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Lane Choice September 2011
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Lane Choice September 2011, Al-Anabi, Don Garlits, Grace Howell, Cunningham racing, Drag Racing,
Transcript of Lane Choice September 2011
WHATS’S IN SEPTEMBER
LANE CHOICE
A PRINCES DREAM
FURNITURE OR ART
PROFILE ON GRACE
THE RIGHT GEAR
OTHER CONTENT
SOME UK DRAG RACERS
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GRACE GOES PRO-STOCK
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ABOUT LANE CHOICE If you have a story, images or you would like to submit copy for Drag racing events you have attended, then send it in.
Lane Choice is the new on line drag racing magazine that intends to publish the stories, images and results for the fans, from the fans, each month.
If you have an event you want to publicize, then send it to us and we will include you in the next edition on the events calendar, and that's any motor sport event.
If you do submit your stories, reports and images they will be judged and the ones that we consider to be the best will get a prize from our sponsor donations that month. That could be anything from tee shirts to event tickets, sorry no money as yet! If you want to advertise in Lane Choice mail us for rates.
So what are you waiting for, Send in your images, stories of what happened last time you went racing, who you met, talked to, and pictures of you with your heroes of the strip. Send all submissions to
RAT FINK MAKES A WELCOME RETURN TO DRAG RACING ON THE
WALKER RACE CAR
A PRINCES DREAM It may not be the same profile as you see in America or Qatar it may have more
side shows, of course you will still have side by side
It has long been the dream and intention of Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar to take the ADRL to the world and if his commitment to the sport is anything to go by the world beckons.
He has already taken the Arabian peninsula by storm with the Arab racing league and that league is well attended.
Question is does he go east or west from there, whichever way the prince goes some say he will be unsuccessful with this very American form of racing.
Personally I believe he will succeed as he has the drive and the imagination to take the ADRL to a whole new market.
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maybe even four lane and the halfway will always be a great part of the ADRL experience with the free access it gives
to the public, but I can see traditional local entertainment being incorporated into
the proceedings with the Racing being part of the entertainment just to introduce the Quarter Mile
experience to new audiences.
Include in the mix more night races for the spectacle that it is.
If you look at the prospect of the ADRL coming to your Country or city its quite attractive.
It doesn’t need a massive track infrastructure but it does give you a quality crowd space to host other events and gives a clear message of intention to other motorsport organisers that you have the interest and crowd numbers to warrant a circuit
event should that be your final aim.
I believe the Princes jewel lies to the East with Pakistan, India and China, the cost to establish a venue and the lack of true international motorsport in these countries opens up all sorts of opportunities for a series with multiple visits. Combine that with national competitions which could see sportsman and bike completions throughout the year with local competitors due to the fact that the quarter mile has to be one of the cheapest ways to start motor sport next to karting.
Drag racing is one of the few motorsports I can think of that I can bring any stock road car to and race with a chance of the win in my class and drive home in the same car.
Whatever happens it won’t be half a job, Sheikh Khalid doesn’t do things by half and city elders that are thinking of bidding for and building a venue to host an
ADRL series competition should view that venue as a multipurpose development with conference and other facilities, as any motorsport venue brings with it the credentials that tell the world we are a city that
knows and shows it can deliver on all levels.
It was over lunch that I had the “should he go East
NEXT MONTH. ARABIAN NIGHTS ON THE HALFWAY LINE
on LPG, (see the image) quarter mile competition over the weeks or months before the ADRL came to town.
Make it free entry to the competition with the winner going up against one of the Top fuel or funny cars in a handy cap race for a new Tuk Tuk,” you would fill the stands for months with Tuk Tuk drivers alone. My lunch guest then reminded me that India and Pakistan have the same Tuk Tuks on the streets of all the big cities, I have yet to visit China but I know their love affair now with the car is as deep as any the USA can boast.
