4-Wide opinions... (2 Viewers)

[my friends call me Zappy]

Charlotte for me next week......................I'll let y'all know what a first time 4 wider thinks about the spectacle. Fire the next Quad!!!!!!!!!!!

Mitch, looking forward to your opinion on 4 wide. I think you'll love it, I certainly do. But apparently some don't, the Shane is they haven't seen it live, TV doesn't do it justice. Enjoy sir.

 

[mick]

finally talked to 60 something friend last nite who was at vegas 4 wides. life long drag racer and spectator. has raced stock. still loves the pros/nitro.
he was not impressed with 4 wide racing. said the initial launch/sound/feel is unique, but too hard to follow 4 cars in under 4 seconds. he said he can understand
the draw to a casual fan, but it did nothing for him. he was there sat. and sunday.

 

[Bullard Anderson]

I have a printed schedule on my refrigerator. I have a black line drown through the date and written "off week" to the right.

 

[Mak]

I was at the first exhibition 4 wide run at zmax and it was the coolest thing a kid could experience. Being there at the track, getting to feel all of that power is something you can't replicate with anything else. It sucks to watch on tv, but then again racing is a sport that demands to be watched live and in person. TV is easier to see the times and mph, at the track its confusing with only two boards for four lanes. Other than that it was a good time.

 

[megadeth]

Not a fan, but I understand that NHRA has to pacify baby Bruton! LOL
I remember the fourwides in in the 70’s it was purely for entertainment it’s not like it’s just been invented.
I’m a traditionalist I don’t like the 1000’ Crap either but I understand why they had to doesn’t mean I have to like it!
I still attend events to support Drag Racing!

 

[mastertone]

still sucks glad its over for this year

 

[Dennis]

finally talked to 60 something friend last nite who was at vegas 4 wides. life long drag racer and spectator. has raced stock. still loves the pros/nitro.
he was not impressed with 4 wide racing. said the initial launch/sound/feel is unique, but too hard to follow 4 cars in under 4 seconds. he said he can understand
the draw to a casual fan, but it did nothing for him. he was there sat. and sunday.

It's so strange, this weekend was my first 4 wide race and I had the exact opposite reaction. It was not difficult at all to watch 4 cars racing. Granted, on TV it sucks, plain and simple because you see what the camera wants you to see. In person your eyes have the ability to see what you want to see and I don't feel like I missed anything. In fact, I've already started planning next year's trip, but bringing more people.

For what it's worth I was among the anti-four-wide crowd until going in person.

 

[Jer]

very glad its over,just cant get into it on tv,im not cheering on my normal drivers likie when its two wide.

 

[Greggo]

I think for the hard-cores out there that are in tune to staging, watching for dropped cylinders, tire smoke, out of control, etc., the 4-wide deal becomes a hard thing to focus on when you are dealing with races that only last 3.7 - 4 seconds.
Now, with that said, I love to go back in time and see a 4-wide pro stock final burndown between WJ, Scott Geoffrion, Rickie Smith and add whoever else??? Maybe Jeggie?? Only because I saw that WJ vs. Geoffrion battle in person, it seems like if you add 2 more to the mix, you'd have a real battle... on and off the track.

 

[none]

Four wide blows. I will never go to one.

 

[Dennis]

I think for the hard-cores out there that are in tune to staging, watching for dropped cylinders, tire smoke, out of control, etc., the 4-wide deal becomes a hard thing to focus on when you are dealing with races that only last 3.7 - 4 seconds.

I don't disagree at all, but the fact of the matter is that the "hard-cores" aren't the ones keeping the lights on in Glendora. I don't know how many people were in the stands on Saturday, but if there was a poll for who came to watch dropped cylinders, I'm sure that number was quite small. Look at all of the problems NASCAR is having keeping butts in the seats, to me NHRA is seeing a resurgence (in my humble opinion). I think if they fine-tuned the live program they would continue to grow.

Maybe it's just me getting old, but the draw is that I'm not spending the entire day out at the track. I know for my girl, that made it palatable as well. The Safety Safari was efficient alternating the lanes and prepping the 2 lanes not in use.

I'm in no way saying that 4 way is the best thing since sliced bread, but I like that I have the option.

 

[none]

Four wide blows. I will never go to one.

Fair enough but. Would you race in one? If you could drive a car as good as Randy's?

Really curious as if you would take a crack at it from a competitors level.

