Grading Points

There has recently been some misunderstanding over the allocation of grading points at the various formats of meetings.  The confusion arose following a recent meeting that was run to the two-thirds format but where the promoter adopted a local method of determining which cars were eligible for the final.

Grading points are awarded as follows:

Meeting Format 1.  (Full meeting – 2 or more heats, consolation, final, grand national.)

Heats: 1^st – 10pts; 2^nd – 9pts; 3^rd – 8pts; 4^th – 7pts; 5^th – 6pts; 6^th – 5pts; 7^th – 4pts; 8^th – 3pts; 9^th – 2pts; 10^th – 1pt.

If fewer than 10 cars qualify for the final, only those places that qualify will score points. (i.e. if only 8 cars qualify for the final, no points are awarded for 9^th or 10^th places).
If more than 10 cars qualify for the final, then each additional qualifying place below 10^th place scores 1pt.

Consolations: 1^st – 6pts; 2^nd – 5pts; 3^rd – 4pts; 4^th – 3pts; 5^th – 2pts; 6^th – 1pt; 7^th – 1pt; 8^th – 1pt; 9^th – 1pt; 10^th – 1pt.

If fewer than 10 cars qualify for the final, only those places that qualify will score points. (i.e. if only 8 cars qualify for the final, no points are awarded for 9^th or 10^th places).
If more than 10 cars qualify for the final, then each additional qualifying place below 10^th place scores 1pt.

Final: 1^st – 20pts; 2^nd – 18pts; 3^rd – 16pts; 4^th – 14pts; 5^th – 12pts; 6^th – 10pts; 7^th – 8pts; 8^th – 6pts; 9^th – 4pts; 10^th – 2pts.

Grand National: 1^st – 10pts; 2^nd – 9pts; 3^rd – 8pts; 4^th – 7pts; 5^th – 6pts; 6^th – 5pts; 7^th – 4pts; 8^th – 3pts; 9^th – 2pts; 10^th – 1pt.

Maximum score: 50pts.

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Meeting Format 2.  (4 straight races – 2 heats, final, grand national.)

Heats: 1^st – 10pts; 2^nd – 9pts; 3^rd – 8pts; 4^th – 7pts; 5^th – 6pts; 6^th – 5pts; 7^th – 4pts; 8^th – 3pts; 9^th – 2pts; 10^th – 1pt.

Final: 1^st – 10pts; 2^nd – 9pts; 3^rd – 8pts; 4^th – 7pts; 5^th – 6pts; 6^th – 5pts; 7^th – 4pts; 8^th – 3pts; 9^th – 2pts; 10^th – 1pt.

Grand National: 1^st – 10pts; 2^nd – 9pts; 3^rd – 8pts; 4^th – 7pts; 5^th – 6pts; 6^th – 5pts; 7^th – 4pts; 8^th – 3pts; 9^th – 2pts; 10^th – 1pt.

Maximum score: 50pts.

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Meeting Format 3.  (3 heats, where drivers race in two out of the three heats as directed, final, grand national.)

Heats: 1^st – 10pts; 2^nd – 9pts; 3^rd – 8pts; 4^th – 7pts; 5^th – 6pts; 6^th – 5pts; 7^th – 4pts; 8^th – 3pts; 9^th – 2pts; 10^th – 1pt.

Final: 1^st – 10pts; 2^nd – 9pts; 3^rd – 8pts; 4^th – 7pts; 5^th – 6pts; 6^th – 5pts; 7^th – 4pts; 8^th – 3pts; 9^th – 2pts; 10^th – 1pt.

Grand National: 1^st – 10pts; 2^nd – 9pts; 3^rd – 8pts; 4^th – 7pts; 5^th – 6pts; 6^th – 5pts; 7^th – 4pts; 8^th – 3pts; 9^th – 2pts; 10^th – 1pt.

Maximum score: 50 pts.

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In all three formats, the winner of the final must take a full lap handicap if he wishes to compete in the grand national race, and if he does he receives double points if he finishes in the top ten places and double prize money if he finishes in the paid places.

At most championship meetings the race designated as the championship race will have double points awarded.

For clarification, at a meeting where Meeting Format 2 or 3 is used, but where the promoter adopts a local ‘qualification’ process to decide which cars are eligible for the final, grading points are only awarded down to tenth place, even if cars that finish below tenth place in the heats are invited to take part in the final.

David Hamar
Official Grader