After that it just started to get silly handy capping all sorts of racers so we finished the lunch and went our separate ways back to the real world, if you can call a motor show the real world.
or west” conversation with a true quarter mile petrol head during fantasy ADRL I presented a “Bangkok Venue” scenario. ”Imagine having a Tuk Tuk (for those who have never seen a Tuk Tuk, its a three
wheel Taxi used through out Bangkok that has a 600 cc motorbike engine that runs
It takes a very special skill to recognisethe potential of an opportunity I believe
the Prince has that skill
MOTORSPORT AND CAR BASED FURNITURE
Some would not give it house room, others embrace the thought that a piece of furniture could once of been a race car or a small part of a classic. Myself I love the idea that my side table could of once been part of a formula One car travelling at
over 200 miles per hour or have been part of a car that won the Indy 500 and for many more like me
that are driven by that thought here are a few images of what I like to call Car and Motorsport
Art.
Do you have unusual furniture, send us the images
Who are “Cynergy Comoposites”
Tim Hodgins, owner of Cynergy Composites, ended a career in field sales to pursue his genuine love of automobiles.
He has now set himself on a path of excellence, through relentless hard work and the
creation of top quality products. Tim spent several years as a valuable team member on fellow Canadian Al Billes' racing team, while also working on his degree in Business Administration/Automotive Marketing at Georgian College in Barrie, Ontario.
Tim's early years were spent under the watchful eye of Joe Van Overbeek, owner of Joe Van Overbeek Race Car Bodies, where he learned and honed his skills.
In 1999, Tim recognized his need to stretch further by becoming an entrepreneur, and formed Cynergy Composites Inc.
He acquired an old shop, and started producing his product line. Like any first time parent,
he put in countless hours and got little sleep. While mastering the delicate and time-consuming methods of working with composites.
He made his fair share of mistakes.
In an effort to perfect the "Carbon Fibre Laminate”. Tim eagerly learned as much as possible about highly
complex composites. Hodgins has several hours of classes in composite technology, mold-making, and he now offers the lightest and most structurally sound parts available in the performance racing market.
2004 was Cynergy's breakout year in the performance-racing world. With the purchase of Murray Anderson's wild '67 Camaro Pro Mod body,
Hodgins put himself in the spotlight at the 2004 PRI show. He states, "Having the '67 on display at PRI got us a lot of international exposure.
I had been in business making composite parts for five years, but the exposure at PRI took the company to a totally different level.
It's a challenge each and every day, but I have a great bunch
of guys that help make it hap-pen. Without them it would be real tough." Having outgrown their modest surroundings, Cynergy
Composites moved into its new buildings at the end of 2003 in Strathroy, Ontario.
Cynergy Composites now supplies parts to the leading chassis manufacturers in the world, including Tim McAmis, Jerry Haas, G-Force Race Cars,
Tommy Mauney and Skinny Kid Race Car Facilities. Cynergy is also the #1 builder of super stock parts for Ray Barton, Mandel Race Cars, and MPR Race Cars. With a full-time staff of five, Cynergy
Composites will continue to create superior carbon fiber products, as well as provide an expanded line of products for the performance racing industry.
INTRODUCING GRACE HOWELL
Grace Howell has been around racing and cars her entire life. Growing up in a “racing family” where both her mother and father raced, Grace got the urge to race early on. She began racing Junior Dragsters at the age of eight and enjoyed much success. She was able to travel to Puerto Rico and race three times and also had the opportunity to race in Australia at the ANDRA Junior Championship race, where she was crowned champion in the 8.50 class. Also, she was able to achieve the highest honour in Junior Drag Racing when she won the NHRA National Championship in 1996 at Texas Motorplex.
In 2002, at the age of 16,
Grace made the change from Junior Dragster to an
adult race car, racing within the NHRA Super Stock class. She finished up 7th in the always tough division 2 ranks while also achieving a runner up finish at her very first race.
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INTRODUCING GRACE HOWELL
2008 brought in Grace’s professional driving debut, with her driving a General Motors factory backed, front wheel drive Cobalt within Nopi and Battle of the Imports Pro Stock Divisions.
She enjoyed back-to-back wins in June when she won Pro Stock at the Rocky Mountain Raceway event in Salt Lake City, Utah and then also winning Stock eliminator at the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event in Hebron, Ohio the following weekend.
2010 brought even more
changes as she added a
Ford Motor Company factory built Cobra Jet stock elimi-nator car and also a Cavalier for the Super Stock modified division.
