Bracket Drag Racing Basics
Race Day
This is a run down of what to expect on your first time to the Drag Strip with your Drag Race Vehicle.
Remember Safety is everyone’s #1 Concern and Priority, so that Everyone can Enjoy the Sport. Whenever at any Race Track be Careful as there are Racers and Spectators (Fans) roaming around all over. You need to watch out for these people at all times. There will also be Golf Carts, Bicycles, Motorcycles, as well as other Race Vehicles moving within the pit Areas.
You will want to arrive early at the Track, about 8:00AM. This will give you time to get in the gate and get a good Pit Area. Once at the Gate, tell them it is your first time to a Track and that you do not know how fast your car will go, so you want to be put in the Sportsman Class. You can always upgrade later in the day if you want. Ask the People at the Gate if there is a special place they want you to set up your Pit Area or maybe someplace they do not want you to Set up your Pit Area.
Find a place by the speakers so that you can hear the announcements. Some Tracks are setup to put the announcements over your Radio, if so find out what channel the track is on. Get your Race Vehicle off the trailer and get it ready to race. Do your last minute checks, make sure everything is tight, your fluids are up to level, and you have the right pressures in your tires. Just check anything and everything.
You will need your Racing Helmet and Track paperwork when you go to the Inspection Area. Put these in your Vehicle so you will have them. Listen for the announcement, that you can go have your Vehicle Inspected. Drive your Vehicle over to the Inspection Area and wait your turn for the Inspection. They will ask you questions about your Vehicle so be ready with any and all information about it. You will be Given a Number at this Time to put on your Vehicle, Put this Number on the front Windshield and the side of the Vehicle that faces the Timing Tower with Liquid Chalk. After your Vehicle has been Inspected, return to your pit area.
There are usually 2 to 4 test passes that you can make before the Eliminations begin. You do not have to make the test passes, but you will want too. For one thing you will need to know what to Dial your Vehicle in at. You need to practice your launching using the Starting Tree, also known as the Christmas Tree. It will give you an Idea of how your RT (Reaction Time) is, and how you have to adjust Yourself and Vehicle to get better RTs. It will also let you know how your Vehicle is going to handle on the track.
When they call your Class up to test, they will also say which Lanes they will want you in. The Lanes are usually Numbered, so they will say something like: Sportsman to Lanes 3 and 4. You will get in your Vehicle and drive over to the Lanes and get into one of the lanes they announced, unless Track personnel tell you to get into a different lane. Sometimes they make last minute changes, this is not uncommon. Wait in line and get ready to go, like put on your Helmet and get strapped into your Safety Harness. Keep moving up when the Vehicles in front of you move up. You will have a line to stop at when you get close to the Water Box, (Burnout Box) Stop at this line and wait until a Track attendant motions you to pull into the Water Box.
Pull into the Water Box and stop when the Track attendant motions you to stop. At this Point, step on your brake and set your Line loc (Roll Control). Wait until the Track Attendant motions you to do the burnout. Then Rev up your Motor to about 3000 and spin your tires until they start to pull the motor down as they get warmed up and get traction. Let off the Line Loc (Roll Control) and let the Vehicle move forward still spinning the tires. You must stop before rolling into the Stage Area. Wait until the track is clear of all vehicles, then slowly pull forward until the first Stage lights comes on. (This is the small bulbs at the top of the tree on your side of the track) You will have to have your windows rolled up before you stage your Vehicle. Then pull forward until the second set of Stage lights come on. Stop the Vehicle here. You are now Staged. If you are going to use your Line Loc (Roll Control) set it now. Rev up your Motor up getting ready to go. (The RPM you take off at will depend on your Transmission and or Clutch Combination). This is why you Test, to find out what works best. The Starter Person will activate the tree and the lights will start to come on 3 big Yellow lights one at a time and then a Green Light will come on. You will want to Leave on the last Yellow light. That should give you an Idea of when you will have to leave during the eliminations.
As your Vehicle takes off keep looking up the track at where you are going and watching your Tachometer so you do not over Rev the motor. This is where a Shift Light comes in handy, you don’t have to take your eyes off the Track. Shift at your designated points. Listen and feel how the Vehicle is reacting. Go down the Track full Throttle until you cross the Finish Line and then get on the brakes, not to hard as you might lose control. Once you have slowed and have control of the Vehicle watch to see where the other vehicle is and do not pull in front of him unless you see he is going slower than you are. There are usually more than one place to pull off the track through the Guard Rail. Once off the Track, do not stop, but follow the road to a little Building this is the Timing Shack. Stop and get your Time Slip and then proceed back to your Pit Area. This is the time you need to check over your Vehicle and get it ready for the next trip down the Track.
If the Vehicle veers off to one side or the other let off the Throttle immediately and be ready to put on the brakes if you need to. Get control of the Vehicle right away. If you blow a Motor, Transmission, rearend, or break anything move to the outside edge of the track after you have gained control of your Vehicle. This way you will not dump oil or other fluids on the Track.
After making your 2 to 4 test runs, check to see (on your Time Slips) what the fastest ET was that your Vehicle ran and use that as a starting point at what to Dial Your Vehicle in at. Put this number on the window facing the Timing Tower, with a Liquid Chalk Marker. Like 14.05 or whatever the quickest time was. Remember you do not want to go faster than the speed you put on the window or you will Breakout and lose the Race.
You will now be ready for the Eliminations to begin. When in Eliminations, you are unsure if you Won the Round or not, Check the Time Slip and it will tell you who Won each Round.
