NHRA running 4 wide at Charlotte...

Anyone else watch the Nationals from Charlotte last weekend? 4 Top Fuel dragsters or Funny Cars at once is flat-out NUTS! I like it, what do you think?

 

yeah i saw that last year (don't recall if it was charlotte). it's 2 different races so the side by side is really just a gimmick. still, it's definitely exciting.

i can't recall if the races i saw had a dividing wall between them, if not i expect it will end once there is an accident.

 

This event was fastest 2 of each 4 advance, so true 4 wide racing and there was a dividing wall between lanes 2 and 3. At first the drivers were having a bit of trouble with the staging lights, but once they got used to it, it was awesome.

 

There were some accidents! It was cool! (not the accidents)

 

Yeah, the two Funny Cars tradin' paint was NUTS!

 

oh very cool! that's not how i remember it from last year, either they changed it or i misremember.

 

Nitro cars are best experienced at nite...
CH

 

Going by the commentary, this event was the first time for this format. They even called it "The Four-Wide Nationals". The only controversy so far has been the staging lights really.

There are two trees, one between lanes 1 and 2, the other between lanes 3 and 4. Each tree is the same as before, except for 4 blue lights added to the top of it. These indicate each lane has staged.

Problem is, rather than just have the blue lights set up 1-2-3-4 across the top of the tree, they messed up the order. As you look at "your" tree the two outside lights indicate your lane and the lane next to you. The two inner lights indicate the other two lanes.

Confused yet? More than one driver had issues with the setup at first.

 

http://www.nhra.com/story/2009/9/20/field-set-for-four-lane-four-wide-charlotte-exhibition/

i guess last year was just an exhibition, not a race. figures it must have been at charlotte, how many tracks could possibly be set up for this?

 

They need to go back to 1/4 mile and Funny Cars need to look like (be the shape of) the production car they claim to be.

No speed limits, this is racing not daycare.

 

Exactly!
CH

 

Not the first time. I do not have a date on this one but it was way back. They ran some in the 60's with no lane dividers and full quarter-mile........Crazy...

 

missed photos. One old track, two newer ones.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

http://media.photobucket.com/image/four%20lane%20drag%20races/Mazooma1/HAMB%20images/scan0019-3.jpg

Open this link. Four front engine top fuelers abreast with no lane dividers........Can you imagine looking around the engines and through the tire smoke knowing there are three more of these nitro guzzling monsters out there with you and no lane dividers to keep you apart....
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Can you imagine how loud this was? Had to be awesome

 

Detroit Dragway ran 4 wide races back in the late 60's.
CH

 

By "first time for this format" I meant first time an event such as this "counted" in the series. I know there had been 4 wide exhibition runs previous to this.

 

If they ran 16 wide, they could all get home earlier......

 

Now that's racin'!

 

The drivers at PRO voted 60 to 3 to NOT race 4 wide for points.........................

 

I would agree with them. It speeds up the process of finishing the elims but there are just so many variables in the 4x4 racing that it outweighs the positive.

 

I have a pic somewhere from my home track that used to run 4wide. Dragway 42.

 

they just said their going to try it again next year and for points, it was diffently cool