wildcard....Mike Thomlinson said in Milwaukee that penaltys would not be assessed until after Tampa/St. Pete. Does anyone know if any of our competitors have penalties? That would affect your handicapping.

Allen

Ooops. True. I am wrong. (Correct theory. Sloppy recordkeeping.)

Randy: Sorry. Go for the Worlds ... Nice birthday present for Morgan: More daddy.

(This sent jetlagged from London Heathrow. I'll update the math in a few hours.)

Allen: Could you expand a bit more? What penalties? Is that somewhere in writing?

I don't know. He just made that statement as part of his overall discussion. I had no previous knowledge about this and began to wonder about penalties. If they are assessed, are the other competitors notified in anyway? Maybe in our class they just assess time penalties and they are known immediately. Remember I'm an FNG (F..ing New Guy) and learn new stuff every race. I know they can assess money penalties too but don't know of any in F1. Seems like some rules just apply to the glamor classes.

Anyone knowing more please enlighten us all.

Allen

I know there were some drive height issues in Mill. as well as some starting procedure issuse all in various classes. As far as waiting to issue penelties that doesn't seem right.