She had great success winning the AA/SA class at
The US Nationals in Indianapolis, in with the Cobra Jet. She now continues to race the Cobra jet and Cavalier in the two fastest classes in Stock and Super Stock making her the quickest female in each!
BEFORE YOU GO RACING
K1 Race Gear has been offering the Very Best in Racing Equipment for over eight years; K1 Race Gear was born in 2003 with the philosophy of
offering products to their customers they would be proud to use. At K1 Race Gear, they are racers themselves, and understand the value of buying quality racing products at a reasonable price. To meet the needs of their customers, they strive to provide quality racing equipment, including racing shoes, suits, driving gloves,
helmets, and more to racers of all ages at a great value. Whether your son or daughter is just starting out in the sport or you have a life‐long passion for racing, they have the products for you in their full line of K1 Race Gear. If you are interested in purchasing karting or racing equipment, including racing shoes, suits, and driving gloves, contact K1 Race Gear today!
Racing Shoes, Racing Suits, Driving Gloves, Helmets, Children's Products and More! They offer a variety of racing products at K1 Race Gear, including karting and auto racing equipment. Their auto racing product line features products constructed of SFI Manufacturer Certified materials, most of which are built with double layer DuPont Nomex III to provide maximum safety and protection. If you are looking for fire‐rated racing equipment, including suits, shoes, driving gloves, or under garments, K1 Race Gear should be your first choice. they are dedicated to helping racers secure the equipment they need at reasonable prices and they will work with you to ensure you have the gear that you need.
http://www.k1racegear.com/
Their karting product line, perfect for indoor or outdoor karting enthusiasts, is designed to meet all of your karting gear needs under one "roof", so to speak! For professional racers, we offer Level 1 and Level 2 karting suits that meet all CIK and FIA requirements for com‐petition use, as well as rain suits and boots for outdoor events. They also offer entry level racing equipment at K1 Race Gear, including racing suits, shoes, driving gloves, chest protectors, rib vests, CoolMax® fabric under garments, accessories, and bags. Everything you will need at the track can be found at K1 Race Gear! In addition to their standard range of products, K1 Race Gear also offers custom racing suits and gear for you or your entire team, racing hemets by renowned manufacturers Bell, Zamp and Fulmer (Fulmer helmets available at K1 Speed locations only), children's products, beautiful race art for your office or home, and a good selection of sportswear brought to you by K1 Speed. They are constantly looking to
expand their product line up to meet the needs of their customers, and if there is something that you need that they don't carry just let they know. They are committed to helping their customers get the racing equipment they need, and their K1 Race Gear driving gloves, racing suits, shoes, and other products are competitively priced for this reason.
http://www.k1racegear.com/
GRACE HOWELL GOES NHRA PRO STOCK Super Stock driver Grace Howell will team with Cunningham Motorsports and make her Pro Stock driving debut at NHRA’s biggest event of the year, the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented
by Lucas Oil, which is held at Lucas Oil Raceway Park in Indianapolis over Labor Day weekend. She will be behind the wheel of Jim Cunningham’s Pro Stock Ford Mustang.
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The 25-year-old from Aiken, S.C., has been around racing and cars her entire life. Grow-ing up in a racing family, she began racing Jr. Dragsters at the age of eight.
She was able to travel to Puerto Rico to race three times
and also had the opportunity to race in Australia at the ANDRA Jr. Championship race, where she was crowned champion in the 8.50 class. Howell achieved the highest honor in Jr. Drag Racing by winning the NHRA National Championship in 1996 at Texas Motorplex.
In 2002, at the age of 16, How-ell made the change from Jr, Dragster to a full-bodied car in the Super Stock class.
She finished No. 7 in the Divi-sion 2 ranks while scoring a runner-up finish at her very first race.
After several years of competing in NHRA national and divisional events, Howell was tagged as a factory driver in Sport Compact Pro Stock in the NOPI Import Series. In 2008, she won back-to-back events in sport Compact and Stock eliminator.
She drove a Ford factory built Cobra Jet Stock eliminator car in 2010 where she won the AA/SA class in Indy.
