How to become involved

If you would like to give Drag Racing a go it's as easy as one two three but you will need a crash helmet and a restricted drivers licence minimum and your car must have a legal WOF.

Promoters generally run brackets as below but may modify to suit competitors.
Turbo 4 wheel drive: Heads up 4 tenths full tree.
Turbo 2 wheel drive: Heads up 4 tenths full tree.
All Motor: Naturally aspirated, Heads up 4 tenths full tree.
Pro Street: Heads up under 10.9
DYO: Dial your own handicaps.
Note: Vehicle’s quicker than 11.0 tech inspection and Drag licence required.

1/ Once you have entered the venue go to the entry booth (ask any track official to direct you to where street cars can enter). Fill in an entry form and racer detail sheet, (the racer detail sheet is info for the announcers) you will have to pay a day membership fee for the day ($20) this helps pay the public insurance cover and also possibly a race fee that the track put towards a prize pool. The best bracket to start in for your first go is probably DYO. This is where after you do your practice runs pick your best time and dial 5 hundredths under it i.e. your best run is a 16.49 dial 16.44 but don’t run quicker than the 16.44 or you will disqualify yourself!

2/ Once you leave the entry booth they would have given you a yellow scrutineering card, take this and you vehicle through the scrutineering garage where the track personal will give your car a very basic check of safety items like brake feel, and steering wheel play, when happy they will take the card sign it and send it up to the “Timing Tower”. You are now ready to go racing!

3/ Drive your vehicle to the staging lanes and line up where directed, when your line starts moving put your helmet on check your seat belt is tight and when pulling onto the startline area insure your windows are up! Now you would have seen racers spinning their wheels in the “water box” in street type cars this is to clean the tyres of dirt and dust, roll through the water until you are just out the other side otherwise you will throw water up under the wheel well and hurt traction of the start line! How long you burnout will depend on how much fun you are having or how much power your car has but the purpose is just to clean your tyres. When ready or when directed creep forward until you make the top bulb on the “Christmas” tree light, when your opponent does the same you may creep a little farther (about 7’’) until the second bulb lights, when both bulbs are glowing you are ready to race and be prepared to see the three amber lights below start to flash in sequence down the tree, try and leave on the last yellow! Don’t wait for the Green as you will be late! Practice getting as close to the .400 as possible during practice / qualifying, if you get a red light take a little longer next time or stage a little shallower when you get the second bulb on. Once you have completed your run turn off at the end of the braking area and return to your pit space or the staging lanes for another go. When practice qualifying is over the track will start eliminations and if you can “cut a light” and “run the number” you can be a winner on your first day!

 

 

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