Basic Drag Racing 101

These are the basic rules you will need to know to race at any Drag Strip.

  1. Your car must be able to pass tech inspection by track personal.
  2. Obey all track rules and speed limits while on track property.
  3. Your car should be presentable.
  4. At certain speeds and times, you will be required to have additional equipment. For example, at 13.99 seconds or faster, you will need a helmet. At 11.99 or faster, you will be required to have a roll bar. At 9.99 seconds or faster, your car must be equipped to comply with NHRA or IHRA rules and the driver must wear approved clothing.
  5. Use common sense and be considerate.
  6. No street tires in the water, (burn out) box. The tread on your tires will carry water up to the launch line. Not good!!
  7. If your car should develop problems or break down during your run, pull over towards the wall in your lane as soon as possible and stop as soon and as safely as you can. You don’t want to oil or leave debris on the track surface.
  8. Pit Spots…once you arrive at the track and after you get checked in through tech, as part of the club you will park with the rest of us. Once you park your car in your pit spot that is your spot. Nobody should park in your spot and you should not park in theirs. Leave adequate room between cars. Bring a lawn chair so you’ll have a place to sit while we’re in the pits. Always bring long pants with you in case the track asks you to wear them.
  9. Staging Lanes… before we move our cars out to the staging lanes be sure to use the bathroom or grab that bite to eat prior to us pulling out into the staging lanes. Once we are in the staging lanes, we can be called out to race at any time and once that happens we go. We won’t be able to wait for someone who is not there with their car.
  10. The Tree… OK, here’s where it gets a little lengthy.  The Christmas Tree as it is known is where you line up to race. There are two sets of double yellow lights on top. One set in each lane. These are the pre-staged and staged lights. When motioned forward by the track official, move forward slowly until you light up the top set in your lane. Stop. You are now pre-staged. Take a breath and move slowly forward until you light up the second set. Stop and keep your foot on the brake. Once your opponent is staged the track official will hit the button to start the single yellow light coming down. Timing is everything.  When you see that last yellow light come on, it’s time to go. Dump the brake and hit the gas. I mentioned timing. If you’re a little too quick, you may “red” light and lose by disqualification. If you’re a little slow, your reaction time won’t be real good but it will improve as you do. Getting the tree right takes a little practice so don’t get discouraged if you don’t get it right the first couple times.
  11. OK…you’re flying down the strip and you notice these little orange cones running down the center line. Those are the timers that will tell you how fast you were going at different points during your run. Once you pass the last cone the run is over. Slow down and be ready to exit at the access road which at Byron is on the left. If you have any problem stopping do not try to make that turn. Just go straight into the sand pit. It is there for your safety. You will be given your “time” slip at the little shack on your way back down the access road. Save your slips for your knowledge and so we can record your data.
  12. That’s it…WELCOME TO DRAG RACING.