GRACE HOWELL GOES NHRA PRO STOCK and the Cobra Jets, so to make our debut in Pro Stock, in a Mustang, is truly a dream come true!” Also joining the
“I cannot thank Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham enough for this opportunity," said Howell. "Our family has a long history with Ford, drag racing
Cunningham Motorsports team will be two-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Jim Yates. Yates has been working with Howell, getting her ready for Indy and joining the team in the crew chief position.
Howell Racing receives support from K1 RaceGear, Cheerwine, Ignite Motorsports Marketing, Ford, and Howell Printing.
DRAG RACINI“RUN-WOT-Y
AT THE TWENTY FIFT
IG IN THE UK OU-BRUNG” TH BULL DOG BASH
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The “Bull Dog Bash” is a motor bike weekend festival run in the UK for the past 25 years.
Its held at Shakespeare raceway in Shropshire and they have oper-ated a “Run What U Brung” for a number of years and here are some images from that weekend.
The Bulldog Bash Silver Jubilecommemorative DVD, featurinthe highlights of the show willon-sale very soon, priced at £12.99, via the website, in themeantime log-on to www.bulldogbash.eu and see sample footage on-line.
Images from the drag race pits
SOME OF THE BULL DOG BASH
WINNERS 2011
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born January 14, 1932, Tampa, Florida) Is considered the father of drag racing. He is known as "Big Daddy" to drag racing fans around the world.
Always a pioneer in the field
help of T.C. Lemons, relating at least in part to the loss of a portion of his foot In a drag racing accident perfected the rear-engine "top fuel dragster design". This design is notably safer as it puts most of the fuel
Donald Glenn "Don" Garlits
LEDGEDS of the Quarter mile
Early days In the early days of drag racing, the post-World War II Central and Western United States military aircraft pilot training fields had become available for alternate uses, including automotive racing.
The first national drag racing meet, sponsored by the National Hot Rod Association was held on such an airfield near Great Bend, KS in 1955.
Don Garlits, being from Florida, was something of an outsider. He was sometimes referred to as the Floridian,
processing and rotating or reciprocating parts of the dragster behind the driver.
The driver is placed in "clear air" in front of nearly all mechanical components, thus remaining perfected the rear-engine "top fuel dragster design".
Garlits was an early pro-moter of a full-body, fire-resistant suit - complete with socks and gloves, often branded as Nomex. Garlits was the first drag racer to officially surpass the 170, 180, 200, 240, 250, 260, and 270 miles per hour marks in the quarter mile; he was also the first to top 200 in the 1/8 mile.
Note that all official NHRA records require a "back-up" (speed and elapsed time within 1% of the record) run to verify the newer, higher level of performance. He has been inducted in numerous halls of fame and has won numerous awards dur-
ing his career.
sponsored by Cheerwine
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before permanently adopting the nickname, "Swamp Rat," which also became the theme for each generation of his innovative dragster designs.
In 1959, Garlits travelled to Bakersfield, California for the March Meet, then called the U.S. Fuel & Gas Championship, to show that the times he was setting were as legitimate as those set by the west coast racers.
His presence helped to grow the sport of drag racing beyond its California base. In 1964 after winning the U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis, Garlits travelled to England, with Tommy Ivo, Tony Nancy, Dante Duce and other racers to participate in the First International Drag Festival, a six-event series that did much to promote the sport of drag racing in the UK.
Accident leads to innovation In 1970, Garlits was driv-ing Swamp Rat XIII, also called the Wynnscharger, a front-engine slingshot rail, when the vehicle suffered a catastrophic failure. The two-speed transmission Garlits was developing exploded and took a piece out of Garlits' right foot; he was out for the remainder of the season. He returned to Pomona in 1971 with Swamp Rat XIV, a brand new mid-engine, front-cockpit rail, also dubbed the "Swamp Rat I-R" by Hot Rod Magazine in the article intro-ducing it to their readers. At first, the Roding magazines considered the disadvantages of the new car design "obvious".
Swamp Rat XIV was however so successful that in 1971,
Garlits won two of his next three Top Fuel Eliminator titles (the Winternats and Bakersfield), plus a runner-up at Lions, all in the new car.
