Drag racing
Drag racing is a competition in which vehicles compete to be the first to cross a set finish line, usually from a standing start, and in a straight line. First gaining popularity in the USA after World War II, the sport steadily grew in popularity and spread across the globe.
Contents
The Basics of Drag Racing
Generally, you will attend a drag race as either a spectator, or part of a drag race team. Each will have their own entrance, although drag racing is one of those rare sports where the spectators are given unfettered access to the pits to visit with and observe the race teams. Racing is dangerous to the competitors, team members, and even the spectators. At a NHRA race in Phoenix on February 20, 2010, a tire came off the Top Fuel car of Antron Brown, and bounced over the fence striking -- killing a woman pushing a wheel chair. As such, everyone waives Liability against the track as they enter it. This is usually done by signing a waiver sheet as you enter the pits, or a notification on the reverse of a spectator ticket at larger events if you enter through the spectator gate.
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The Pits
The pits is the area of the track facility where the driver and crews work on their cars. For small events at large tracks -- both spectator and crews enter and park in the pits. During larger events, or at smaller tracks, only the race teams enter through the pit gate and the speculators park in a lot away from the pit and -- and enter through a different gate. Spectators do have access to the walk through the pits and visit with the teams.
A pit, is usually large enough for the team to have two spaces side by side. One for the hauler and one for the race car. At crowded events, some classes of cars will only receive one space for their pit -- and will work on their cars behind their trailer.
The pits are often dangerous as you have a combination of race cars returning to their pit and spectators wandering through the pits and not paying attention to where they re walking. Making it worse, often there are unattended children, scooters, golfcarts, (and too often these children driving golfcarts or riding bikes and scooters) and cars being pulled to the staging area or returning from their pass. It is very congested with the bad combination of people in a big hurry, and people without a care in the world. Both need to pay attention of what is going on around them.
The pits will usually have a place to dump used oil, and buy race gas.
Safety
Tech In
Staging Lanes
Burnout
Pre-Stage
Stage
Launch
Track Surface
60'
330'
660'
1000'
1320'
Shut Down
Turn Off
Return Road
Ticket Shack
Major Sanctioning Bodies of Drag Racing
Drag Racing Schools
There are a number of Drag Racing Schools that instruct racers and help them obtain their license, and improve their skills to race professionally, and/or move up to another class. Below are the two most popular drag racing schools.
Types of Drag Racing Cars
Door Slammers
ProMod
Super Comp
Stock / Super Stock
Gassers
Other Drag Cars
Dragsters
Altereds
Funny Cars
Jet Cars
Fuel Types
Nitro / Top Fuel
Alcohol / Methanol
Race Gas
There are various octane levels of race gas -- ranging from 100 Octane to 123 Octane. Some of these race fuels are unleaded, while most of the higher octane fuels contain lead. Some of these fuels are oxygenated. Most race gas is sold in 55 gallon drums -- although some can be bought in 5 gallon cans, or even pumped at many tracks.
Pump Gas
Pump gas is generally referred to as Unleaded Gas with an octane rating of not higher than 93, which is generally sold to fuel the street cars of the general public. It is most often dispensed in gasoline pumps at gas stations and convenience stores, thus the reference "Pump Gas". Most recently, a popular form of drag racing is with vehicles fueled by pump gas, requiring a lower compression motor than is typically found in all out race cars. Many of these "Street Racing" classes will have the car first be part of an off track "Road Trip" of 25 to 50 miles on pump gas, to prove it's streetability, then immediately make it's pass down the drag strip on pump gas -- without making any adjustments to the car.
Control Tower
The control tower is typically at or around the starting line. It generally has a crew that over see's, announces, and manages all of the track's / event's functions.
