Gilby's blog of today 9/22/07
Blogs.NHRA.com - NHRA Driver Blogs

Check this, too. Four lanes?

NHRA News: Rumor Mill – Charlotte Track to Have Four Lanes

If this happens you can count on me being there for the race.

If this rumor holds true, it sure raises some interesting questions. How far apart will the lanes be? How will the seating be arranged? I picture stadium stands like Joliet where fans can see over track barriers. I guess we'll see when it happens. Thanks to Beserko Bob for the scoop!

Ditto for me, I was debating between Memphis, Dallas and Charlotte, but the all concrete track coupled with it being a Bruton Smith track tips the scales towards Charlotte.

Las Vegas can be expanded to 4 lanes. The original building plan called for 4 lanes, but supposedly NHRA asked SMI to hold off on the 4 lanes project for fear of obsoleting every other track on tour. I would be very surprised if Charlotte went "live" with 4 lanes ....

The Vegas plan was to have all 4 lanes side by side, with a slightly wider and higher wall dividing the two sets of lanes. The general plan was to only use both lanes during sportsman qualis and elims (not at the same time, they would run alternating pairs), and narrow it down to one set of lanes for Pro's, and if there is an oil-down, switch to the other lanes until the oil-down could be cleaned up to keep the program moving along.

__________________
I am suspicious of everyone's agenda, especially my own.

That idea about being able to just switch lanes seems convenient... but I wonder if that would cause issues with tune-ups? Would be VERY cool to watch that play out...

CJ Curtsinger

Two concerns about 4 lanes...

1. If they build a high barrier between the 2 sets of lanes, what about spectator visibility? The grandstands on the opposite side of a particular set of lanes might have a hard time seeing things.

2. The idea that the safety safari can work on one set of lanes while nitro cars can continue on using the 2nd set raises a safety question. What happens if a car goes out of control and goes over the guardwall dividing the 2 sets of lanes?
Let's hope not, but you never know.

__________________
Q: What do you call cheese that doesn't belong to you?
A: Nacho cheese!