Drag Racing

About the Tutorial

Drag racing is a type of race in which two racers compete with each other to reach the
destination in order to win the race. This tutorial will let you know about the basics of the
game along with its rules and how to play it.

Audience
This tutorial is aimed at providing an overall knowledge to a person on how to become a
professional drag racer. This tutorial is meant for all those readers who want to learn
how to play drag racing.

Prerequisites
Before proceeding with this tutorial, you are required to have a passion for Racing and
an eagerness to acquire knowledge about the same.

Copyright & Disclaimer

 Copyright 2016 by Tutorials Point (I) Pvt. Ltd.

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We strive to update the contents of our website and tutorials as timely and as precisely
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website or in this tutorial, please notify us at [email protected].

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Table of Contents
About the Tutorial ................................................................................................................................... 1

Audience ................................................................................................................................................. 1

Prerequisites ........................................................................................................................................... 1

Copyright & Disclaimer............................................................................................................................ 1

Table of Contents .................................................................................................................................... 2

1. DRAG RACING – OVERVIEW ................................................................................................. 3

2. DRAG RACING – CLASSES ...................................................................................................... 4

3. DRAG RACING – HISTORIC CARS ........................................................................................ 7

4. DRAG RACING – HOW TO PLAY?......................................................................................... 9

Burnout ................................................................................................................................................... 9

Christmas Tree ........................................................................................................................................ 9

5. DRAG RACING − DISQUALIFICATION OF A RACER ..................................................... 11

6. DRAG RACING – MODIFICATION OF CARS..................................................................... 13

7. DRAG RACING − POINTS TO REMEMBER ...................................................................... 14

8. DRAG RACING – ORGANIZATIONS ................................................................................... 15

9. DRAG RACING – CHAMPIONS............................................................................................. 17

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1. Drag Racing – Overview

Generally, drag racing is a contest between two racers who have to reach the required
destination in order to win the race. The races are always started by an electronic device
known as a Christmas Tree.

Each racer has to start a timer from the start line. The timer stops automatically when
the racer reaches the destination. This start to finish timing is known as Elapsed
Timing.

A Brief History of Drag Racing

If you look back through the hourglass of time, drag race is much older than it seems.
It’s root stretch back to post war era during the period of 1930s.

During 1940s, the racing done side by side became popular by the term drag race. The
reason why it became the name is unknown. It might have started when racers
motivated one another to drag their car out of their garage and race one another. In
case, maximizing the revs, drivers may hold the car in gear longer, or drag through the
gears. The reason behind the term quarter mile distance is as unknown as the term drag
race.

In 1951, to create order from chaos, an individual body known as the National Hot Rod
Association (NHRA) got created. It acts as a governing body for drag racing and hosts
events all over the United States and Canada. Apart from that, the sanctioned body
would also familiarize safety and performance standards in terms to legitimize the drag
racing. Both the NHRA and Hot Rod magazine were popular in the parks during the time
of 1950s.

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2. Drag Racing – Classes

There are many classes in drag racing and each class has its own restrictions and its
requirements. The restrictions include weight, size, modification, body style and many
others.

The National Hot Road Association (NHRA) proudly admits that it has over 200 classes
in comparison to the IHRA. Some classes at IHRA have their own multiple sub-classes
due to differences in engine components and other features.

Let’s now discuss some of the famous classes.

Top Fuel Dragster (TF/D)

These are also called the diggers and are the fastest class. Amongst all the faster
accelerating machines in the world, these machines can run through the drag strip in
less than 3.8 seconds and cross top speeds of over 325mph.

Top Fuel cars are 25-feet long and weigh 2.320 pounds in race-ready trim. Methanol
with 90% nitromethane is used as fuel.

Top Fuel Funny Car – Funny car comes with a shorter base of wheel and a body of
carbon-fiber that remotely looks like a production-based automobile. Funny cars are also
known as floppers and they can routinely run in the 4.0s and can also exceed around
315 mph.

