Starting System

Since zMAX Dragway is essentially two tracks built side-by-side, with a center wall separating the two all the way to the Top End, each track will have the standard NHRA Christmas Tree. Atop each Tree will be additional pre-stage and stage bulbs. These additional bulbs will indicate the pre-stage and stage position of the two vehicles on the adjacent track.

The Compulink AUTOSTART system will continue to be utilized at this event, however, unlike two-lane racing, the AUTOSTART system will not activate until all four vehicles are pre-staged and one vehicle has staged.

Ladders for Eliminations

In structuring the ladder, the primary objective is to have the top-four qualifiers meet in the final round, assuming the quickest qualifier advances in each round. The first two drivers in each pairing to cross the finish line (barring red-lighting), will advance to round two, therefore the pairings in round one will be grouped accordingly: Race A will have qualifiers 1, 8, 9, 16; Race B consists of qualifiers 3, 6, 11, 14; Race C will have qualifiers 2, 7, 10, 15; and Race D will have qualifiers 4, 5, 12, 13.

In the second round, first and second place from Race A will be in the same grouping as first and second from Race B, and first and second place from Race C and D will be in the other second round race. Again, the first two across the finish line (barring red-lighting) advance to the finals.

In the final round, teams will finish in the order they cross the finish line (barring red-lighting).

Lane Choice for Eliminations

First round lane choice goes to the quickest qualifier in each group of four. Second quickest in the group has second choice and third quickest has third choice.

In subsequent rounds, the first choice goes to the driver with the lower elapsed time from the previous round and so forth throughout the grouping.