Drag racing

Texas Big Bird is an example of an IHRA ProMod

Big Red Ram is and example of a NSS car in NMCA

Dodge Funny Car in NHRA circa 2003

Don Garlits' Swamp Rat I is an example of a Dragster that ran in the late 50s

A pair of Gassers, like those made popular in the 50s

Tony Schumacher's Top Fuel Dragster at night

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.

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

As previously stated, drag racing is a very dangerous sport. To minimize the chances of injury or death, there are a lot of safety rules for the car, driver, team, and tracks.

Driver Safety

A drag race driver must show the necessary skills and competence to be a minimal danger to himself and others. Junior Dragsters excluded, most sanctioned tracks require the drag race driver to currently process a current and valid state driver's license. Generally, if his privileges have been suspended on the street -- it will also be suspended at the track.

Drivers with a valid state driver's license that are under 18, will need to have a parent or legal guardian sign a waiver and accepting responsibility for their child/ward. Often this waiver is good for the calendar year. This waiver is usually available at either the Control Tower, or at tech inspection.

Drivers going faster than 9.99 seconds in the quarter are required to have a Competition License for the sanctioning body that sanctions the track. To obtain an license, the applicant must pass a rigorous physical examination (more rigorous after the age of 55), and then demonstrate his ability in the presence of three other licensed racers. Because of how serious racing is, especially at speeds faster than 10 seconds -- it is generally advisable to take a 2-day class specific to the type of car (Dragster or Doorslammer) you will be racing, at an acceptable drag racing school. Too often racers put their licensed friends in the position of pencil-whipping their acknowledgment of the license applicant's abilities. Drag Racing Schools will see that you obtain and prove the necessary skills -- or not sign off on your license. The Competition License expires two years after the date of the physical, and requires another physical exam to be renewed. There are different levels of licenses based on how quick you go, and the fuel that you use.

Based on the level of racing, the driver is required to wear a certain amount of safety equipment. At it's most basic level of racing a slower car -- the driver is required to wear long pants, leather shoes, and a long sleeve shirt. A little faster of a car will require a SFI certified helmet, and a single layer jacket. As the car goes quicker or more volatile fuels are used, different levels of fire resistant driving suits, shoes, gloves, helmets, and neck braces are required. This driver's equipment is rated with a certification by the SFI Foundation, Inc., and this certification number and manufacturer date is affixed to the equipment for the track's tech inspectors to verify. Most all of this equipment has a designated life, and the tech inspector will check the date along with the certification number for your class of racing. It is the driver's responsibility to stay abreast of changes in equipment requirements for his racing -- and when his equipment expires, as the track is suppose to not allow you to race if you have improper or out of date safety equipment.

Vehicle Safety

There are certain levels of safety requirements on your vehicle, based on how quick you will be running. At its most basic level, the vehicle must have seat belts, be in a safe condition, not have a rubber fuel line longer than the standard set, not use anti-freeze, and not be leaking any fluids. As you go quicker or modify the vehicle, the rules get tougher. Roll bars, certified cages, drive-shaft loops, battery cutoff, Certified Chassis, safety harness, overflow cans, and window nets are required. Diapers to contain fluids; transmission shields and blower restraints to contain explosions; and components like harmonic balancers that are certified to take an extremely high RPMs are required at various levels. Most of this equipment must be SFI certified -- and will expire at some point after the manufacturer date.

It is the responsibility of the driver to know what equipment is required for his car, and if it is in date. It is the responsibility of the the technical inspector to not allow any car to run, which has not met the safety standard set for the track.

Crew Safety

Based on the type of car, and the track's rules -- some crew may be allowed in the staging lanes, and to help stage the car. There is always some element of danger in these areas, and the crew needs to take proper precautions.

Track Safety

Tracks are responsible for providing a safe surface, properly prepared, and free of unnecessary danger. Frankly some tracks do a better job than others. There are quite a few tracks with dangerous transitions, dips, obstructions, shut downs, etc... or are improperly prepared for the faster cars to safely make a pass on.

The track manager is required to ensure that the lanes are properly cleaned before any car goes down it. That's to say if the track is suppose to be dry (from rain, or leaking fluids) and free of anything that shouldn't be on it -- like dirt or a car part. The track will have equipment that scrape, sweep or burn off what shouldn't be on the racing surface; and to apply a substance like VHT that will make the surface sticky. Obviously a greasy or slippery track is a dangerous track.

The track is required to have an ambulance and medical assistance at the side of the track, to respond to medical emergencies, and no one is allowed to make a pass if there is not. Likewise, the track is required to have the ability to respond to fires.

Major Sanctioning Bodies of Drag Racing

• NHRA
• IHRA
• AHRA
• NMCA
• NMRA

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.

• Frank Hawley Drag Racing School
• Roy Hill's Drag Racing School

Fuel Types

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.

Related Links

• Frank Hawley Drag Racing School
• Roy Hill's Drag Racing School