Pro Stock (NHRA, IHRA/MMPSA)

It is popularly known as factory hot rods because of having a resemblance of
production-based cars. They have to maintain a stock appearance. These cars are also
known as door slammers. The Pro Stockers have the ability tore cord quarter-mile
times in 6.4 second range having a speed over 210 mph.

Their wheels can revolve for more than 10,500 rpm and can produce 1,300 horsepower.
The NHRA’s engines cannot produce 500-cubic-inch (8.2 L) displacement whereas the
IHRA/MMPSA cars have the capacity to run at a maximum of 820 cubic inches (13.4 L).
The IHRA/MMPSA cars are also known as Mountain Motors.

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Pro Stock Motorcycle of (NHRA and ANDRA)

They are extremely modified vehicles, having the capacity to catch the speed of more
than 195 mph in 6.8 seconds. It also features a purpose-built tube chassis with a
lightweight and an aerodynamically improved model of original bodywork.

Pro Modified – It is also known as Pro Mod or Top Doorslammer (T/D). It has some
engine restrictions with very high power.

Cars running on blowers limit to 527 cubic inches (8.6 L), whereas cars with nitrous
oxide have the potential to run up to 740 cubic inches (12.1 L). This type of class is
recognized worldwide, although the names are different in North America and Australia.

Top Alcohol Dragster (TA/D)

It is also known as Top Methanol Dragster in the FIA competition. It resembles Top
Fuelers having significant differences.

A supercharged methanol-burning engine might be used. A combination of an injected

nitro methane can also be used as a fuel. These cars can pick up the speed of 280 mph
in 5.1s.

Top Alcohol Funny Car (TA/FC)

It is also known as Top Methanol Funny Car for FIA competition. Alike in physical
appearance as nitro-burning Funny Car counterparts, it has three-speed transmission.
The use of methanol fuel in the Top Alcohol Funny Cars is restricted.

Top Methanol Funny Cars can catch speeds up to 265 mph in 5.4s. Alcohol Funny Cars
of IHRA has replaced the NHRA’s Pro Stock Bike as it is in the fifth pro category.

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Playing Environment
The race track for playing the drag race is known as drag strip, where all the drag races
are being conducted. For a drag track, a quarter mile is the best length track. It has a
length of 1320 feet or 402 m. Some tracks are of 201 m and are known as 8th mile. The
races for the premier class category runs for 4.8 meter or 120 feet.

After crossing the finish line, it allows the vehicles to stop in a special made room which
is known as the shutdown area. The shutdown area has a common feature known as
water box. At that place, all the vehicles heat up their tires and start the burn outs to
clean. It helps the vehicles to improve its grip during a race. The drag strip has a set of
lights which illuminate during the start of the race, giving signals to the racer. These
lights are known as Christmas. There are also lanes which helps the vehicles to return to
the pit area.

The whole race is performed inside a stadium with a massive amount of sitting
arrangements. The race is within a large boundary which covers the whole racing track.

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3. Drag Racing – Historic Cars

The first slingshot was built by Mickey Thompson in 1954.

Smokin White Owl was made by George Morris aka Ollie and was the first car to use
Chevrolet V8 engine.

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In 1966, Logghe Brothers built the first true Funny Car known as Eliminator 1.

In 1971, the Swamp Rat XIV was built which was the first rear-engine dragster.

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4. Drag Racing – How to Play?

In this chapter, we will discuss some intricate details of Drag Racing.

Burnout
Before starting the race, also known as pass, the players perform a burnout to heat the
tire and improve traction. After this, the cars are lined-up on the starting line. This
lining-up is known as stages.

Christmas Tree
In an Informal drag race, the race can be started by any means, which includes flag-
waving and arm-dropping. Professional races are started through Christmas Tree. Each
driver lane consists of a Christmas tree which is a series of light. A Christmas Tree is
used to start the professional drag races.