Alan

 

[none]

Fair enough but. Would you race in one? If you could drive a car as good as Randy's?

Really curious as if you would take a crack at it from a competitors level.

Alan

Alan, If the schedule was up to me I would not go. If I was a hired guy I wouldn’t have a choice. I don’t know if you have ever watched one of these races on TV or all access after the fact? It is beyond painful to try and follow it. I watched the classes that ran the traditional way and was big time disappointed Pro Mod was on four lanes. Hope maybe one day I get the chance to come back to the big tent....maybe Randy will let me drive his Top Sporstman car. ...two lanes only of course. Hey a guy can dream right?
Marc

 

[Leebone]

I don't like it. Nothing but a big cluster. I much prefer the driver vs. driver aspect of the normal 2 wide. Plus, those in attendance are cheated out of a round of racing and half the races of each round. I'm glad this nonsense is over with for the year.

 

[.]

I still don't like it, it just doesn't translate well on TV and it's too hard to follow everything that's happening since you rarely get 4 cars running side-by-side.

 

[MidnightbluS10]

Personally, I've never seen so many supposed fans that hate so much about something they supposedly love. And it's always the "hardcore" fan with all the hate. 4 wide, throttle stop, index racing, bracket racing. If it's not their form of racing, they aren't into it. Not only are they "not into it", they make it a point to actively inform anyone they can of how much they dislike everything else.


Me? I LOVE drag racing. Don't give a dang if it's 4 wide, 2 wide, throttle stop, bracket racing, whatever....it could be JUNIOR DRAGSTERS. If they're lined up, I'm into it. Why? Because I'm an actual drag racing fan. Not a *insert your specific type of drag racing here* fan. <shrug> I bet the kids would like for people to cheer for them, too. Not so with your hardcore fan. They're too busy telling the guy next to em how much they can't stand these dang Jr dragsters. It's a shame, really.


And it's not just here. It's at any automotive related site that discusses drag racing. There's always the hardcore guys that hate everything about everything. They hate modernization. They hate certain classes. They hate, hate, hate.

 

[PJ]

Is it me or on TV did Dave keep switching which lanes were 1-4? I could have swore he said it going both directions on Sunday. Didn't care enough to back it up to double check but lost me a few times when he would say a number lane and it didn't match to what was said earlier.

Glad it's done until next year.

I know Vegas was full and I mentioned then I wondered if it really added new people or just drew people away from Zmax. It will not be known for a few races there to see if it is really adding new fans or just moving them around. I didn't see many good crowd shots (wonder if that was intentional) but the few I did the stands looked empty. It was late in the day though and that's often not a good showing of how many fans were there earlier. Anyone there? did they still draw well compared to past years?

 

[Huge]

Is it me or on TV did Dave keep switching which lanes were 1-4? I could have swore he said it going both directions on Sunday. Didn't care enough to back it up to double check but lost me a few times when he would say a number lane and it didn't match to what was said earlier.

Glad it's done until next year.

I know Vegas was full and I mentioned then I wondered if it really added new people or just drew people away from Zmax. It will not be known for a few races there to see if it is really adding new fans or just moving them around. I didn't see many good crowd shots (wonder if that was intentional) but the few I did the stands looked empty. It was late in the day though and that's often not a good showing of how many fans were there earlier. Anyone there? did they still draw well compared to past years?

PJ, I have not seen a race on tv for a couple of years so I don't know what Dave said, but they start with 1 and go from left to right. In a perfect world things are left to right, top to bottom, front to back...except for the darn awning poles on some of the race teams they must flip a coin to see if 1 is at the front or back of their trailers. I was on the starting line 5 times and never looked at the stands so I don't know how full they were.

 

[PJ]

PJ, I have not seen a race on tv for a couple of years so I don't know what Dave said, but they start with 1 and go from left to right. In a perfect world things are left to right, top to bottom, front to back...except for the darn awning poles on some of the race teams they must flip a coin to see if 1 is at the front or back of their trailers. I was on the starting line 5 times and never looked at the stands so I don't know how full they were.

Ya know, now that you say that, it was probably the camera switching back and forth. As I look down track vs looking up. So when he says left to right looking down track I assumed from my view then when he says left to right and the camera is looking up track I again assume from my view. He doesn't know where the camera is looking then and always assumes from his view (logically so).

 

[cdag]

...except for the darn awning poles on some of the race teams they must flip a coin to see if 1 is at the front or back of their trailers.

#1-#7, Front to back!