NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Placed in the middle of three straight races, this weekend’s eighth annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at the state-of-the-art zMAX Dragway provides a chance for drivers to bounce back if they struggled last weekend in Houston. But the uniqueness of the race also poses a massive challenge for every driver in the Funny Car class. 

The prospect of competing against three other 10,000-horsepower machines at the same time is not an easy task, though it does present a thrilling, one-of-a-kind experience. For Tommy Johnson Jr., who won in Las Vegas, returning to zMAX Dragway brings excitement, especially when he can make amends from a first-round loss in Houston in his Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T. 

“We’ll regroup and come out swinging at the Four-Wide,” said Johnson, who is fourth in points. “Charlotte is kind of a home race for me, and all of my family lives there now and comes out. We’ve done well there in the past so I’m looking forward to it.”  

Brittany Force (Top Fuel), Tim Wilkerson (Funny Car), Jason Line (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were last year’s winners of a race that will be televised on FOX Sports 1, including a broadcast of the finals on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. (ET). It is the sixth of 24 races in a 2017 NHRA Funny Car season that has had different winners at the past four races. 

Matt Hagan was hot early, winning the first two, he is the current Funny Car points leader, and he is eagerly anticipating erasing last weekend’s first-round loss. 

“There’s a lot of racing still left and we’re going to my home track at Charlotte where my entire family will be,” Hagan said. “So I’m pretty pumped about that and we’re just going to roll on with it.”

The impressive parity in the class also means a number of standout drivers will be seeking their first win of the season at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals. That includes Courtney Force, who broke a string of three straight first-round losses with a semifinal appearance in Houston. With a race as important as the Four-Wide Nationals, which annually draws a huge crowd for the biggest spectacle in drag racing, a win could provide a huge boost for Force, currently fifth in points.

“What we’re taking away from (Houston) is that consistency we’ve been looking for,” Force said. “We may not have a Wally in hand, but we have things we can take away and use in the future. I’m looking forward to the next race (in Charlotte).”

Count first-year Funny Car driver J.R. Todd as another who is anxiously awaiting this weekend’s race. Todd, a former Top Fuel standout, continues to learn at a rapid rate, a necessary requirement in a class as talented as Funny Car. Defending world champion Ron Capps captured his first win of the year last weekend in Houston, providing plenty of momentum heading into Charlotte, while 16-time world champion John Force won earlier this season in Gainesville. The legendary driver is also a huge fan of the unique challenges that four-wide racing presents. 

“The fans love it,” Force said. “They can come there, and it’s a change: Four cars, 40,000 horsepower, side-by-side-by-side-by-side. (It’s the) greatest show on earth. I love two-lane, but I love four-lane. I wish they’d build more of them.”

Mello Yello Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 4 and 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 28 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, April 29, at 1:30 and 4 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 12 p.m. on Sunday, April 30.

Be a part of the action all weekend with a Three-Day Pass to the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals starting at $107.  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).