Six-Wide Racing Coming to Summit Motorsports Park

Photo of April 1 test session
New eliminations ladder for six-wide racing
Workers move the Budweiser side standsNorwalk, Ohio (April 1, 2010) – Six-wide drag racing is coming to Summit Motorsports Park for the 2010 racing season. The announcement comes after completion of a major track renovation that added four new lanes and moved the spectator stands on the Budweiser (east) side back 200 feet.

"We’re very excited to be bringing six-wide drag racing to Norwalk, Ohio," said Bill Bader, Jr., president of the facility. "Our fans will really enjoy the spectacle of 48,000 horsepower as each sextet of nitro cars heads down the track."

Bader added that many technical changes were required, including the addition of two Christmas trees and four additional scoreboards. "All together, it took about six miles of wiring," he said.

"Six-wide racing will be seen as unconventional by many fans, but it has several advantages including expanding eliminations to include 18 cars instead of the traditional 16," continued Bader. There is a new ladder for six-wide racing that consists of three sextets. In Sextet A, the number one qualifier would face the number 18 qualifier.

"This also has many benefits in sportsman racing," said Bader. "By moving through eliminations six cars at a time, our large sportsman races like the K&N Halloween Classic, our Mickey Mart Rewards Season Opener, the Ten Grand Nationals presented by American Race Cars, or our No Box Bonanza presented by BTE, can now easily accomodate as many as 3,000 sportsman racers in a weekend."

Moving the Budweiser stands back 200 feet took up much of the pit area used by pro teams, but Bader was not concerned. "We have plenty of parking for the pro teams across the street."

In a special test session held today at the track, there were a few bugs with the new operation but it went smoothly. Nearly 20,000 fans showed up for the session which was exempted from NHRA's testing policy for pro teams. Weather was uncharacteristically warm for April 1 in Ohio, with clear skies and temperatures in the 60s.

It is estimated that ESPN2's coverage of six-wide racing will require 14 additional cameras, two helicopters and 30 more crew members.