If you have been bitten by the drag racing bug, you may then want to participate in one of the many Sportsman class championships that take place across the course of the year. The Sportsman classes feature not only a wide range of cars competing, but they also provide a number of different racing types.
The main types of competition are Heads-Up racing, Bracket racing and those that run to an Index.
Heads-up racing is drag racing in its’ purest form. Both cars see the green light at the same time and have the aim of reaching the finish line first in the fastest possible time. This type of racing tends to favour the most powerful cars in the class which are capable of producing low quarter mile times.
Bracket racing offers a more even playing field to each car and driver depending on their respective performance down the quarter mile. Before each run, the driver pre-determines what time they think they will be able to achieve based on previous runs and the track conditions. In qualifying, the aim is to get as close to their dial-in time as possible without going any quicker. When it comes to the racing itself, the starting lights will operate on a handicap system, giving a head start to the driver of the slower car defined by the difference between the two times. Drivers will still need to get as close to their time as possible, however they will also need to reach the line first. This type of racing not only tests the driver’s skills but also their mental ability to stay cool under pressure.
Index racing is similar to bracket racing; however each driver runs to the same time designated by the class. For example, you can have both a dragster and a muscle car competing together and aiming to get as close to 8.5 seconds as possible. As with bracket racing, the aim is still to cross the finish line first but without going faster than the indexed time for the class.
Each of these classes run to what is called a Sportsman light. This refers to the starting lights, also known as the Christmas Tree. In Sportsman classes once both cars are lined up in the correct position, known as staged, there are four yellow lights which count down one-by-one to the green light in a pre-timed sequence. Drivers who react too quickly and launch their car before the green light will be shown a red light and will hand the victory to the opposing driver.
For more information, check out the video below:
Pro Car Classes
Featuring some of the fastest racing cars in the country, the Pro categories are not for the feint hearted. Here you will find a mixture of doorslammers and bespoke dragsters and funny cars, some running on Nitromethane fuel, capable of running low elapsed time runs with speeds approaching and often exceeding 200mph. The top classes such as Top Fuel Dragster and Funny Car are even capable of topping 300mph.
Each of the Pro classes feature straight-up head-to-head racing with the aim of getting to the finish line first. There are no handicaps on the start line, it is down to pure and simple performance on the quarter-mile.
Also, each class runs to the Pro light system on the Christmas Tree. This means that once both cars have illuminated the Stage lights, the 4 yellow lights will appear together before the green lights start the race. This start procedure makes the driver’s reaction times even more crucial to winning the race.
Due to some classes running Nitro fuels, drivers need to ensure that they wear the correct safety equipment as specified by the regulations for that class.
For more information, check out the video below:
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