A change so momentous had not happened since Mickey Thompson moved the seat behind the rear axle to create the slingshot in 1954. Mid-engine dragsters have since become mainstream in drag racing
with Swamp Rat XIV, a brand new mid-engine, front-cockpit rail, also dubbed the "Swamp Rat I-R" by Hot Rod Magazine in the article introducing it to their readers. At first, the Roding magazines considered the disadvantages of the new car design "obvious". Swamp Rat XIV was however so successful that in 1971,
Drag Racing Terminology Glossary of Drag Racing Terms
1320: Number of feet in a 1/4 mile. Air box: Used primarily on Pro Stock Motorcycles, it settles “negative air” around carburettors the way a hood scoop does on a car.
Air Foil: also know as a wing - a stabilizer, used to create down force, which increases stability and tire traction at high speeds. Amber Lights: Lights used on the Christmas tree to warn the driver of the start of the race. The time between lights depend on the style of racing. Typically there is .4 for the 'Pro Start' tree where there is only one amber light then green, or 'Bracket Rac-ing' at .5 seconds between each light as the tree counts down.
Ballast: A controlled amount of weight positioned in either the front or rear of drag car used to help meet class weight require-ments and/or used as a tuning variable.
Big End: Far side of the track near the finish line.
Blower: A crank driven air-to-fuel mixture compressor which in-creases atmospheric pressure on the engine, resulting in added horsepower. Also commonly referred to as a supercharger.
Bottom End: Near side of the track past the starting line.
Breakout: Used only in handicap racing, “breakout” refers to a contestant running quicker than he or she “dialed” his or her ve-hicle (predicted how quick it would run). Unless the opponent commits a more serious foul (e.g., red-lights, crosses the center-line, or fails a post-race inspection), the driver who breaks out loses. If both drivers break out, the one who runs closest to his or her dial is the winner.
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Bracket Race: Bumped: When a driver loses standing in qualifying position. See Bump Spot.
Bump spot: The elapsed time of the last qualified driver in a closed field, (i.e. the 16th position in a field open to only the 16 quickest qualifiers) The driver can be "bumped" out of the field if bettered by a someone currently not qualified.
Burn down: An intense starting line psychological battle be-tween 2 drivers in which each refuses to fully "stage"for the race. The objective is to break an opponent's concentration, overheat their engine or cool down their tires.
Burnout: Spinning the rear tires in water (see Water Box) at a high RPM to heat them, clean them, and leave a patch of rubber on the tack for better traction. Produces billows of white smoke.
Burned Piston: When a cyl runs lean (too much air in the air-to-fuel mixture) and excessive heat burns or melts or incinerates the piston within the combustion chamber due to a lack of fuel within its cylinder.
Christmas Tree: The Tree, as it is often called, is the electronic starting line device between lanes on the starting line, utilizing a sequential "countdown" of lights calibrated to within .0001 of a second accuracy. See Tree.
Chute: Short for parachute, used for high speed braking.
Clutch Can: The bell-shaped housing, or bell housing, used to encase the clutch and flywheel.
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Clutch Dust: The thick, black smoke which emanates from the rear of many professional class race cars. It is a normal by-product of the friction and erosion of carbon clutch discs during full engagement.
Clutch Lockup: The progression of clutch-disc engagement controlled by an air-timer management system.
Deep Stage: A procedure in which a contestant positions a ve-hicle slightly over the starting line, (while still maintaining official staged status), either by accidentally rolling forward or in an at-tempt to gain a reaction time advantage. In that position, the driver is closer to the finish line but dangerously close to a foul start.
Delay Box: An electronic device, designed to improve reaction time, which permits a driver to initiate the run by releasing a button by hand, (rather than depressing the throttle by foot) at the first flash of the start-ing lights.
Dial In: Anticipated elapsed time of vehicle to cover the quarter or eighth mile distance, usually measured to 1/100th of a second. Derived from the earliest handicapping computers into which predictions were entered by thumbwheel dials. Modern handicappers utilize keyboard entry. Dial-ins are used to handicap cars in eliminations. When two cars race, the two dial-ins are subtracted, and the slower car is given the difference in a head start.
