WHAT: Fifth annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, the fifth of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. Drivers in four categories – Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle – earn points leading to 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world championships.
WHERE: zMAX Dragway- Track is located on Hwy 29 off I-85 at exit 49 (Speedway Blvd.) in the Concord, N.C. area.
WHEN: Friday through Sunday, April 11-13
FORMAT: Qualifying sessions and elimination rounds will be conducted using four lanes in all Mello Yello Series classes; Lanes will be identified from left to right facing downtrack as 1-4; The standard Friday qualifying procedure of a top 12 format will not be in use; Two Christmas trees will be in use, one between each two lanes; The Compulink Autostart system will continue to be utilized and it will not activate until all four vehicles are pre-staged and one vehicle has staged; The ladder structure will feature Race A: qualifiers 1, 8, 9, 16, Race B: qualifiers 4, 5, 12, 13, Race C: qualifiers 2, 7, 10, 15, and Race D: qualifiers 3, 6, 11, 14; Race A and Race B will be on one side of the ladder, while Race C and Race D will be on the other; Lane choice for eliminations goes to the driver with the quickest E.T., then the second-quickest, and so on; The first two drivers in each elimination round to cross the finish line advance to the second round and final; In the final round, teams will finish in the order they cross the finish line (barring any red-light starts), with winner, runner-up and two semifinalists in that order.
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, April 11 – LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying. MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at 1:15 and 4:15 p.m.
SATURDAY, April 12 – LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations. MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at 1:15 and 4:15 p.m.
SUNDAY, April 13 – Pre-race ceremonies, 11 a.m. MELLO YELLO SERIES eliminations begin at noon
TELEVISION:
Saturday, April 12, ESPN2HD will televise an hour of qualifying coverage at 9 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, April 13, ESPN2HD will televise three hours of eliminations coverage at 8 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE (Digital HD feed):
Friday, April 11, 7 – 7:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 1 / Transponder 22C
Saturday, April 12, 7:30 – 8 p.m. (ET), AMC 1 / Transponder 22C
Sunday, April 13, 6:30 – 7 p.m. (ET), AMC 1 / Transponder 22C
(4140 MHz, vertical; Data Rate: 40.46147055 Mbp; Symbol Rate: 29.27 Ms; FEC: ¾; Bandwidth: 36 Mhz)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners’ interviews on Sunday.