4 wide sucks (1 Viewer)

[Al]

Sorry guys, but I feel compelled to give my opinion. I wonder how many of you that post that your dislike 4 Wide have actually been to a 4 Wide event ? We went to the Charlotte 4 Wides in 2018. We liked it but it does have pros and cons.
But what many of you are missing is that it packs the stands ! The sport needs things that increases interest so why complain about it ?
It's your choice to not watch, but please let's not complain year after year.

 

[jimbo]

Have not seen 4 wide in person, probably never will. I'm sure it is a spectacle that many enjoy in person as they should as the overload of sensory excess is incredible! If I had the chance maybe I would like to attend in person, who knows... But for the older folks here - myself included - it is hard to watch on TV. Too much happening in 3.7 seconds to comprehend in that time frame. Especially if you are rooting for or watching a particular car. When watching 2 cars in a normal race I look at creation time, then start watching them go down the track and by the time you are caught up they are crossing the finish line and you are trying to figure out who won. With the camera angle used you may not see the true picture of side by side until they get to the finish line, and try to "see that at 335 MPH! Multiply that x 2 at the 4 wide. The final race with Torrence and Brittany was a great race to the Finnish and Brit's 338MPH was the deciding factor. It is what it is, Big crowd($$$$) for Bruton - good for him - he built it, they did come. But for me give me 2 wide doing the 1320, er, 1000 ft dash.

Please don't turn this this into 1320 vs 1000ft discussion as this is not the discussion here! Just threw that out to add some levity Lol!

 

[DanTheFan]

Sorry guys, but I feel compelled to give my opinion. I wonder how many of you that post that your dislike 4 Wide have actually been to a 4 Wide event ? We went to the Charlotte 4 Wides in 2018. We liked it but it does have pros and cons.
But what many of you are missing is that it packs the stands ! The sport needs things that increases interest so why complain about it ?
It's your choice to not watch, but please let's not complain year after year.

I’ve been to it in Vegas multiple times pre-covid. Are the stands really packed? I remember commenting to my brother that crowds must be smaller there because it’s not within driving distance to enough big cities. We sit at the starting line and on all 3 days the rows had many empty seats so you could stretch out. Now I know it’s a large facility, but almost everywhere else I go like Norwalk, Gators, Maple grove etc, we’re squashed in there shoulder to shoulder. Comments from those who saw the crowd?

 

[Cliff]

Maybe the crowds at Vegas will get better in 2023, after Wild Horse closes. That will be the track closest to Phoenix for a Pro show (and maybe Div as well).

 

[Gone Dead Train]

4 wide racing is not a new thing. In the mid 60's at Raisin City Dragway Fresno, CA
They did it a few times, it was short lived. In 1972 Rockford now Byron Dragway tried
it with nitro burning floppers. I'm not a fan of it and will never go. If people enjoy it
so be it. I'm a true believer if everyone liked the same thing it would be a boring world.

 

[PJ]

Sorry guys, but I feel compelled to give my opinion. I wonder how many of you that post that your dislike 4 Wide have actually been to a 4 Wide event ? We went to the Charlotte 4 Wides in 2018. We liked it but it does have pros and cons.
But what many of you are missing is that it packs the stands ! The sport needs things that increases interest so why complain about it ?
It's your choice to not watch, but please let's not complain year after year.

I thought I would like it, went to Charlotte to see the first, was disappointed that I didn't like it. It felt and sounded cool but actual racing....meh. If it's only a race or two a year I'm fine with it but doubt I'll attend again.

 

[mick]

pretty sure salinas had a .3 something r.t. and lost in rnd one. pretty sure at every 4wide someone struggles and cuts an uncharacteristically very late light.
hard to swallow a loss due to unconventional procedures. ...... now if there was a 4wide in the C races, and someone's favorite, points leading driver, with a big, recognizable sponsor,
cut a .300 light and was beaten on a holeshot by 3 other drivers, and potentially kissed the championship goodbye......i'm pretty sure there would be an uproar about the 4wide format.
.......but it's ok early in the season, because points really don't matter yet......which i think you could argue is why we have both of them now before summer, and not later, closer to indy.

