4-Lanes of Nitro (1 Viewer)

[Ron]

I can think of a few reasons right off the top of my head...

1. Staging. Look how often drivers get mad at the "games" being played at the starting line during staging. Add two more cars and that potential increases a lot. Assuming both sets of lanes are set to go green at the same time, that means four cars have to go in. Imagine the two in the right set of lanes go in right away, but one or both of the cars in the left set of lanes take their time - what does that do to the concentration of the drivers who went in right away? Tons of potential problems with this idea for eliminations.

That's a red herring. Just use the auto start across all four lanes. After the first car lights both bulbs the rest have the same time frame to stage as they currently race with. If your not in on time you get an automatic red light just as currently with 2 cars.

 

[Gordon]

That's a red herring. Just use the auto start across all four lanes. After the first car lights both bulbs the rest have the same time frame to stage as they currently race with. If your not in on time you get an automatic red light just as currently with 2 cars.

I haven't seen how the trees are at the facility, but if drivers in one set of lanes can't see the tree for the other set of lanes, how will they know when the auto-start count begins?

 

[clwill]

This is a mess.

How do I see when the other guy stages? Look WAY over there to that other tree that's on the other side of that big concrete wall? It's bad enough with one clown playing games in the other lane, what if there are three?

How's the timeout work? Seven seconds from the first of the four, or the third of the four? Which is fair?

Who are you racing? Just the guy in the next lane or is there only one winner for all four of you? So we have two rounds of racing for a 16 car field. Wow, that's fun...

How does lane choice work?

And how does "courtesy staging" in the classes where it's enforced work? We all wait for all the pre-stages? Then we all wait to pound the gas for all the stage lights to go? How do I know that? Look all the way over there?

This is a cluster waiting to happen.

 

[PJ]

This is a mess.

How do I see when the other guy stages? Look WAY over there to that other tree that's on the other side of that big concrete wall? It's bad enough with one clown playing games in the other lane, what if there are three?

How's the timeout work? Seven seconds from the first of the four, or the third of the four? Which is fair?

Who are you racing? Just the guy in the next lane or is there only one winner for all four of you? So we have two rounds of racing for a 16 car field. Wow, that's fun...

How does lane choice work?

And how does "courtesy staging" in the classes where it's enforced work? We all wait for all the pre-stages? Then we all wait to pound the gas for all the stage lights to go? How do I know that? Look all the way over there?

This is a cluster waiting to happen.

I agree there are a multitude of things that would beed to be worked out before this should be used in any level of competition but for an exhibition Hell Yeah lets do it

 

[Gordon]

I agree there are a multitude of things that would beed to be worked out before this should be used in any level of competition but for an exhibition Hell Yeah lets do it

Oh I agree 110%, I was merely commenting on the suggestion that this could work for competition. I can't wait to see it!

 

[Gutter Brain]

I agree there are a multitude of things that would beed to be worked out before this should be used in any level of competition but for an exhibition Hell Yeah lets do it

That was my thinking too, PJ. Since they are just doing an exhibition they should go in w/o any games. If NHRA decides at some point to do this for eliminations it may be different.

 

[clwill]

I agree there are a multitude of things that would beed to be worked out before this should be used in any level of competition but for an exhibition Hell Yeah lets do it

Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm dying to see this exhibition. So much so that I'm checking flights...

 

[Ron]

I haven't seen how the trees are at the facility, but if drivers in one set of lanes can't see the tree for the other set of lanes, how will they know when the auto-start count begins?

If they can't see the two top bulbs it isn't rocket science to extend them up or have another bulb at the top of the tree which indicates someone has staged.

I doubt if it is even a problem as the prestage and stage bulbs are on the top of the tree. You can easily see them while leaning on the fence at the starting line or sitting in the first row of stands which in either case are further and at a lot smaller angle then for someone sitting in a car.

 

[rollingthunder]

UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
What happened to the safety aspect everyone was complaining about with running 4 wide nitro ?
When this was first discussed it was brought up about one car crossing into another lane or mutiple lanes. I agree this would a blast. I just fail to realize how we go from the NHRA being OMG that is never going to happen no way no how to. Hey we are going to do an exhibition run of 4 wide.

 

[Gutter Brain]

UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
What happened to the safety aspect everyone was complaining about with running 4 wide nitro ?
When this was first discussed it was brought up about one car crossing into another lane or mutiple lanes. I agree this would a blast. I just fail to realize how we go from the NHRA being OMG that is never going to happen no way no how to. Hey we are going to do an exhibition run of 4 wide.

