Drag racing’s finer points may elude the uninitiated

Wednesday, July 21, 1999 | 9:36 a.m.

Brian Hilderbrand

Drag racing is, at once, the most simple and most complex form of motor sports.

Pared to its basics, drag racing is a contest between two cars, racing from a standing start, over a pair of straight, quarter-mile lanes.

But what may confuse the uninitiated is the fact that the driver with the fasted elapsed time and speed does not always win a given race.

A set of staging lights at the starting line, called a "Christmas tree," is used to signal the start of a National Hot Rod Association-sanctioned race. The Christmas tree features three amber flood lights, a green light (to signal the start) and a red light (to indicate a foul and disqualification) in each lane.

There is a 0.4-second difference between the flash of the amber lights and flash of the green light. It is possible for a driver to win despite a slower elapsed time and speed because the winning driver's reaction time at the start is better than his opponent's.

The elapsed-time clock in each lane does not start until each car moves.

National records are kept for elapsed time and fastest speed in each category. However, a driver can have the fastest time or speed in a race but still not set a national record because NHRA rules require a record run to be backed up by another run within one percent of the record time or speed to be considered a record.

The five professional categories of NHRA competition, which will participate in the inaugural NHRA event next April at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:

* TOP FUEL: Drag racing's premier category, these 6,000-horsepower, nitromethane-burning dragsters are the quickest accelerating vehicles in racing. They are powered by supercharged, custom-built 500-cubic-inch engines mounted behind the driver and are capable of covering a quarter-mile from a standing start in less than five seconds at better than 320 mph. The quickest and fastest runs are 4.486 seconds (Larry Dixon, April 1999, at Baytown, Texas) and 326.44 mph (Gary Scelzi, Nov. 1998, Baytown, Texas).

* FUNNY CARS: Short wheel-based cars with a fiberglass replica of a production car body. The engines are identical to those that power Top Fuel dragsters, with one noticeable difference: they are located in front of the driver. The minimum weight of a Funny Car, including the driver, is 2,325 pounds. These dragsters are capable of times and speeds similar to those of Top Fuel machines. The quickest and fastest runs are 4.788 seconds (John Force, April 1999, Baytown, Texas) and 324.05 mph (Force, March 1999, Gainesville, Fla.).

* PRO STOCK: While retaining a close resemblance to their showroom counterparts, Pro Stock dragsters feature extensive engine modifications, sophisticated chassis and suspension development and a maximum 500-cubic-inch engine displacement. Pro Stock cars must be 1994 or newer two-door coupes or sedans. The quickest and fastest runs are 6.840 seconds (Kurt Johnson, May 1999, Richmond, Va.) and 202.24 mph (Warren Johnson, May 1999, Richmond, Va.).

* PRO STOCK TRUCK: This category is reserved for 1996 or later domestic or foreign pickups of extended cab, midsize design and powered by carbureted, gasoline-burning engines. Much like the Pro Stock cars, Pro Stock Trucks retain a close resemblance to their production counterparts but feature extensive engine, chassis and suspension modifications. The maximum engine displacement is 358 cubic inches. The quickest and fastest runs are 7.505 seconds (Jerry Haas, May 1999, Richmond, Va.) and 179.09 mph (Brad Jeter, March 1999, Gainesville, Fla.).

* PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE: Reserved for 1992 or newer stock-appearing, carbureted, gasoline-burning engines. The minimum weight for a bike and rider is 550 pounds for Harley Davidsons and 600 pounds for all other makes. The quickest and fastest runs are 7.212 seconds (Angelle Seeling, March 1999, Gainesville, Fla.) and 190.70 mph (Antron Brown, March 1999, Gainesville, Fla.).