HotrodCuda
Nitro Member
I was just wondering if anybody knows if they will use both tracks at the Carolina Nationals? That would be cool if they did. 4 diffirent setups for each lane.
Nitromater
This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Anybody know if they will use both tracks at Carolina Nationals?
- Thread starter HotrodCuda
- Start date
my friends call me Zappy
Nitro Member
So far I've heard nothing from zMAX, the Smiths, or nhra on how or IF both tracks will be used. I would suggest alternate tracks. One pair down the left track,- the next pair down the right track, and so on. It would sure speed up the show...
murdock
Nitro Member
There is a picture on the Lowe's Speedway/ZMax web site that shows that the left hand pair of lanes have started to rubber up, while the right hand pair are still white. Looks like they are trying to get the left side worked in for this weekend and not worrying about the right side.
Murdock.
Murdock.
The last pic I saw only had 1,000' clocks in the left pair. And that's the one that has had all of the prep and runs made on it so far. Marcus Smith said on Wind Tunnel Sun. night they would only be using 2. I really feel sorry for folks who have bought tickets in the east side bleachers. They're gonna have a lonnng look. MJ
Last edited:
my friends call me Zappy
Nitro Member
Yer right, after all the hub-bub about twin tracks, if they only use one track, they're gonna have half the fans PO'ed. 
my friends call me Zappy
Nitro Member
Hmmm, just read on nhra.com that only two lanes will be used. 
They don't say what two.
If true, what a waste...big mistake on their part. (imo.)
They don't say what two.
If true, what a waste...big mistake on their part. (imo.)
murdock
Nitro Member
Aerial photos of the track show that the left hand pair of lanes are being used already for testing. The left hand pair are the lanes closest to the main (John Force) grandstand with the enclosed box seats at the top of the grandstand.
Lowe's Motor Speedway | News & Photos | Photo Gallery
Murdock.
Lowe's Motor Speedway | News & Photos | Photo Gallery
Murdock.
my friends call me Zappy
Nitro Member
Great photos, thanks. (glad I'm on the John Force side) 
But I still think it's wrong not to use all 4 lanes in some way.
Kinda like having a V8....and only using 4cyls. = such a waste
But I still think it's wrong not to use all 4 lanes in some way.
Kinda like having a V8....and only using 4cyls. = such a waste
FC138fan
Nitro Member
Am I all alone thinking 4 lanes was a dumb idea?
Those people sitting on the lane thats not getting used just have that much more distance between them and the race. Id be pissed if I had to sit there.
I've heard people say it would make the races quicker. Do they really need to be quicker? I bet it takes about an hour to run a whole qualifying session for TF and FC.. and in the future even less cause the teams are dropping like flies. If theres an oildown the safety safari cleans it up in short order.
Aren't the track prep people focusing all their attention on the two lanes being used.. and I'm sure that job itself is a challenge. The NHRA wouldn't hire a second team for just one race to maintain two sets of lanes. If they doubled the track prep work could they even keep up?
How about take that money and put it into far end safety measures .... Or put backs on the bleacher seats.. or replace the bleachers with seats youd find in a football stadium. Theres gotta be better things to spend the money on then a set of lanes thats really not going to get used.
by the way, why don't they angle the stands so that you don't have to stand up to watch cars go down the track (as you do now because the stands are parallel with the track). Additionally, it makes sence that the further down track you go, the more clear space between the track and the stands you would need for a runaway car. Put the seats 30' off the start line, then angle it to 100' at the finish or whatever. Similar principle as the further back you go into the stands the higher the seats.. you dont build stands parallel with the ground, you angle them up.
Those people sitting on the lane thats not getting used just have that much more distance between them and the race. Id be pissed if I had to sit there.
I've heard people say it would make the races quicker. Do they really need to be quicker? I bet it takes about an hour to run a whole qualifying session for TF and FC.. and in the future even less cause the teams are dropping like flies. If theres an oildown the safety safari cleans it up in short order.
Aren't the track prep people focusing all their attention on the two lanes being used.. and I'm sure that job itself is a challenge. The NHRA wouldn't hire a second team for just one race to maintain two sets of lanes. If they doubled the track prep work could they even keep up?
How about take that money and put it into far end safety measures .... Or put backs on the bleacher seats.. or replace the bleachers with seats youd find in a football stadium. Theres gotta be better things to spend the money on then a set of lanes thats really not going to get used.
by the way, why don't they angle the stands so that you don't have to stand up to watch cars go down the track (as you do now because the stands are parallel with the track). Additionally, it makes sence that the further down track you go, the more clear space between the track and the stands you would need for a runaway car. Put the seats 30' off the start line, then angle it to 100' at the finish or whatever. Similar principle as the further back you go into the stands the higher the seats.. you dont build stands parallel with the ground, you angle them up.
my friends call me Zappy
Nitro Member
Nick, acording to the seating chart, the sec's. A thru H on both sides are on an angle like you suggested. A close to track, H, farther.
The top ten rows have stadium style seats (fold down), the rest all have seat backs.
The top ten rows have stadium style seats (fold down), the rest all have seat backs.
Last edited:
FC138fan
Nitro Member
Nick, acording to the seating chart, the sec's. A thru H on both sides are on an angle like you suggested. A close to track, H, farther.
The top ten rows have stadium style seats (fold down), the rest all have seat backs.
Wow, I guess I'm used to the old ass tracks. Nice to see someone thought of that before I did. Too bad they updated Norwalk's safety standards, back in the day you could stand 10' from the track all the way down the side. Woulda sucked if they had a Brandon Bernstein type crash in top fuel.
The Swegian
Nitro Member
Nick, at Vegas, the main grandstand is angled away from the track all the way down. What's really cool is that at the starting line, if you're sitting in the first few rows of section B/C, you're so close you feel like you can reach over the fence and touch the car in the lane closest to you.
my friends call me Zappy
Nitro Member
Well as we all know by now, they only used the left pair. That was nhra's thing, NOT Mr. Smith.
Once again nhra shoots themself in the foot. A great opportunity laid right at their feet, and they let it slip away.
Once again nhra shoots themself in the foot. A great opportunity laid right at their feet, and they let it slip away.
Nitrohaulic
Nitro Member
What'll he do if it turns out 4 lanes isn't a good idea? How much you wanna bet he'd dig two lanes up and move the stands over?
my friends call me Zappy
Nitro Member
4-lanes is a good idea. nhra can stop him from using 4 at a natl. event, but they can't stop him from using them on a weekly deal.
Similar threads
