Charlotte Four Wide Nationals
 

Just a question. I was looking at the car count for the Charlotte, NC., Four Wide Nationals and they are very low in the Sportsman classes. Super Stock has 13 cars and 7 are from D1. Stock has 17 cars and 8 are from D1. Super Gas has 16 cars with 7 from D! with 3 weeks left before the race. Why so low? I have not been to that track so I can not comment on it or how the Four Wide race is run. I know times are tough, but it looks like some D1 cars are going. What happened to the D2 cars?

Re: Charlotte Four Wide Nationals
 

With car counts being what they are there is no need to enter early...preference being to hold on to your money longer vs. NHRA holding it. Many D1 racers have "cabin fever" and are anxious to get started.

Re: Charlotte Four Wide Nationals
 

From talking to a few racers who went to last years 4-wide nationals they said they would never go back. They said cause the track they normally run the .90 cars on is hardly ever used and it was skating on a piece of ice due to no rubber being laid down except for what the truck and tractors put down. Now it was back in March last year they did the race and did move it up to April this year but, I think Gas is a major factor for a lot of racers this year. One racer I talked to said from his home in NJ to NC and back was almost $600 to $700 in just fuel for the trip. Also I think people are in no rush to get out this year, it's almost like spend an extra day at work and save up vacation days, maybe go bracket racing locally for 1 day or go race for 6 days. I think this is just the beginning to low car counts at a lot of National Events this year.

Re: Charlotte Four Wide Nationals
 

The track sucked, 14 hrs to get there wasnt an issue, not being able to get 2 somewhat similar timeslips was.

Re: Charlotte Four Wide Nationals
 

Was it that way for the Sept race? Thought heat was the only issue at the fall race so figured the other lanes had come around.

Re: Charlotte Four Wide Nationals
 

Wasn't at the Fall race but it was cool weather in the sping but not the reason the track was geen.

Re: Charlotte Four Wide Nationals
 

we ran the fall race last year and were treated like crap. will never go back. definetly treated better at pro-am & divisionals. less money &
nicer people !

Re: Charlotte Four Wide Nationals
 

I was thinking about going to the fall race. When you say you were not treated well, was it weather related schedule changes, or is it they just don't care about sportsman?

Re: Charlotte Four Wide Nationals
 

Went to the 1St Four Wide Nationals ,,,Time trials were OK 9.891 and 9.904 @ 171MPH( weather was warm and sun was out ) --- 1st round for S/G was delayed but still before noon , couldn't get down the track almost wrecked had to lift ,,,,entire trip was a waste , some of us did complain but was told that our cars had too much power for conditions --- Not going back ever in the spring , it was a 9 hour tow from northern Ohio .

Colorful Racer

Re: Charlotte Four Wide Nationals
 

Why do people always say the "were treated like crap..etc.etc." and then never post what exactly happened?

Re: Charlotte Four Wide Nationals
 

Treated like crap .... they delay sportsman over and over again, then they rush you to race so they can get finished. Then they put you on lanes that nobody can get down. My father was there, and his car can hook in a car wash.... he had to lift. The end result is NHRA does not care about us, they could care less if we didn't come, and they do not see that sportsman racing is the ROOTS OF RACING, and without roots the NHRA tree will eventually shrivil up and die.

I love this sport, but I do not like being treated like I am in a jail. Tell you when to eat sleep and shyt.

Re: Charlotte Four Wide Nationals
 

How do you really feel...lol

And Dad's car hooking in a car wash....



I was there for the inagural race and the track was good.....but from what I hear...things didn't go that well last year......the track was almost impossible....hopefully this year they will have that under control.....

I can't understand how they somehow make the track worse than a normal road....its like they grease it....lol

Re: Charlotte Four Wide Nationals
 

Lots of tracks were crap last year. May be in the prep.
On a side note Piedmont Dragway has a $20,000 to win Door Car only bracket race the same weekend, if ya'll rather do some bracket racing.
Chip Johnson

Re: Charlotte Four Wide Nationals
 

They dont care about the sportsman racer at least at the fall race, they rush you to the lanes to sit , lanes
not big enough for all sc cars. Not permitted on pit vehicles on pro side of track even after pros finished, wanted to take friends back to their car & was told we needed to walk. Not a friendly place & we love to race in nc.

Re: Charlotte Four Wide Nationals
 

Let's see, they tell you to come ot the lanes..no one forces you. The lanes aren't big enough, so you get pissed off and blame NHRA. You can't take your pit vehicles to the pro side to ride around where you have no business and if you want to see the pro classes you are welcome to walk and look any time you want to and finally the security or cops inform you that you can't take your pit vehicle to the public parking lot. It's all NHRA's fault? Who's got the problem here?

Re: Charlotte Four Wide Nationals
 

When I ran the Gators the NHRA guy who parked me indicated there was a renewed emphasis on treating the Sportsman racer better and I must say I felt we were treated very fairly. Suppose track layout and such makes a difference but maybe they've realized the lower car counts are just as much about their "enhancements" as it is the current economy. In general the oil down thing, chassis cert fee, entry, insurance surcharge, etc have hurt the car counts and if .90 racers don't show they'll just fill it with Nostalgia, Unleashed, etc.....IMHO

Re: Charlotte Four Wide Nationals
 

If you do go make sure you lock your motorhome or truck at all times. I was at the fall race last year and my motorhome was gone through and the perps found my wallet that was hid and took it. Left me nothing thanks to some great racers I was able to borrow money for diesel fuel for the trip home. All said and done got me for a grand. A total of 5 trailers were hit during the same time run round. All supergasers and stockers that were both in the lanes at the same time. I hate it has come to this, have never had anything like this happen to me in my life. Can't really describe the feeling I felt when I realized it had happen. When I walked outside the racer beside me automatically knew something bad had happen and as if I was alright. I suggest locking up your stuff no matter where you are.

Re: Charlotte Four Wide Nationals
 

I hate to say it, but I'm there now as well. Certainly at the national events. Not so much the local/divisionals, but nationals seem to attract the idiots.

Re: Charlotte Four Wide Nationals
 

Ive been locking my motorhome up ever since around 2002 or 2003 when I was at the Atlanta national event and someone had gotten into 17 motorhomes or trailers. The good thing about that event though was the dumb *** got caught when on his way out to the parking lot at the end of the day he decided that he wanted one of Warren Johnsons doors and police saw him carring it and chased him right to his car where they found everything else.
Roy Hill caught one of the guys in his motorhome at the Charlotte race last year and it wasn't pretty. I know because I was parked right beside him.
Chuck

Re: Charlotte Four Wide Nationals
 

I was at that race too, Chuck.. when ever a class got called to the lanes, their motorhomes and trailers got hit.. woulda thought Barnie Phife woulda caught on to that..

I was thinking of Charlotte this year, but my motor isn't quite finished in time.. probably a blessing in disguise cause all I'm hearing is bad treatment and bad track prep..

And ya know.. that guy that can hook in a car wash probably can.. I know every time he runs me he does.. LOL