[woodcote]

That's certainly what I originally thought - and then loads of testing disproved the theory.

Each car qualifies with at least one run in each lane (the final two runs are always different lanes). Some cars run faster in the left lane, some in the right... and then the next event, it might be the other way round. So I think there's a natural variability in the cars that is greater than anything the track is doing. You'll see some cars clock three almost identical times.

In the elimination rounds, I do put the highest-seeded car in the lane nearest the camera which - in theory - had slightly more physical resistance. So if there is any advantage - however miniscule - it goes to the underdog.

Neither lane is completely smooth... Both lanes have raised joins - which the braids 'float' over. However, one has an edge that can catch if it's metal-on-metal.