Commonly used Drag Racing Terms

Tech Inspection — Upon entering the pit area you will need to have a track official inspect your car. They will check tires, steering, brakes or anything that might pose a safety hazard. After your car is inspected you will be give a number on your window. You are now ready to have some fun.

Staging Lanes — This is the area were competitors take their vehicles so they can be matched up for the upcoming round of competition.

Staging Director — The person who directs the flow of traffic from the staging lanes to the race lanes.

Water Box — a.k.a. “Bleach Box” or “Burnout Box”. These referrers to the area of track located just in front of the staging area where cars can spin the tires in water to heat up the tires. Warmed tires will get better traction.

Staging — There are two sets of staging lights on the starting tree. When staging, you move your vehicle up to the first (pre-stage) light beam. When you are pre-staged the first light at the top of the starting tree will light. After you and your opponent have pre-staged, you then move your vehicle ahead another 8 inches. This runs you through the second light beam at the starting line, which lights the second Staging light, and you are now staged.

Deep Staging — Deep Staging is done by pulling forward about 2 more inches or until the Pre-Stage light goes off. By doing this it puts your vehicle closer to the finish line which may give you a lower ET but it also results in a lower trap speed. The main reason for deep staging is to get a lower reaction time.

Starting Line — The point of the starting area were both sets of pre-staging lights are lit for your line.

Starting Tree — a.k.a. “The Tree” or “Christmas Tree” is the starting device located between the two racing lanes at the starting line. It has two sets of staging lights, three sets of yellow starting lights, a green “Start” light and red “False Start” light.

Full Tree — The method used to start cars at the starting line. After the second set of staging lights are lit, the yellow lights on the tree come on one at a time, then the green light. A perfect reaction time when using full tree is .500 second.

Pro Tree — All yellow lights are lit at once then the green light comes on. A perfect reaction time when using a Pro Tree is .400 second.

Reaction Time — Reaction Time is the amount of time between when the last yellow light on the tree comes on, and your front tires break the starting line light beam. (.500 seconds is a perfect reaction time because that is the time between each of the lights on the tree). Deep staging will lower your reaction time because your vehicle is closer to the starting line beam. Reaction time is very important in bracket racing. It can sometimes be the difference between winning and losing a round.

Interval Times — Interval times are a break down of a competitors elapsed time. The track is broken into sections and as the vehicle progresses down the track it trips a series of light beams and the time to that point is recorded. This is primarily for the racers’ benefit. Elapsed time is recorded at 60, 330, 660, and 1000 feet. It also records eighth-mile speed at the light beam located 66 feet before the 660-foot mark.

Trap Speed — Trap speed is the average speed of your vehicle through the last 66 feet of track.

ET — This abbreviation refers to Elapsed Time. Elapsed Time is the amount of time it takes a vehicle to travel between the light beam at the starting line and the light beams at the end of the track.

Dial-in — Dial-in is also called an “index”. Your ” Dial-in” time is the absolute best (fastest) time you think your car can run. This is based on your qualifying runs. This “Dial-in” is used during bracket racing, which allows cars of very different performance to compete against each other.

Hole Shot — The advantage achieved at the starting line by the quicker reacting driver.

Handicap — When one car is faster than the other, the slower gets a head start. The amount of the head start depends on previous elapsed time or the dial- in.

Index – Elapsed time assigned by NHRA or IHRA to allow various classes to race together with an equitable handicap starting system.

Breakout — Breakout is a term used when you run faster than you “Dial-in”. To take full advantage of your dial-in, you want to run as close to your dial-in as possible without going under. If you run a faster time than the dial-in number on your car (painted on the glass before the race), you lose.

Red-Lighting — If you start to early (before your green light comes on you lose. You can also red light if you run under your “Dial-in”.

Bye Run — A lone run given to a randomly chosen car, because of an unequal number of cars in the round.

Round — A round is completed when all cars in a bracket (class) have made a run.

Elimination’s — When cars are raced two at a time, The resulting finish determines one winner and one loser. The loser is “eliminated”. The winner continues to race in a tournament-style competition until only one car is left in that class.

Top Eliminator — The last car left in a class at the end of Elimination’s.

Bracket Racing — Bracket Racing is when two vehicles of unequal speed face off at the tree. When bracket racing, the green light comes on for the slower car First. Races often come down to the 1/100s of seconds of reaction time which are gained or lost, depending on how good your reaction times are. (.500 is perfect). (.400 on a pro-tree).

Heads-Up — Heads-ups racing is what we all grew up with. This is when two vehicles line up and both vehicles leave at the same time. The first vehicle to cover the distance is the winner.

Shutdown Area — Area located after finish line for racing cars to slowdown.

Return Road — Road that leads from shutdown area back to the pits or staging lanes.

Time Slip — A printed record of your run, given to you as you return to the pit area after you run. Usually it is given to you on the return road.