Ideally, you want a light that’s amenable to lots of modifications. A good dragster often has an engine modified with aftermarket cams, heads, and other components, to maximize the horsepower so it runs in excess of 600 or 700 HP. If you’ve got that, you’ll have a muscle-monster. But for many drivers, anything beyond 500 HP is excessive. That’s still an insanely fast car. Many aspiring dragsters probably have a frame or a model in mind when they’re getting started, because of the look. A ‘57 Chevy Bel Air is a perfectly-great drag strip candidate for some classic-car enthusiasts, but for others that heavy frame might outweigh the style points.
Because Mustangs are almost ubiquitous at American tracks, they lose a little cache. They’re great to work with, but do you really want to be another guy with the same looking car? Trans-Ams, Z28s, and Chargers all have similar characteristics, with great factory-built specs. The Charger McQueen drove was basically straight from the factory, with some suspension work done. If it was good enough for Bullitt…
A good drag engine should maximize horsepower, probably using some aftermarket modifications to maximize the efficiency of the engine. Hydraulic roller cams and aftermarket cylinder heads are a common modification. [2] X Research source Depending on the engine, you should be able to use at least some of the factory components in the drivetrain to keep the project as affordable as possible. Try to set a limit for yourself. Sure, you can say you want to have a 1,000 HP dragon-breather going in that Trans-Am, but the cost of the all the aftermarket drive train components necessary? The stress upgrades necessary for the chassis? If you can get 500 HP at street-level, you won’t have to worry about getting embarrassed at the track. Ever. Try to keep your ambitions practical, Mr. Andretti.
If your dragster has rear leaf springs, consider upgrading to CalTrac bars to increase the stability and the control. If your rod comes with coil-spring suspension, using aftermarket control arms is the best approach. You can also check out the possibility of using “no-hop” to modify the geometrical center of the suspension, giving your more muscle in your starts. Some racers will unhook the front sway bar and install drag-style coil springs. Drag racing stresses the axles, making problems common, so it’s a good idea to get shocks made for the purposes of standing up to the stress.
Install a bigger radiator to keep the vehicle from overheating and check your fuel pump regularly. Running your drag car aggressively will wear out these components very quickly. Make sure you have a sensitive an accurate heat gauge and monitor it closely when you’re driving.
Top Fuel Dragsters have an almost-comical length of 20–30 feet (6. 1–9. 1 m), and upward of 10,000 HP, which run on nitromethane. These are the dragsters you’ll likely find at pro races as a spectator. Top Alcohol Dragsters are similar to their Top Fuel cousins, though they run partially on methane. Stock Dragsters started as factory vehicles and have been modified according to NHRA guidelines to improve HP and efficiency. On open-track days, this is typically the only kind of vehicle you’ll find coming to the track, and probably what you’re running if you’re interested in drag racing. If you’ve got a modified muscle car, you can look up your vehicle on the NHRA Classification Guide.
When you arrive, you’ll likely have to pay a small entrance fee, as well as a track fee if you plan to race. If you’re going to race, the cost will depend on the class of vehicle you’re racing, so it’s a good idea to call first and find out about any costs before you show up. [4] X Research source Go watch some races first and try to get a sense of the culture and the kinds of races that happen at the track you’re thinking of racing. Talk to other racers and track officials to ask for advice. If you drive a Honda Civic and want to drag race, you might be able to enter into a Bracket-Style race with handicaps, but you might also feel a little out of place. Before you drive all the way to the track, take the time to check out a few races as a spectator first. Besides being a fun sport, it’s a great community that you can be a part of from the bleachers, as well. Only drag race at approved sites. Drag racing in perfect professional conditions is dangerous enough, and drag racing in the street is downright suicidal. It’s also illegal everywhere. Never drag race on the street.
If you just have a factory-standard vehicle that you want to race, or have made minimal modifications to it, the class will still vary based on the size of the engine and other specifications. [5] X Research source Many tracks will have open invitationals on a regular basis, at which you can register your car and find out what class and category your vehicle qualifies for, or what you need to do to get your vehicle to spec and race it, if you want. This is the easiest way to find out more about your class, if you’re not sure.
Elimination Races are basic bracketed elimination rounds, in which two cars in the same class will go head-to-head. The loser will be eliminated, and the winner will move on to the next round, until one car remains. To seed the field, practice runs and time trials usually precede the race. Bracket Races are similar to Elimination Races, but with the inclusion of handicaps to allow for vehicles of different specs to compete against one another, making these races a test of skill, rather than muscle. Instead of straight-up time trials, cars complete “Dial In” runs, in which the goal is to come as close as possible to the estimated speed (how fast your car can possibly make a single run). The difference will be subtracted from each of your trials throughout the race. Time Trials are available for any class of vehicle that passes safety inspection and pays the track fee. Usually, if you’re not planning on running trials to qualify, you’ll only be allowed to make runs on particular days, sometimes called “test and tune” nights. You can collect a time sheet with specific details about each of your runs, and keep track of your long-term progress. This is an excellent way to start and build your drag-racing skills.
Most tracks require a minimum running weight to be met by every vehicle, with the driver in the car. Many serious racers will find the minimum weight for their vehicle class and get it down as low as possible to increase the horsepower and the efficiency of the engine. [6] X Research source
Your reaction time will be measured right at the start of the race, and should be as short as possible, tracking the time between the green light and your vehicle leaving the starting line. Your elapsed time will be measured from the moment you’ve left the starting line to the moment you cross the finish line. Your top speed will be measured just as you pass the finish line, making it important that you power across it for the best result. There should be ample room to slow down.
If you don’t want to burn out before racing, that’s fine. Just drive around the water box and approach the starting line instead. Flat racing tires always need to be warmed up, but street tires with tread should generally not be. If you’re worried about street build-up on street tires, you can do a peel out to clean them up, if you want.
At most tracks, a yellow light will engage when you’re close (within 7 inches) of the starting line, and a second light will engage when you’re on it. Watch the track official between the two lanes for more specific instructions. They’re there to help.
Before you start, maintain your RPMs at the optimum speed to jump into your desired gear (lots of dragsters will pop in second, for example). Keep track of the timing changes in the lights, anticipate the green, and hit the gas.
While you’re tearing down the strip, be very careful to stay in your lane. Don’t look at the other car, if you’re going head-to-head, pay attention to your own car and what you’re doing. Crossing the center line, apart from being extremely dangerous, will usually earn you a disqualification.
You need to always have your vehicle inspected before drag racing. Blowing out a tire going 120 mph (190 km/h) is extraordinarily dangerous, and turning out of a skid at those speeds can be deadly. Use extreme caution.
Many drag racers will use a lighted tachometer, which will flash a light indicating the optimal time to shift. Great racers anticipate these lights, however, shifting perhaps 200 or 300 RPMs before the “ideal” time, to make the action slightly smoother. Drag racing in automatic transmission vehicles exists, but is less common. Manual transmission vehicles offer faster acceleration times if you can get the technique right. If you want to get into drag racing, practice your shifting in a manual transmission vehicle.
Contrary to popular belief, keeping the tires a little low doesn’t help improve your times as much as once believed. While it does increase the surface of the tires by a small degree, keeping the tires too low can cause the interior wall to wrinkle, having the opposite effect. Keep the tires inflated to the low end of the proper specs.