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Each lane has one Christmas Tree which consists of a column of lights. In every column,
there are top two lights which are small amber lights and are connected to the light
beams on the track. When it is broken by the vehicle's front tire or both the tires, it
indicates that the driver has pre-staged of approximately 7 inches or 180 mm from the
starting line and then staged at the starting line.

There are three large amber lights below the staging lights, a green light, and a red
light. When both the drivers are staged, the race will start when the tree is activated,
illuminating the three large amber lights, Green light illuminates at the end. There are
two standard sequences of lights:

 Simultaneously all the three amber lights flash. It is followed by the green light in
0.4 seconds also known as the Pro Tree.

 The amber lights illuminate in the sequence of top to bottom with a 0.5 sec
interval. The green light illuminates after 0.5 seconds. It is also known as the
sportsman or the full tree.

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5. Drag Racing − Disqualification of a Racer

A driver will be disqualified in case he leaves the starting line before the illumination of
green light. In such a case, the red light will illuminate which indicates the
disqualification.

Numerous measurements are taken for each and every race which includes the reaction
time, the elapsed time of the race, and the speed. Reaction time is the time between the
illumination of green light and the start of the race.

Elapsed time is a time between the leaving of the vehicle from the starting line till it
reaches the finish line. The speed of the vehicle is measured with the help of a speed
trap situated near the finish line, which indicates the approximate maximum speed of
the vehicle while it was in the race.

The first vehicle to cross the finish line is declared as the winner. The winner is the driver
who has the lowest reaction time and elapsed time both. The elapsed time doesn’t
determine the winner. It only measures the performance.

As elapsed time excludes the reaction time so it can be considered that even though the
car elapsed faster but the driver didn’t react fast enough to the green light.

During practice, it is beneficial for the driver to start the car before the green light by a
fraction of a second. It is the process when the car starts at an interval of split second,
which is the time when the yellow light goes out and the green one illuminates.

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In case, the car lefts the beam of the front light before the green light illuminates, the
driver will be red-lighted and as no further possible foul will be allowed, the driver will be
disqualified.

Holeshot
When a red light foul is committed by a driver, then there is a huge possibility that the
other driver will also commit the same mistake as they will also start the car following
the front one. Even though they will do that they will not be disqualified as they will still
be leaving after the green light. The front driver in the race is always have the
Holeshot. A Holeshot is a win when the driver’s elapsed time is higher but the reaction
time is lower.

The driver can also be disqualified due to infringement of any other rules and
regulations,

 If he crosses the centerline between the lane.

 If he touched a wall.

 If he strikes a track fixture.

 If he fails to stage or technical inspection.

 If he runs faster than the speed assigned for the respective vehicle.

Boundary Line Violation

There can be a case where the red light driver has to commit the violation of red light
due to boundary line violation done by another driver. In such a case, red light violator
wins, though the boundary line violator has started the race as per the rules.

Eliminator Racing
During a format of common eliminator racing, the vehicle and the driver who loses get
eliminated from the race and the winner goes to race the other winners till only one
winner left.

Bye Run
If a situation arises when a driver doesn’t have an opponent to run with, he then takes a
solo pass known as Bye Run to eliminate the benefit coming from less used engine.

In most eliminator formats, first round is best suited for the bye runs. During bye run,
some of the drivers drive slowly so as not to stress the engine to an excessive point
even though the choice of lane in every round is always determined by the time in
previous round making the strategy possibly harmful.

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6. Drag Racing – Modification of Cars

During the drag racing events, the extent of the modification of the vehicle depends
upon the classification of the vehicles.

The above-mentioned divisions are there to ensure if the cars are evenly matched during
the race or not. All of the divisions cannot be applied. As the drag racing vehicles are
modified to make it lighter and more powerful as compared to their standard form, it
make them special.

A lighter vehicle is that whose power to weight ratio is more which helps to gain
maximum acceleration. The increase of power depends upon the modification done in
the engine.