Dial under: when drivers in Super Stock and Stock (handicap catego-ries) select an elapsed time quicker than the national index. Drivers se-lect a dial-under, or e.t., that they think their cars will run based on pre-vious performance. The breakout rule is in effect.
Diaper: A blanket made from ballistic and absorbent, often Kevlar, that surrounds the oil pan and serves as a containment device during engine explosions. Required on Top Fuel dragsters, Funny Cars, Alco-hol Dragsters, and Alcohol Funny Cars.
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Displacement: The total theoretical volume of air/fuel mixture which a specific engine is capable of drawing into all cylinders during one complete cycle of operation.
DNQ: Did Not Qualify.
Doorslammer: A drag car with doors (as opposed to a dragster).
Drag Race: An acceleration contest from a standing start between 2 vehicles over a measured distance (usually 1/8 or 1/4 of a mile). Bracket Drag Racing is based on a E.T.handicap. In Bracket Racing, the slower vehicle receives a head start.
Dropper Cylinder: A condition in which a spark plug fails to ignite when excess fuel in the combustion chamber extinguishes its spark, thereby substantially decreasing total power output. A Dropped Cylinder is distinguishable by raw fuel spewing from the cylinder's exhaust header.
Elapsed Time: Also known as E.T. - Time required for a vehicle to travel from the starting line to the finish line. The time is usually measured to 1/1000 of a second. A car "starts" or triggers the ET timer by tripping the staging beam and ending when a similar light beam is broken by the vehicle at the finish line to end the timing.
Eliminations: After qualifying, vehicles race two at a time, resulting in one winner from each pair. Winners continue in tournament-style competition until one remains.
ET: See Elapsed Time. Fire Bottles: The slang term for fire extinguishers. In some cases the fire extinguisher is activated by a push or pull control within the vehicle. Fuel injection: A conventional delivery system which injects fuel directly and evenly into the airflow for each engine cylinder. Foul Start: also know as red lighting - A foul start is indicated by a red-light on the Christmas Tree when a car has left the starting line before receiving the green light, or starting signal.
Full Tree: A specific starting sequence produced on the Christmas Tree in which the contestants view a countdown of three amber signals and a green starting light at half-second (.500 sec.) intervals. Goose Eggs: A perfect reaction time (.000). Green Light: Light on the tree to signal the driver to go. Groove: A path of rubber laid down by other cars on the track surface. Guard Beam: A light beam-to-photocell connection located 16 inches past the staged beam that is used to prevent a competitor from gaining an unfair starting-line advantage by blocking the stage beam with a low-installed object such as an oil pan or header collector pipe. If the guard beam is activated while the staged beam is still blocked, the red foul light is triggered on the Christmas Tree and the offender is automatically disqualified. Handicap: The difference, in time, of 2 vehicles in a Bracket Race. The slower vehicle receives a head start based on the difference in the 2 dial-ins. Example: Vehicle "A" dials-in at 13.50, and vehicle "B" dials-in at 12.50. Vehicle "A" will receive a one second head start. Hat: Helmet. Headers: Fine-tuned exhaust system that routes exhaust from the engine. Replaces conventional exhaust manifolds. Heads Up: No handicap difference in 2 vehicles. Both vehicles leave the starting line at the same time. Usually the tree is at .4 seconds a light .Also known as a Pro Start. Hemi: An engine utilizing a hemispherical shaped combustion chamber (like a ball cut in half) known for exceptional efficiency when supercharged. Hole Shot: Having a quicker reaction time than your opponent, gained by quicker reflexes at the start of a race. Hydraulic: The slang term describing an extensive engine failure in which massive amounts of raw fuel fail to ignite within a cylinder during compression; since a liquid cannot be compressed, the tre-mendous force of the piston's compression stroke is directed to the cyl-inder head, which is then blown
off the engine (or the cylinder wall, which is blown out of the engine). Index: The expected performance for vehicles in a given class as assigned by NHRA or the governing sanction body for the track. It allows various classes of cars in the same category to race against each other competitively. Interval Timers: Part of a secondary timing system that records elapsed times, primarily for the racers' benefit, at 60, 330, 660, and 1,000 feet. Ladder: The eliminations pairing schedule based on qualifying positions. In qualifying performance is rewarded with a slower opponent in the opening round; in example, a 16 car qualified field would include the pairing of the quickest (#1) with the slowest (#16), while (#2) faces (#15), etc.. Lane Choice: The option, earned by superior elapsed