 

[hobbes105]

I really don't look forward to these events either. Why do these 4 wides need to be a competition between all 4 drivers? Why can't this just be 2 drag races running simultaneously? The left 2 lanes compete against each other and the right 2 lanes against each other. It would eliminate the confusion and hard to follow 4 wide specific rules. This would also stop non-winners from advancing. Fans of 4 wide will still get 4 cars running at once.

 

[PJ]

I really don't look forward to these events either. Why do these 4 wides need to be a competition between all 4 drivers? Why can't this just be 2 drag races running simultaneously? The left 2 lanes compete against each other and the right 2 lanes against each other. It would eliminate the confusion and hard to follow 4 wide specific rules. This would also stop non-winners from advancing. Fans of 4 wide will still get 4 cars running at once.

They couldn't run separate races at the same time. The issues with staging would still be there, so they would still all have to stage together. This would be having a winner form each "pair" but the staging in lane 1 could still affect the driver and race in lane 4

 

[twostep]

We used to race 4-wide at the old Green Valley Raceway (I ran J/SA) back in the days where it was either that or run stockers until 4am. Over 100 entries wasn't the exception, it was the rule.

I suppose the problem with current 4 wide staging and the resulting bad RTs is the confusion of trying to watch all four stage bulbs instead of two. They say lanes 2 and 3 struggle with it more but I don't quite understand why that is. Glad to see Enders back in form with her reaction times - had she not been they would have handed the Wally to Cuadra, who almost beat her anyway even with a puny motor. That kid is good... .001, .007 and .005 at a 4-wide event....his turn is coming.

 

[MM]

They say lanes 2 and 3 struggle with it more but I don't quite understand why that is

Because you're looking at a different side of the tree than you normally would in those lanes. In lane 2, you're looking at the left side of the tree. Normally, if you have car lined up to your left, you look at the right side of the tree. Same situation with lane 3. I can see how having to look across the tree could cause some mix up and get driver's out of their normal routines, but it's also something that you can mentally prepare yourself for. Everyone is different.

 

[Nunz]

I don't prefer 4 wide, but to do it twice a year at tracks that also have traditional events, seems fine to me. Like the pictures above prove, it's been done for years. It's never going to be the norm. And with regards to the crowds, at least from TV this weekend the turnout looked pretty healthy. Remember, an event doesn't have to sell out to be a profitable race.

 

[mick]

i see Circle K is presenting sponsor of 4 wides in a couple weeks. wonder if there is any kind of direct promotion at certain stores to the race?

 

[Mike]

Do something else that weekend.

 

[mick]

Do something else that weekend.

this thread has been dormant for a while.....i asked if circle K, as the recently advertised presenting sponsor, mite have a race related promotion for the upcoming 4wide race @ zmax?
...... you said, 'do something else that weekend' ....... is there a connection here? if there is, i'm not understanding it.

 

[Joe]

I don't prefer 4 wide, but to do it twice a year at tracks that also have traditional events, seems fine to me. Like the pictures above prove, it's been done for years. It's never going to be the norm. And with regards to the crowds, at least from TV this weekend the turnout looked pretty healthy. Remember, an event doesn't have to sell out to be a profitable race.

At some of the tracks the seats are painted. So watching on TV gives a false impression of the number of people in stands.

 

[Randy]

this thread has been dormant for a while.....i asked if circle K, as the recently advertised presenting sponsor, mite have a race related promotion for the upcoming 4wide race @ zmax?
...... you said, 'do something else that weekend' ....... is there a connection here? if there is, i'm not understanding it.

I think he was responding to the complainers. Mike can be slow to the party sometimes, so we need to cut him some slack.

 

[Mike]

Mike Larson, my response wasnt for you but for all these people that dont like 4 wide. Sound like a bunch of Karens

 

[Nunz]

At some of the tracks the seats are painted. So watching on TV gives a false impression of the number of people in stands.

Oh I'm aware of that. NASCAR does that at many tracks as well.

 

[DanTheFan]

How about meeting half way and and have the top two of the final quad run off for the win?