Zmax 4 wide Nationals!

[BKSG1198]

Knew it was only a matter of time.....

Zmax 4 wide Nationals!

For the first time in NHRA national event history, qualifying and eliminations for Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle at an NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event will be conducted four-wide instead of two, NHRA officials announced today.

The inaugural NHRA Four-Wide Nationals is scheduled for March 25-28 at zMax Dragway near Charlotte, N.C. NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competition will be conducted in the traditional two-lane format, running some classes in the left two lanes and others in the right two lanes to assist with lane preparation and consistency.

The announcement comes just four months after NHRA conducted its first-ever four-lane exhibition at a national event, where nearly 30,000 horsepower blasted off at zMax Dragway during the September running of the NHRA Carolinas Nationals. In separate runs, four Top Fuel dragsters and four Funny Cars competed in the four-wide event with everyone standing on their feet to witness the most spectacular five-seconds in motorsports.

“We had so much positive feedback from our fans and drivers after the four-lane exhibition last September that we were comfortable adding this unique twist to an official NHRA national event,” said Tom Compton, president, NHRA. “Once again, NHRA will be making history at zMax Dragway. With all four of our Full Throttle Series categories competing in four-wide racing it will certainly be a spectacular event to see.”

“Watching these nitro cars thunder four-wide down the world’s only four-lane concrete strip is exactly what we had in mind when we built zMax Dragway,” said Bruton Smith, chairman and chief executive officer of Speedway Motorsports and creator of zMax Dragway. “We’re making history with horsepower at the Bellagio of drag strips and race fans will be treated to a competition unlike any thing that’s ever been seen before. This will blow them away.”

The rules for the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway will be as follows:

* Qualifying will be conducted using four lanes

* Each category winner will be determined in three rounds of eliminations

* The two drivers to cross the finish line first in each of the four first rounds of eliminations will advance to the second round

* The two drivers to cross the finish line first in each of the two second rounds of eliminations will advance to the final round

* Each final round will feature four drivers in each category, and the single driver to cross the finish line first in the final will be declared the winner of the race, the second runner-up and so on.

The NHRA Carolinas Nationals, Sept. 16-19, the second of six races in NHRA’s Countdown to 1 playoffs, will continue to be conducted using only two lanes at zMax Dragway.

Tickets for the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals are available by calling (800) 455-3267 or by visiting www.charlottemotorspeedway.com on the Web. The inaugural NHRA Four-Wide Nationals is the fourth of 17 races in the NHRA Countdown to 10, NHRA’s regular season. ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event.

[JBM Sr]

I don't understand this at all. I guess NHRA wants to put on a good show, but... So let me see if I have it right - Instead of watching the Pro's for lets say 1 hour, you get to see them for half an hour. If it takes 20 to 30 minutes to clean up an oil down for 1 car, how long for two? Are they going to double the amount of equipment for clean-ups? If you are one of the two cars in the center lanes, your risk of getting hit by another car has doubled. I guess the good news is you could someday see all four JW cars race at one time.

John Maggiulli Sr.

[Rick Blake]

Originally Posted by JBM Sr

I don't understand this at all. I guess NHRA wants to put on a good show, but... So let me see if I have it right - Instead of watching the Pro's for lets say 1 hour, you get to see them for half an hour. If it takes 20 to 30 minutes to clean up an oil down for 1 car, how long for two? Are they going to double the amount of equipment for clean-ups? If you are one of the two cars in the center lanes, your risk of getting hit by another car has doubled. I guess the good news is you could someday see all four JW cars race at one time.

John Maggiulli Sr.

It's actually pretty simple BS got it his way, I knew it was only a matter of time, man carries a lot of clout

[frank v]

do they have 4 score boards?

[BKSG1198]

Nope, I think they only have 2. Once again BS getting his way.....but all it takes is one crash and that will be the end of that.

[C and W Racing]

There is a center wall that devides the two tracks from each other. And yes they only have 2 scoreboards but with those scoreboards they do display the ET for all four lanes. I raced there last year and I had thought that the smart thing to do with that track was run the pro's on the left pair of lanes and the sportsman on the right pair of lanes. The pros pit on the left side of the track and the sportsman pit on the right side. That way you could prep the side they run on the way they like it, and the sportsman wouldn't be following them racing with clutch dust, etc on the track which is not always the best thing for throttle stop cars.Then that would also allow the program to run more efficiently on Sunday by allowing some of the sportsman classes to run between some of the pro classes being that the car counts would be down, you could get them paired in the lanes and squeeze them in. We might even be able to really be part of the show since people will still be in the stands. Just my 2 cents worth
Chuck

[FED 387]

Seems that NHRA DID NOT talk to the members of PRO about this 4 wide deal--Many have said that if they had been asked that they are NOT in favor of a 4 wide scenario----Seems that maybe Force and 2-3 others have been speaking for the members of the PRO Board without the Boards knowledge or OK---we shall see---Comp 387

[RACER1530]

what is a 4 lane pro stock staging battle going to be like?
personaly i cant see the pros going for this,not with points on the line
some cant tame 2 lanes let alone 4
will be interesting to watch

[Tim H]

Becoming more like a carnival all the time.

[Hemiparts]

10% of tickets sold before announcement \ 85% sold by that afternoon after announcement. Thats all they need to know..