time performance in the most previous round of qualifying or eliminations, to determine the racing lane to be used for competition. Lights: Has two different meanings, it can either refer to the starting lights on the Christmas Tree, or the top-end 'lights' or 'eyes', which is talking about the photocells near and at the finish line (ie, the last 66 feet). Line-Lock: Device used to keep fluid pressure applied to brakes. This aids in performing a Burnout. Loose: When a car loses traction or gets out of the groove. Methanol: Is the simplest alcohol, containing one carbon atom. A high octane fuel that offers excellent acceleration and vehicle power. Pure methyl alcohol produced by synthesis for use in Alcohol Dragsters, Alcohol Funny Cars, and various other classes such as Super Comp and Super Pro. Nitro methane: Produced as a fuel for drag racing. It is the result of a chemical nitration of methane with nitric acid. Nitrous Oxide Injection: A system delivering extra oxygen to the engine's air/fuel mixture to dramatically boost efficiency and power during combustion; injected under pressure into the intake manifold at 54 degrees below zero, oxygen levels increase more than 10% above normal atmospheric content while the nitrogen acts as a cooling agent.
On The Trailer: Term used for drivers eliminated from competition.
Perfect Light: A perfect reaction time. Perfect reaction time is .000
Perfect Run: The rare occurrence in which a bracket racer records a perfect Reaction Time to the 1/1000th of a second while clocking a perfect Elapsed Time against the run's performance prediction. (dial-in)
Performance Prediction: The projected elapsed time, within .01 of a second accuracy, of a bracket race car for each elimination round. Since the objective of bracket racing is to beat an opponent to the finish line while recording a slower elapsed time than the prediction, it defines the parameters in which a contestant must race. The difference between predictions of both vehicles in a race determines the handicap afforded to the slower competitor. Competitors determine each prediction by evaluating dozens of variables including engine power, weather conditions and available traction.
Point Series: A method of determining an overall champion within each of the sport's Eliminator categories by placing a value on performance and achievement at events held during a designated period of time. Value points are awarded to each team driver for entering and competing in each race, qualifying performance and final finishing position, attaining certified elapsed time and speed World Records and exceptional attendance. Series points totals, reflecting total accomplishment, produce ranking through which the highest point earns the title of champion. Pre-Stage: A position on the race track seven inches behind the start-ing line once a vehicle's front tires break a light beam located at the pre-staged line, a small yellow bulb is illuminated on the Christmas Tree in the appropriate lane to warn the driver he/she is approaching the starting line. See Staged. Progressive Times: A series of elapsed times and speeds recorded at specified distances on the race track used primarily for tuning and prediction of performance Although the finish line elapsed time and speed are regarded as progressive, each racer also receives a computer print out after each run (time slip),
which includes the elapsed times, beginning from the starting line, at 60ft (1/88th of a mile), 330ft (1/16th of a mile), 660ft (1/8th of a mile) and 1000 feet distances over the 1320ft course. A speed reading is also supplied from the halfway point (660ft).
Pro Start Tree: A specific starting sequence produced on the Christ-mas Tree in which contestants view a simultaneous flash of all three amber signals followed 4 tenths of a second later (0.40) by the green starting light. Heads-up competition. Rail Car: Dragster Reaction Time: The electronically clocked time it takes a driver to react to the green starting light on the Tree, measured in thousandths of a second. The reaction-time counter begins when the last amber light flashes on the Tree and stops when the vehicle clears the stage beam. (.500 is considered perfect on a full tree/handicap , but .400 is perfect on Pro Tree start). Red Light: A red-light occurs if a car starts before the green light comes on. During competition, this will immediately give the win to the opponent. Rev Limiter: An electronic unit which restricts the total RPM capability of the engine, both in order to minimize engine damage from excessive RPM and to maintain RPM consistency during the initial launch from the starting line. The electronics will "cut out" cylinders at random, after the engine rpm tries to exceed a certain point. RPM: Engine speed defined by the revolutions per minute of the engine crankshaft. Sand Trap: Located at the very end of the drag strip. It helps cars that have lost braking ability come to a halt. Shoe: Driver Shutdown Area: Distance between the finish line and the sand trap where cars slow down after the race.
