Automobile racing is a sport that has developed over the last century. People are naturally competitive and thus there always has been an interest in determining who is the fastest. Races have therefore been organized and conducted to determine which automobile is the fastest. Although races have long been conducted, the format of races has changed very little over the last several years. Races are still generally conducted by having the race participants simultaneously start at a common starting time and then travel over a race course a predetermined fixed distance. The first race participant to cover the required race course distance is traditionally declared the winner and thus the fastest.
Today most aspects in racing are thoroughly specified and highly regulated. Thus the race becomes well defined and the outcomes are somewhat predictable. The biggest variable is the skill of the driver and a measure of luck or good fortune in the pit crew. The “unfair start” condition is particularly unfair now because of the advantage given to the fastest cars. The “unfair start” refers to the fact that, via qualifying times, the fastest cars have the more favorable starting position at the front of the pack of cars.
While determining the fastest competitor in a given race, the traditional and conventional method of conducting races as described above does not always make for the most interesting and captivating race for fans observing the race. Races all too often evolve into a contest where a majority of the contestants chase the front-runner(s). In particular, automotive races oftentimes degenerate into an exhibition of “follow the leader” where the fastest cars, qualifying and starting at the front of the grid, maintain their positions at the front of the race throughout the majority of the race. The race in effect becomes a “follow the leader” event since the cars with the fastest times during qualifying trials begin the race at the forefront of those participating in the race.
Some of the most exciting racing action occurs when cars pass other cars. This is even more exciting when a fast car or driver qualifies for a starting position in the middle or back of the starting grid. This situation most often occurs due to technical, procedural or driver miscalculations during the qualifying trial(s). When this situation does occur, race fans are often treated to some of the most captivating racing because the faster, skilled driver often boldly and aggressively passes other cars in route to the front of the pack. The racing fans are thus treated to a creative display of driving skill and strategy as the misplaced fast car attempts to advance to the front of the pack and challenge the other fast cars.
Thus, one basic problem in modern racing is the unfair start or the unequal start of the race. This derives from the qualification trials and starting grid on the race track. No other sport has a precondition whereby one contestant is noticably held back in comparison to another contestant at the beginning of the contest, and based on the fact that the held back driver is inherently slower. Yet modern motor racing begins by giving the fastest qualifying cars the best position on the track (perhaps in the name of safety).
This starting condition means the fastest cars drive the shortest distance and then they extend their lead by driving unchallenged on the track for the initial laps. These top drivers then can make non-competitive passes on the slowest cars as they go through the rear of the starting grid. All of these elements serve to extend the lead of the fastest. This factor decreases fan excitement and challenges for the fastest drivers.
Some fan excitement comes from watching drivers successfully control their cars at high speeds, especially in the corners, i.e. on turns of the track. All drivers must do that. However, fans are particularly interested in watching drivers attempting passes and successfully passing other drivers. This requires a higher level of driving skill—i.e. maneuvering the car at high speeds around another car that usually does not want to be passed. Fans are aware of this skill and cheer when these drivers are successful. Fans adopt favorites among the drivers because their favorite driver is good at passing and of course winning races. Faster drivers passing slower cars, is not as challenging for the driver or exciting for the fans as passing competitive drivers.