Door assembly having a soft bottomed door panel and system and method of driving the same

A drive system for an overhead roll-up door assembly comprising:

• a motor;
• a drive drum coupled to the motor;
• a first drive sprocket coupled to the drive drum proximate a first end of the drive drum;
• a second drive sprocket coupled to the drive drum proximate a second end of the drive drum;
• a first column of drive teeth comprising a plurality of individual drive teeth fixed to a first side of a door panel, the first column of drive teeth engaging the first drive sprocket;
• a second column of drive teeth comprising a second plurality of individual drive teeth fixed to a second side of the door panel, the second column of drive teeth engaging the second drive sprocket;
• a first drive guide positioned above the first drive sprocket, the first drive guide defining a first drive channel between the first drive guide and the first drive sprocket and being positioned to engage the first column of drive teeth and facilitate alignment between the first drive sprocket and the first column of drive teeth;
• and
• a second drive guide positioned above the second drive sprocket, the second drive guide defining a second drive channel between the second drive guide and the second drive sprocket and being positioned to engage the second column of drive teeth and facilitate alignment between the second drive sprocket and the second column of drive teeth,
• wherein each of the first drive channel and the second drive channel comprise
• a first portion positioned at a first side of each drive channel;
• a second portion positioned at a second side of each drive channel;
• and
• a middle portion positioned between the first portion and the second portion, and further wherein
• an outer wall of each of the first drive channel and the second drive channel comprises an undulating curvature so that a clearance is provided above the first column of drive teeth and the second column of drive teeth at the first portion and the second portion of each of the first drive channel and the second drive channel and a narrowing of each drive channel occurs at the middle portion of the first drive channel and the second drive channel.