Enhancement in Cars
The car is the main component on which various strategies are made. All the
performance enhancements must comply with the rules of IHRA and its restrictions
based on the class of the car which is running.

Some of the common enhancements are:

 Usage of slick tires which should be smooth and soft enough to grip the track.

 Methods to introduce more air into the motors such as the superchargers,
turbochargers, and nitrous oxide also known as N20.

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7. Drag Racing − Points to Remember

There are several points that are essential on the way towards the track in drag racing.
The first one is not to enter the lane of the opponent or the driver have to face
disqualification.

Double qualification
It is a situation in which one driver starts the game as a foul start whereas the other one
crosses into the lane of the foul start one. In such case the foul start driver will win.

Shifting Gears
Shifting gear is done manually by drivers. It increases the rpm of the wheels. The
shifting is mostly done when the ascending curve for the higher gear is crossed by lower
gear’s descending curve.

Pedalling
The credibility of a good driver is often judged by how he is pedalling. In fuel class cars,
pedalling is the process of adjusting the throttle which will prevent the loss of traction.
Almost all drag racers use a tachometer to judge the shift points.

Crossing the finish line needs bracket racing process only. If a car has a huge lead, it is
advisable to slow down before crossing the finish line to avoid a breakout. Particularly in
bracket racing, it is widely common to see the vehicle on the lead get its brake lights
come out before even finishing the line.

Sand bagging
Sometimes the driver in the race who is in a bracket race position do a slower dial in
which is the predicted estimate timing(E.T). Then he/she runs and when reaching the
finish line taps the brakes lightly or do the pedalling which eventually reduce the E.T
which give them a window to run closer to the dial in faster.

In case both of the cars break out, the car which is closer to their dial-in wins. However,
there is a minimum elapsed time in a Junior Dragster racing, The cars which posts lower
than the minimum will get ejected.

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8. Drag Racing – Organizations

NHRA and IHRA

The majority of the drag racing events in North America are organized by the National
Hot Rod Association (NHRA). NHRA was founded in 1951 by Wally Parks. Since then, it
has dedicated itself to safety and also
providing millions of racing fans. Initially the
park started NHRA with a primary objective
of getting the hot rudders from the street
and legally involving them in drag strips.
NHRA evolved itself into a largest promoter
of world’s professional drag racing since.

NHRA permits the fans to access behind the

scenes actions during the race. Apart from
that, NHRA has the open pit policy which allows the fans to have a view of how the
team rebuild the engines.

Fans can easily approach the drivers as they

are often found in their pit areas either
chatting with fans or signing autographs.
Sometimes fans get the opportunity to get
behind the wheel by themselves in the Nitro
Alley Fan Zone in a variety of racing
simulators. These are one of the few reasons
why NHRA has such loyal fan base.

The second largest organization which looks

after drag racing events is the International
Hot Rod Association (IHRA). Almost all the
drag strips of NA are associated with either of the bodies.

ANDRA
The drag racing events in Australia are looked after by the Australian National Drag
Racing Association (ANDRA), which was established in 1973. They claim that they are
the best in the world outside the US.

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NZHRA
New Zealand has a body called the New
Zealand Hot Rod Association (NZHRA) which
used to look after all its drag racing events.

In April 1993, the governance over drag

racing was removed from the NZHRA and
shifted to a new body called the New Zealand
Drag Racing Association (NZDRA).

FIA European Drag Racing Championships

Since 1996, under the flag of FIA, the European
Championship is being organized. Currently,
there are six championship events which are
being hosted in four countries; Santa Pod
Raceway – UK, Tierp Arena in Sweden, Alastaro
Circuit in Finland, and Hockenheim Ring in
Germany.

Five kinds of competition classes is being

running in the championship: Pro Modified, Top
Methanol Dragster, Pro Stock Car, Top Fuel
Dragster and Top Methanol Funny Car.

The competition starts traditionally at Santa Pod

in May and ends on September on the same
track with the European Finals. In the race, all
the drivers of more than 10 countries
participate. The FIA European Drag Racing Championship is administered by Speed
group.

