DRAG RACE CAR REGISTRATION
DRAG RACE CAR PRO

Go watch some races first and try to get a sense of the culture and the kinds of races that happen at the track you're thinking of racing.If you're going to race, the cost will depend on the class of vehicle you're racing, so it's a good idea to call first and find out about any costs before you show up. When you arrive, you'll likely have to pay a small entrance fee, as well as a track fee if you plan to race.Likewise, time trials are often available on a regular basis, if you want to get out and open the throttle a couple times.

DRAG RACE CAR REGISTRATION

X Research source Many tracks will have open invitationals that anyone can show up for, as long as you pay the registration and track fees. Drag strips are usually a quarter-mile long, after which is a 'speed trap' of about 70 feet (21.3 m), where your top speed will be measured. If you want to drag race, you've got to do it on a racetrack under the proper conditions. If you've got a modified muscle car, you can look up your vehicle on the NHRA Classification Guide.įind a closed-track racetrack with a drag strip in your area. On open-track days, this is typically the only kind of vehicle you'll find coming to the track, and probably what you're running if you're interested in drag racing.

Stock Dragsters started as factory vehicles and have been modified according to NHRA guidelines to improve HP and efficiency.

Top Alcohol Dragsters are similar to their Top Fuel cousins, though they run partially on methane.

DRAG RACE CAR PRO

These are the dragsters you'll likely find at pro races as a spectator. Top Fuel Dragsters have an almost-comical length of 20–30 feet (6.1–9.1 m), and upward of 10,000 HP, which run on nitromethane.The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) boasts over 200 separate categories of vehicles, though the basic categories can be divided in two: Vehicles are rated and classed based on a variety of information, including the advertised factory weight of the vehicle, the type of fuel used, and the horsepower of the engine. Most pro drag race vehicles are specially designed roadsters made to race at short distances, but hobbyists and weekend warriors have their own categories, as well. Understand the different classes of drag vehicles. Try to keep your ambitions practical, Mr.

Sure, you can say you want to have a 1,000 HP dragon-breather going in that Trans-Am, but the cost of the all the aftermarket drive train components necessary? The stress upgrades necessary for the chassis? If you can get 500 HP at street-level, you won't have to worry about getting embarrassed at the track. X Research source Depending on the engine, you should be able to use at least some of the factory components in the drivetrain to keep the project as affordable as possible. Hydraulic roller cams and aftermarket cylinder heads are a common modification. A good drag engine should maximize horsepower, probably using some aftermarket modifications to maximize the efficiency of the engine.How fast do you want your car to go? What kind of engine do you want to build? What kind of engine can the body of your vehicle take? Much of the work and much of the fun that goes into planning a hot rod project will come with making these decisions for yourself. A '57 Chevy Bel Air is a perfectly-great drag strip candidate for some classic-car enthusiasts, but for others that heavy frame might outweigh the style points.Ĭonsider rebuilding the engine or installing a new engine. Many aspiring dragsters probably have a frame or a model in mind when they're getting started, because of the look.But for many drivers, anything beyond 500 HP is excessive. If you've got that, you'll have a muscle-monster. A good dragster often has an engine modified with aftermarket cams, heads, and other components, to maximize the horsepower so it runs in excess of 600 or 700 HP. Ideally, you want a light that's amenable to lots of modifications.Most drag racers want basically the same thing: a throaty beast of a dragster with a great paint job, equally great looking when parked in the lot, as it looks when its blowing past you in the passing lane. Cost, your commitment to rebuilding an repairing the vehicle, and your ultimate ambitions for the car should be taken into account. When you're picking a vehicle to drag race, there are a lot of things to consider beyond how fast your vehicle can rip away from the starting line.

Drag race car