How to Drag Race Cars

Drag racing has been a very popular automotive sport for many years. Since its early years, drag racing has made many changes, including being made illegal on the streets. Now drag racing must be done on a drag strip made specifically for the sport. This ensures the safety of the drivers as well as the safety of bystanders enjoying the races. Learn how to drag race cars and challenge your friends to a race on a track near you.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Learn how to do a burn out in your car before pulling up to the track. A burn out helps heat up the tires and can be done right before lining up at the starting point on the track. Most drag strips have a person with a water hose in that area that will spray water in front of your car. Pull up so that your driving tires (front tires for front wheel drive cars, rear tires for rear wheel drive cars) are in the water. Proceed to do a burn out for a few seconds to heat the tires. Heated tires stick to the track and allow for a better, quicker start.

2. Pull up to the staging area after doing a burn out. The staging area is just before the Christmas tree. The Christmas tree is the stand of yellow, red and green lights at the starting area of the track. Watch the lights on the tree. The red light will be on, but pay attention to the top two yellow lights. These are the staging lights. When your front tires are in the correct place, both of these lights will light up.

3. Get your car ready as soon as both staging lights are yellow. Hold your left foot on the break and your right on the gas pedal, keeping your engine revved at a few thousand RPMs. (If you drive a standard, hold the clutch down and keep your car in first gear while putting your right foot on the gas. The track is flat and your car will not roll.) As soon as your opponent's staging lights light up, the other lights will change and the race will begin.

4. Be prepared to start while watching the lights. As soon as both your opponent's staging lights and your staging lights are lit, the two sets of yellow lights will light up, followed by the green lights. You should remove your foot from the break and press the gas as soon as the last yellow light is lit up, which will have you leaving the starting line just as the green light comes on. That is a perfect start.

5. Drive as fast as you can, changing gears if you need to in a manual car, all the way past the finish line. Do not let up before the finish line. Begin to slow down so that you can stop before the end of the track. Most tracks have at least another 1/8 of a mile after the finish line to allow you enough time to stop.

6. Exit the track through the provided opening in the side wall. This will lead you to a small road and a booth where you will be handed your time slip with your time, mph and your reaction time at the starting line. You are now finished.

Tips & Warnings

• Be prepared to start as soon as your yellow staging lights are lit. If your opponent gets into the staged position first, as soon as your lights come on the others will drop and it will be time to start the race.