I have been thinking about ways to make drag racing more exciting for the fans. I thought about when I was a kid watching the Figure-8 races from Islip Speedway on "The Wide World of Sports." Drivers not only had to go as fast as they could, but they also had to avoid crashing into other cars on the figure-8. That gave me an idea.
What if we brought drag racing and figure-8 racing together on the quarter mile?
The drag strip is modified by installing a crossover at the eighth-mile mark. There are start and finish lines at each end. The two cars start at the opposite ends of the track, one in each lane. When the light turns green, each car goes, but they have to cross over into the other lane at mid-track. That maintains the need for good reaction times and ETs, as it is now. But it also adds crash avoidance into the set of driver skills needed.
Before you dismiss this idea as crazy, think about how much more interesting this would be for spectators.
What if we brought drag racing and figure-8 racing together on the quarter mile?
The drag strip is modified by installing a crossover at the eighth-mile mark. There are start and finish lines at each end. The two cars start at the opposite ends of the track, one in each lane. When the light turns green, each car goes, but they have to cross over into the other lane at mid-track. That maintains the need for good reaction times and ETs, as it is now. But it also adds crash avoidance into the set of driver skills needed.
Before you dismiss this idea as crazy, think about how much more interesting this would be for spectators.
