Paul Lee to Take CANIDAE Car “Four Wide” at Charlotte

It can be awfully exciting when NASCAR or IndyCar drivers go three and four wide into a turn on an oval, but they’ve got nothing on the straight-line racers at this weekend’s Inaugural NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway in the Charlotte suburb of Concord.

Nearly 32,000 horsepower in the Funny Car and Top Fuel classes will roll up to the starting line for each round of qualifying and eliminations in NHRA’s first race in history to compete in four lanes instead of the traditional two. That’s right, for the first time drag-race fans will see four cars on the starting grid for each round instead of two, four cars performing burnouts side-by-side-by-side-by-side, and four cars launching together in concert in each qualifying session and elimination round.

“This will definitely be a race for the fans,” Lee said. “They’re going to see four cars going down the track in every round of qualifying and eliminations. It’s the first time for something definitely different, so we’ll see how it goes. I’ve never been to the zMAX Dragway so I’m looking forward to it. All of Bruton Smith’s tracks are awesome and this one should be no different.” (read more)