NHRA’s four-wide racing returns to the ZMax Dragway in March

The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series returns to the prestigious zMAX Dragway for one of the most exceptional events in the sport of drag racing, the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, March 27-29, the fourth of 24 events during the 2015 season.

 

The event, the only one of its kind which gives fans an opportunity to see the world’s best drag racers power their 10,000-horsepower nitro machines side by side by side by side in a four-wide configuration. It’s an experience unlike anything else in drag racing.

               

The best in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle will once again try to tame the one-of-a-kind thrill show at the world’s only four-lane dragstrip. Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car), Jimmy Alund (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (PSM) were last year’s winners of the event that will once again be televised on ESPN and ESPN2. Due to ESPN’s live eliminations coverage on Sunday, Mello Yello Series racing will begin at 1 p.m. (ET), an hour later than originally scheduled.

 

Celebrating its sixth running, the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals has thrilled fans with never before seen sights in professional drag racing. In most drag racing scenarios, the only things standing in the way of a win light are the Christmas Tree and the competitor in the other lane. In the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, drivers have to contend with those issues times three, with the addition of two more competitors lined up alongside them. For fans, watching four racecars simultaneously accelerate to more than 300 mph is certainly quadruple the fun.

               

In Top Fuel, Brown piloted his Matco Tools dragster to his first career Four-Wide Nationals win last season and claimed six victories on the season, a season best in the category. Brown, the 2012 Top Fuel world champion, has had a strong opening to the 2015 season, claiming a runner-up finish at the season-opening event in Pomona and a semifinal appearance in Phoenix. With a new paint scheme in 2015 dedicated to individual Matco distributors around the country, Brown will be eager to get his new racecar to victory lane in the Tar Heel state.

 

Spencer Massey, Brown’s DSR teammate, has dominated the Charlotte Spring race the last few years, going back-to-back in 2012 and 2013. Fresh off a third place points finish in 2014, Massey will be looking for a third victory in four years in his Red Fuel dragster. Reigning world champ Tony Schumacher has two victories at zMAX Dragway, but is looking for his first in the unique four-lane format. Kalitta Motorsports drivers Doug Kalitta and J.R. Todd, three-time world champ Larry Dixon, reigning rookie of the year Richie Crampton, Brittany Force, Steve Torrence and Leah Pritchett will all be major contenders in Top Fuel.

 

In Funny Car, Robert Hight scored a victory at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in 2014, his first of three straight victories on the season. Hight dominated the first half of the regular season before finishing fifth in Funny Car points. The winningest driver in NHRA history at zMAX Dragway with four victories, Hight will bring his new look Auto Club Chevy Camaro SS to the state of the art facility as the only two-time Funny Car winner of the event. Hight, the 2009 Funny Car world champ, also won the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in 2012.

 

Reigning world champ Matt Hagan is a three-time winner at Charlotte including a victory at the four-lane race in 2013. Hagan started his title defense strong by sweeping the season-opening events in Pomona and Phoenix. Hagan, driver of the Mopar Express Lane/Rocky Boots Dodge Charger R/T, holds the track speed record with a 322.27 mph pass in September 2011. John Force, the 16-time world champ and winner of the 2010 NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, will give his Charlotte fans their first look at his new PEAK Chevy Camaro SS. Funny Car’s winningest female driver Courtney Force, three-time national event winner Alexis DeJoria, 2011 Top Fuel world champ Del Worsham, two-time world champ Cruz Pedregon, 2012 world champ Jack Beckman, third place points finisher Tommy Johnson Jr. and Don Schumacher Racing driver Ron Capps are some of the other Funny Car competitors who are expected to compete for the coveted Wally.

               

Jimmy Alund surprised everyone in Charlotte when he won the event in Pro Stock last season. Substituting for four-time world champ Greg Anderson, who had off-season heart surgery, Alund ran the first five races and struck gold in his final round appearance of 2014. Alund returns to Charlotte with different circumstances this time around, racing one of Anderson’s old Pontiac GXPs. Anderson, a two-time winner of the event, is looking for his first race win since Englishtown in 2012. Summit Racing teammate Jason Line was the runner-up in points last season and opened 2015 with a win at the Circle K NHRA Winternationals.

 

Others to watch in the parity-filled factory hot road category include reigning world champ Erica Enders-Stevens, 2012 world champ Allen Johnson, Phoenix winner Rodger Brogdon, rookie sensation and Pomona runner-up Drew Skillman, Gray Motorsports drivers Shane Gray and Jonathan Gray, Vincent Nobile and V. Gaines.

               

Hines and Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson teammate Eddie Krawiec dominated the Pro Stock Motorcycle season, combining to win 11 of the 16 events in 2014. Hines claimed his first win of the year in Charlotte and claimed five more titles en route to his fourth career world championship, which puts him second on the all-time series champ list in the class. Krawiec, twice a winner at the Charlotte fall event, 2009 world champ Hector Arana Sr., 2013 event winner Hector Arana Jr.; two-time world champ Matt Smith, 2014 Epping winner Angie Smith and former Charlotte winner Steve Johnson will all be competitive in the two-wheeled category.

               

As always, fans will have the opportunity to interact with their favorite drivers as they’re granted an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. This unique opportunity in motorsports gives fans direct access to the teams, allowing them to see firsthand the highly-skilled mechanics service their hot rods between rounds, and enjoy some cherished face time with their favorite NHRA drivers.

               

Fans also will want to visit NHRA’s popular Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create a carnival atmosphere, with interactive displays, simulated competitions, merchandise, food and fun for the entire family.

 

NHRA’s new campaign, “Baptism by Nitro” will be making its first appearance at Charlotte in 2015. Inspired by the popular phrase “Baptism by Fire”, a commonly used phrase to describe when an individual is thrust into a new situation, experience or environment, “Baptism by Nitro” is NHRA’s call to encourage long-time fans to introduce a family member or friend to the heart-pounding atmosphere of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

 

Throughout the 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season, NHRA fans are encouraged to share first-time “Baptism by Nitro” fan experiences on social media. Prizes will be given away all year to the best nitro rookie reactions captured in the pits or in the grandstands and posted to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. All posts should include the hashtag #BaptismbyNitro and tag @NHRA.

 

Prior to the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, fans are encouraged to go online and nominate a nitro rookie and explain why their designated candidate deserves a VIP “Baptism by Nitro” experience. The winning entry will receive four tickets to the 2015 NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, VIP “Inside the Ropes” access for a nitro warm-up and starting line access where each new fan will be truly baptized by nitro. Fans can log on to www.NHRA.com or visit NHRA’s Facebook page for their chance to win this VIP experience starting February 24. An exciting visual preview of the campaign can be seen and shared at http://bit.ly/BBNitroVid.  

 

Mello Yello Series qualifying begins Friday, March 27, with sessions at 1:15 p.m. and 4:15 p.m. The final two qualifying sessions will take place Saturday, March 28, also at 1:15 and 4 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 29.

 

The 2015 NHRA Four-Wide Nationals will also feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.

 

Be a part of the action all weekend with a Three-Day Pass to the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals starting at $99.  Tickets for children 13 and under are free with any paid adult ticket; to purchase general admission or reserved seats please visit www.zMAXDragway.com or call the box office at (800) 455-FANS (3267). For more information about NHRA, please visit www.NHRA.com.

 

Before the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series arrives in North Carolina for the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, the series will make a stop in Florida for the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, March 12-15, at historic Auto-Club Raceway at Gainesville. Keep up with all the action on ESPN2.

Adam Sinclair