Know your Four-Wide Nationals

Concord's zMax Dragway will be the site of National Hot Rod Association history this week. For the first time, the NHRA will sanction four-wide racing at the Four-Wide Nationals.

Here's a look at how racing four-wide will work:

TRACK SETUP: The four-wide design essentially is set up with two, two-lane strips. The two outside lanes are contained by 4-foot high walls that gradually rise to 5 feet toward the end of the track. Another wall separates the two inside lanes, helping form the two-lane strips.

LANE DESIGNATION: Lanes will be identified in numerical order from left to right facing the track.

SAFETY: The numbers of first responders and safety personnel will double for the four-wide races, from 20-25 to 45-50.

QUALIFYING: Drivers with the least number of points will be the first to run during the opening qualifying sessions. Highest in points will run in Lane4, second highest in Lane3, and so on. Subsequent qualifying sessions will follow normal procedure, with the faster times running during the last session.

Elapsed times from all qualifying sessions will be used to set the 16-car eliminations.

STARTING SYSTEM: Each two-lane track will have its own "Christmas tree." Atop each tree will be extra bulbs to indicate the pre-stage and stage positions of the two cars on the adjacent track.

LANE CHOICE FOR ELIMINATIONS: Fastest qualifiers will get first-round lane choices in each group of four. During later rounds, first choice will go to the driver with the lower elapsed time from the previous round.

Schedule

THURSDAY

8 a.m.: Gates open

9 a.m.: Sportsman qualifying

4 p.m.: Comp Eliminator qualifying

Friday

8 a.m.: Gates open

8:30 a.m.: Sportsman qualifying

12:30 p.m.: Comp Eliminator qualifying

1:15 p.m.: Pro stock (motorcycle, car) qualifying

2 p.m.: Nitro (Funny Car, Top Fuel Dragster) qualifying

3 p.m.: Comp Eliminator qualifying

3:45 p.m.: Pro stock qualifying

4:30 p.m.: Nitro qualifying

Saturday

8 a.m.: Gates open

8:30 a.m.: Sportsman eliminations

11:30 a.m.: Comp Eliminator round 1

11:45 a.m.: Pro stock qualifying

12:30 p.m.: Nitro qualifying

1:30 p.m.: Comp Eliminator round 2

2:15 p.m.: Pro stock qualifying

3 p.m.: Nitro qualifying

4 p.m.: Sportsmen eliminations

Sunday

9 a.m.: Gates open

11 a.m.: Pre-race ceremonies

Noon: Final eliminations

zMax history

Track records

Top Fuel

Elapsed time: 3.826 seconds, Shawn Langdon, September 2009

MPH: 317.87, Antron Brown, September 2009

Funny Car

ET: 4.072 seconds, Frank Hawley, September 2008

MPH: 308.99, Robert Hight, September 2009

Pro Stock

ET: 6.594 seconds, Mike Edwards, September 2009

MPH: 209.62, Edwards, September 2009

Pro Stock Motorcycle

ET: 6.952 seconds, Matt Smith, September 2008

MPH: 192.91, Eddie Krawiec, September 2008

Past winners

Top Fuel

Cory McClenathan, 2009; Tony Schumacher, 2008.

Funny Car

Robert Hight, 2009; Jack Beckman, 2008.

Pro Stock

Mike Edwards, 2009; Justin Humphreys, 2008

Pro Stock Motorcycle

Hector Arana, 2009; Steve Johnson, 2008

NHRA Points Leaders

Top Fuel: Tony Schumacher 266; Cory McClenathan 255; Larry Dixon 239; Doug Kalitta 230; Antron Brown 194.

Funny Car: John Force 280; Ron Capps 226; Jack Beckman 219; Bob Tasca III 205; Matt Hagan, Robert Hight 181.

Pro Stock: Mike Edwards 363; Allen Johnson 231; Greg Anderson 221; Jason Line 200; Ron Krisher 162.

Pro Stock Motorcycle: Ed Krawiec 119; Shawn Gann 94; Karen Stoffer 84; Hector Arana 76; Craig Treble 75.

Tickets

800-455-FANS (3267) or www.zmaxdragway.com.