AASA Legend Cars Short Track Nationals format announced
Image: MPix
The Legend Cars Short Track Nationals takes place at Sydney MotorSport Park from April 25-26, but how is the unique format going to play out?
Across the course of the two-day event there will be no less than 11 races for the TFH Hire Legend Cars Australia Nationals.
Before engines fire into life, the sizable grid will be split into four equal sized sets, labelled Group A, B, C and D.
Each driver will then be given a Draw Number (DN) within their group via a random selection method.
Heat 1 will see Groups A and B share the track, with Heat 2 consisting of Groups C and D.
In all heats one group will line up on the inside row of the grid and the other on the outside. Who starts from which side will be allocated by a simple coin toss.
Heats 3 and 4 will be gridded in inverted DN order from Heat 1 and 2. For example if a competitor started the first race from Row 2, they would start their second race from the penultimate row of the grid.
Heat 3 will consist of Group A and C, with B and D doing battle in Heat 4.
The grids for Heat 5 (Groups A and D) and Heat 6 (B and C) will be determined by the points awarded in the first four heats.
The highest placed points go to pole, while the lowest points scorer will start from the back row. The driver with the highest points score will start on the inside lane therefore allocating which side of the grid the other group starts in.
If a tie in points occurs, the highest finish result from a previous heat will determine the outcome.
Heat 7 and 8 starting positions will be split odds and evens, set by Combined Driver Points (CDP). The driver with the most points will start from the front and the lowest from the back.
Heat 7 will be the odd driver points and Heat 8 even. So, drivers first, third and fifth etc in the CDP will be grided up in Heat 7 and second, fourth, sixth etc in Heat 8.
If a tie in points occurs, the highest finish result from a previous heat will determine the grid position for the tie.
From here it is all about qualifying for the feature, the winner takes all A-Main (a maximum of 30 cars can qualify).
· Grid positions 1-8 will be determined via the finishing results of the Dash.
· Grid Positions 9-20 will be determined via the CDP at the completion of Heat 8.
· Grid Positions 21-26 will be determined via the finishing results of the B-Main.
· Grid positions 27-30 will be reserved for the promotors use.
The Dash determines the order of the first four rows, notably all drivers within the Dash have already qualified for the A Main, this race just determines in what position they will start.
The grid for the two-lap Dash is an inversion of the CDP order, effectively making it an inverted grid race. The finishing order of the Dash determines the top eight starting positions of the A-Main.
The 10-lap B-Main is made up of drivers in the CDP positions 21 and below after the conclusion of the heats.
The driver with the highest CDP will start from pole, down to the driver with the lowest at the back.
The top six finishers in the B-Main transfer through to the A-Main, taking grid positions 21-26. Slots 27-30 will be awarded to drivers chosen by the promotor.
The winner takes all A-Main will see over $40,000 worth of prizes for the TFH Hire Legend Cars Australia Short Track Nationals.
The overall winner will claim $10,000, while an additional $10,000 in cash and prizes will be distributed among the top 15 finishers of the A-Main.
Perhaps the biggest prize of all is presented to the highest placed series regular. This driver will win a free TFH Racing supported Aussie Racing Car drive.
The winner of the A-Main will be awarded the title of the 2026 AASA Legends Nationals Short Track Champion, and will run with the green and gold #1 on the car for the following 12 months.
Graham Sattler – AASA Short Track Nationals Series Manager
“It’s exciting for AASA to host the first ever Legends Short Track Nationals,” Sattler said. “Plans are well under way to present a format new for Australian circuit racing.
“Featuring two nights of under lights action at SMSP with the Legends National champion taking home the $10k.
“It will be thrilling to see the invited Speedway stars mix it with our Legend Car series regulars and will be a great feature of the Short Track Nationals event.
“We’ve had tremendous support from TFH Racing which has been working with the Speedway boys and their switch from dirt to tarmac.
“We’ve also had great support from Jarred Ash from broadcast partners Clay-Per-View, his knowledge of the ‘new’ format and the invited Speedway stars will help to lift this event and take it in a new direction not seen in Australian Motorsport previously.”