Sixty Foot Time: The time it takes a vehicle to cover the first 60 feet of the track. It is the most accurate measure of the launch from the starting line. which in most cases determines how quick the rest of the run will be.
Slick: Race tire without tread. Slider Clutch: A multi-disc clutch designed to slip until a predeter-mined rpm is reached. Decreases shock load to the drive wheels. Speed Trap: The final 66 feet to the finish line where speed is recorded as an average of the last 66 feet of the track. By knowing the weight of a car, the trap speed is a good indicator of how much horsepower an engine is making. Staged: A driver is staged when the front wheels of the car are right on the starting line and the small yellow light below the pre-staged light is glowing. Each car is required to line-up their car at the starting line. Once a car moves forward enough for its front tire to block the beam from reaching the other side, the car is considered "staged". Once both cars have staged, the race can begin. Staging Lanes: Area behind the race track used to line up vehicles for the round of competition. Staging Lights: See Christmas Tree. Starter: The designated race official whose duties include the activation of the Christmas Tree, umpiring of each contest and judging of on track rule infractions. Stick Shift: Slang for a transmission that has a clutch and requires manual gear changes. Supercharger: A specialized compressor, traditionally mounted atop the engine and driven by a rubber belt connected to the engine's crankshaft, which forces air and fuel into each cylinder at a massive rate for dramatically increased power. Because it simply blows air into the engine, the supercharger is traditionally referred to as a blower. Supercharger Explosion: An extremely violent mechanical failure during which a broken or melted intake valve permits a spark plug to ignite the air/fuel mixture within the supercharger causing an explosion. Mandatory ballistic (blanket) contains the shrapnel. Tech Inspector: Directors of technical inspections who are the magistrates of drag racing. They verify the legality and safety of every vehicle in competition through lengthy examinations known simply as tech.
Throttle Stop: A complex component which, connected to the accelerator linkage on the engine, actuates a timed pneumatic closure of the induction system, effectively shutting down the engine at a point during the run before returning to full acceleration. Time Trial: A practice run with no bearing on official qualifying positions. Timing Trap: Area near the end of the track to measure vehicles speed. See speed trap. Time Slip: he results of the race. A piece of paper listing the reaction time, 60' time, 330' time, 1/8 mile time and speed, 1000' time, and 1/4 mile time and speed. Top End: Far side of the track near the finish line. Transbrake: A transbrake is a device which allows a car to remain stationary even when the motor is under power. It works by placing the transmission in 1st gear and Reverse at the same time. Since both gears have the same ratio, but in opposite directions, the car cannot move. The transbrake can be released with a button, which releases the Reverse gear. Tree: Also referred to as the Christmas Tree. A series of lights used to signal a driver on the starting line. Typical trees have Pre-Stage lights, Staged lights, amber lights, green lights, and the dreaded Red Light. Treed: Having significantly worse reaction time than the opponent. True Win Margin: The actual distance, beyond all other determina-tions, between two vehicles at the finish line, measured by each con-testant breaking the final light beam on the track. Turbocharger: An exhaust driven intake air compressor (see supercharger). Wally: NHRA trophy named after NHRA founder Wally Parks. Water Box: The designated area for pre race burnouts, named for the water trough, in which the tire heating exercise is performed. Wedge: An engine with a wedge combustion chamber, a combustion chamber resembling a wedge in shape. Need not have parallel intake and exhaust valve stems.
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Weight Transfer: Critical to traction. Vehicles are set up to provide a desired weight transfer to rear wheels. When the vehicle accelerates, the front wheels lift and the weight shifts to the rear wheels, which makes them less likely to spin. Wheelie Bars: Devices placed at the rear of the vehicle to prevent excessive front wheel lift.