I haven't been to Concord, so hopefully someone that has been will help more. It appears there is a divider wall between the lanes. So, lanes A and B would be separated from lanes C and D. This is a pic from their website from last years event.

 

[Gutter Brain]

here's another from the Pinks All out that someone mentioned.
Looks good to me. Just insert TF'ers.

 

[mastertone]

This is a mess.

How do I see when the other guy stages? Look WAY over there to that other tree that's on the other side of that big concrete wall? It's bad enough with one clown playing games in the other lane, what if there are three?

How's the timeout work? Seven seconds from the first of the four, or the third of the four? Which is fair?

Who are you racing? Just the guy in the next lane or is there only one winner for all four of you? So we have two rounds of racing for a 16 car field. Wow, that's fun...

How does lane choice work?

And how does "courtesy staging" in the classes where it's enforced work? We all wait for all the pre-stages? Then we all wait to pound the gas for all the stage lights to go? How do I know that? Look all the way over there?

This is a cluster waiting to happen.

I agree, it would be fun to see as an exibition, but not for real racing.

 

[Nunz]

I think it will be a very cool exhibition. And I don't believe the runs count as a test because they are taking place on a race day, vs. an off day.

 

[PJ]

Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm dying to see this exhibition. So much so that I'm checking flights...

Great idea, stop by and pick me up on the way. No sense going alone to this

 

[clwill]

If they can't see the two top bulbs it isn't rocket science to extend them up or have another bulb at the top of the tree which indicates someone has staged.

I doubt if it is even a problem as the prestage and stage bulbs are on the top of the tree. You can easily see them while leaning on the fence at the starting line or sitting in the first row of stands which in either case are further and at a lot smaller angle then for someone sitting in a car.

I'm sorry, but it's a lot bigger angle from a car. From the stands, you're seeing it from the side.

As for "rocket science", have you ever raced? The goal is absolute focus. Minimum eye movement. You never want to move your eyes (let alone your whole head) very far. Just a few inches down from the stage bulb, there's your top yellow... focus... focus... GO.

What about cars that have little or no side view (eg most funny cars)?

And none of what you say addresses the staging process. How exactly does the courtesy stage work?

There is NO WAY they'll run four cars at once in a National Event. Even NHRA, as meandering and off the rails as it seems to be lately, isn't that silly.

 

[clwill]

Great idea, stop by and pick me up on the way. No sense going alone to this

Sure, my 'rents live just south of you. I'll charter a Gulfstream V, stop in and see them, you can drive down to Toledo and ride with me to the event.

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
What happened to the safety aspect everyone was complaining about with running 4 wide nitro ?
When this was first discussed it was brought up about one car crossing into another lane or mutiple lanes. I agree this would a blast. I just fail to realize how we go from the NHRA being OMG that is never going to happen no way no how to. Hey we are going to do an exhibition run of 4 wide.

There is no more danger here than running 2 cars at a time. Zmax is not a 4-lane drag strip. It is in fact a twin track. Two 2 lane tracks side by side. Car one & two have a wall between them & cars 3 &4.

At the risk of dating myself....back in the day they ran 4 wide with nothing but air between lanes 1 & 4. Like Mr. Bennett's story stated, this is NOT new. I grew up in the midwest, and it was no big deal. They did'nt run the big show 4 wide, but yer Boulivard muscle cars , Novas, Mustangs, Cudas, GTO's ect. all the time.

A first for nhra yes, but not new.

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

Oh and to answer the other question, ONE winner. Just like a track meet, you may have runners in all 8 lanes, but only 1 winner.

 

[yoda]

There is no more danger here than running 2 cars at a time. Zmax is not a 4-lane drag strip. It is in fact a twin track. Two 2 lane tracks side by side. Car one & two have a wall between them & cars 3 &4.

At the risk of dating myself....back in the day they ran 4 wide with nothing but air between lanes 1 & 4. Like Mr. Bennett's story stated, this is NOT new. I grew up in the midwest, and it was no big deal. They did'nt run the big show 4 wide, but yer Boulivard muscle cars , Novas, Mustangs, Cudas, GTO's ect. all the time.

A first for nhra yes, but not new.

Yup Zappy- National Speedway on Long Island in NY used to run them 4 wide back in the 70's as well, and I remember seeing a shot from Cecil County that had 4 floppers (Brutus and JJ being 2 of 'em) as well...

 

[Jenn]

Okay, looking at the picture that Eric posted, I now think it'd be WAY cooler to run Super Stock and Stock on that track. Four Wheels up Charges...Whooo hooo!!!