NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

For the first time in NHRA history, there will be four-wide racing in the Countdown to the Championship. NHRA and zMAX Dragway officials announced today the first four-wide playoff race, as the revamped NHRA 4-Wide Carolina Nationals will take place Sept. 19-21, 2025, at the Bellagio of Dragstrips, zMAX Dragway.

The annual fall event in Charlotte serves as the second of six races in the Countdown to the Championship and the 16th of 20 races during the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. The playoff race had previously taken place in drag racing’s traditional two-wide format, but one of the most unique spectacles in motorsports will make its playoff debut, with four-wide racing set to bring an intriguing and exciting aspect to the championship race and the fall event at state-of-the-art zMAX Dragway.

“Creating remarkable events is at the core of what we strive to do every day, and a four-wide Countdown race is the next in a long line of firsts we’re proud to be part of in motorsports,” said Greg Walter, president and general manager at Charlotte Motor Speedway. “We’ve seen the popularity of four-wide racing with fans for years at our spring event, but with championship implications on the line, next year’s showcase of speed promises to be our best yet.”

Since its debut in 2010 at the spring race at zMAX Dragway, the first-ever purpose-built four-lane dragstrip, four-wide racing has been a huge favorite with fans, packing the spacious facility each year during the early-season extravaganza. 

Bringing the spectacular nature of four-wide racing to the Countdown to the Championship adds a thrilling, must-see aspect to the fall race, which comes in the middle of an important stretch of three straight race weekends to open the playoffs.

Last year, Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock), and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won the NHRA Carolina Nationals, with both Brown and Prock finishing the season as world champs, and Glenn and Smith taking second in points in their respective classes.

Over the years, zMAX Dragway and four-wide racing have provided incredible moments, unbelievable side-by-side-by-side-by-side action, and record-breaking runs, setting the stage for a wild four-wide doubleheader in 2025. The NHRA 4-Wide Nationals on April 25-27 will feature the 1,000th race in the illustrious Top Fuel category, with fans also getting the chance to witness four-wide racing in the fall for the first time ever, only adding to the playoff intensity and electricity at zMAX Dragway.

“I think it’s positive. You have to go as many rounds as you can in those six [Countdown] races no matter what, and I think it’ll be good,” Mac Tools Top Fuel driver Doug Kalitta said. “If it helps the attendance, that’ll be a double bonus, and I’m totally down with it. People can be pretty opinionated about the four-wide races, but Bruton Smith stepped up like he did his whole life building these beautiful facilities trying to grow the sport. 

“If somebody’s willing to spend the money to build a four-wide track to try to improve the sport, I’m definitely down with supporting people and efforts like that. I like the four-wide, and I don’t think it’s going to be a problem. Just like with NASCAR and what they do with the road courses and the Roval, we’re mixing it up. I’m for doing whatever it takes to promote our sport and get the most fans at the events.”

Added Funny Car driver Bob Tasca III: “We race for the fans, and the engagement for the four-wide races is off the charts. The track thought it would be a great addition to the Countdown, so why not? Four-wide racing pushes some drivers out of their comfort zone, but I’ve had great success in this format. It’s an intense, electrifying experience that the fans absolutely love, so I say give the fans what they want and make it part of the Countdown." 

Some of the biggest names in the NHRA have also been the biggest winners when it comes to four-wide racing in Charlotte. In the Top Fuel ranks, Brown and Steve Torrence, who both have four world championships, have enjoyed massive success in Charlotte. Torrence has four four-wide victories (and six overall), while Brown has two four-wide wins (and six overall). Funny Car legend John Force won the first four-wide event in 2010 and also the most recent in 2024, with Ron Capps and Jack Beckman also winning twice at the biggest spectacle in drag racing.

In Pro Stock, reigning world champion Greg Anderson has three wins in the four-wide format at zMAX Dragway, including a 2024 triumph, while back-to-back Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion Gaige Herrera also has won the spring race the past two seasons in Charlotte.

“We’re excited to team up with the incredible team at zMAX Dragway and have our first-ever four-wide drag racing in the Countdown to the Championship,” NHRA President Glen Cromwell said. “The Smith family and everyone at zMAX Dragway have always been eager to bring new and innovative ideas to the table, and it was great to see the support from our race teams and partners. We wanted to try something different for our fall race in Charlotte, and this marks a thrilling new challenge and full of playoff intensity, and one we think our fans will be eager to see next fall.”

Tickets for the NHRA 4-Wide Carolina Nationals are on sale now and available at https://www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/events/nhra-carolina-nationals/. The spectacular, can’t-miss four-wide action will include two rounds of qualifying on both Friday and Saturday, leading into eliminations on Sunday for the pivotal playoff race.