So you want to get started in drag racing!

Most people who want to start drag-racing, do so because it looks like fun, they want to see just how fast their car is, or because it’s a way to go fast in a much safer environment than street racing. Those are all great reasons.

Taking into consideration all of the various forms of auto racing available today, drag racing is perhaps the easiest and most cost effective motor sport to enter. Many drag strips across the country have dedicated nights or full events for novice racers. For those tracks that don’t, they usually have classes that run along side their traditional eliminator categories and they are designed to give the novice racer a chance to experience the thrills of drag racing.

Before you take your car to the track, you should get acquainted with the process in advance by visiting the track first. Then do a few simple things to make sure your car is safe to run.

When you take a look at your car, remember that It doesn’t have to be some mega-buck chrome-molly tube-framed track-killer to make it enjoyable. All you need is a safe and dependable car. With this in mind, check all of your fluid levels, tires and tire pressures, brakes, the drive-train and the cooling system. Most tracks require basic safety equipment including seat belts, good tires, a working hand/parking brake and 4 wheel service brakes. If your car passes your state safety inspection it will usually pass a track’s safety requirements.

Next, get the latest safety information and track rules. Check with the track you are planning to run at. They will have rulebooks or handouts detailing the requirements for each of their classes. Most tracks post this information on their websites too!

The next thing to do is to acquaint yourself with the tracks layout. Find out where the tech area is located, ask what the procedures are for entering the staging lanes and so on. We suggest that you learn some of these by watching as a spectator for a week or two before you take your car to the track.

As a spectator, get a pit pass and watch everything from how the cars are inspected to how they are stage at the starting line. Also, watch how they perform a burnout, and which cars do or don’t use this procedure. Also spend some time walking through the pit area. Watch what people do to prepare their cars for a run. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Everyone out there was a novice at one time and most are willing to share their experiences.

There are other ways to learn the about basics of drag-racing. Check out your local library, they usually have a section containing all sorts of books, magazines or videos. NHRA also has a booklet designed for first time racers. The booklet is titled the “Basics of Bracket Racing,” and can be found at most NHRA tracks.

Like anything else, If you have an bad day at the track forget about it, evaluate your performance and determine how to improve next time. It’s not just you, everyone has a bad day. Don’t get discouraged when thing go wrong. Relax, walk away and approach it calmly. This will help you enjoy future excursions to the drag strip even more.

Remember Street racing is very dangerous and can cost a lot more than just money. It can also take your life or the life of a by-stander. If you what to race someone, TAKE IT TO THE TRACK!