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9. Drag Racing – Champions

Let us now have a brief synopsis of some of the champions of Drag Racing and their
careers.

Don Garlits
Don Garlits is an American Car driver who is
considered as the father of drag racing. He
was the one who designed the top fuel
dragster rear engine. He has the record of
reaching the speed of 270 miles per hour in
quarter mile. He has won many awards in his
career. In 1955, he participated in NHRA
competition for the first time. In 1959, he
participated in US Fuel and Gas
championships and his presence brought
more than 30,000 spectators.

In 1964, he won US Nationals championship.

In the same year, he participated in
International Drag Festival in England which was a series of six events. In 1987, he
temporarily retired due to many accidents. He withdrew his retirement in 1991 but he
retired again before the end of 1992.

John Harold Force

John Harold Force is a drag racer from
America who has been funny car champion for
16 years and in his full career, he achieved
143 victories.

He started his career with Corvette and Monza

cars and later raced with Oldsmobile Cutlass.
In 1994, Force drove a Chevrolet and in 1995
and 1996, he drove Pontiac.

In the tenure of 1978 to 1985, he could not

get any victory but from 1986 to 1995, he
won many races and championships.

From 1996 to 2001, he was ranked first in all

the competitions he has taken part in. In 2003, he won his tenth World Cup title.

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Kenny Bernstein
Kenny Bernstein is a drag racer from America.
He started his career in 1979 as a funny car
driver and won Funny Car Championship
which was his first championship in 1985. He
won it consecutively for the next three years.

In 1990, he drove Top Fuel Dragster car. In

1996, he won NHRA title. Bernstein retired in
2002 but he again came back in 2006 in
Funny Car division.

In 2007 season, he took part in two events

but failed to qualify due to which he employed
new crew which helped him to improve
himself. But still, he could not win any race so he retired again.

Shirley Muldowney
Shirley Muldowney is a drag racer from
America and is the first lady to take part in
drag racing. In 1977, 1980, and 1982, she
won NHRA Championship.

In her full career, she won 18 NHRA titles. She

also competed in IHRA event in 1971 and won
that title.

In 1884, she met with an accident due to

which she was away from racing for a long
time. After returning, she again took part in
small competitions. She took retirement in 2003 but before that she took part in NHRA.

Bob Glidden
Bob Glidden is a drag racer from America who
has won 85 NHRA National Events. Bob
Glidden started his career in 1960 with Ford
cars. In 1972, he participated in first pro-race
and was ranked second. In the next season,
he won his first national championship by
participating in US Nationals event. In 1974,
he won Spring Nationals and US Nationals
events.

In 1978, he participated in Winston event in

his Ford Pinto car and won five national
competitions. In 1980s decade, he won many
competitions including Winston title. In 1990,
Glidden won three events and only one event in 1991. In 1992 and 1993, he won two
events each. In 1995, he won his final event and took retirement in 1997.

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Erica Enders-Stevens
Erica Enders-Stevens is a drag racer from
America who started racing at the age of 8
years. In 1993, she won four Junior
Championships in 8 to 9 years old category.
She won Junior Dragster of the year title in
1995.

She participated in first national event in

2000 and became youngest NHRA finalist.
She was also awarded NHRA Sportsman
Rookie of the Year. In 2004, she participated
in NHRA Super Gas class and won it. In 2012,
she won NHRA Pro Stock. She is still active in
the drag racing.

Alexis Dejoria
Alexis Dejoria is a drag racer from America
who competes in NHRA events. Toyota Camry
funny car is the car which she drives in her
races. She started her career in 2005 in Super
Gas category. Later on, she moved to Super
Comp dragster.

In the same year, she won Sportsman

Nationals event. Further, she raced in the
events using Top Alcohol funny car. In 2011,
she won her first NHRA National Event. In
2014, she participated in many events and won many titles.

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