Advice for beginner wanting get into drag racing?

1) BEFORE you roll into the burnout area, make sure your windows are rolled up. That way you don't forget.

2) If it is your first time staging the car, let the car in the other lane pre-stage first. That way you can line up your car based on the car in the other lane. Go slow and once the pre-stage light comes on **STOP** look around and make a mental note on where your car is in relation to the tree, signs on the fence, or whatever landmarks are available. You may have to stage the car in the future without the benefit of a car in the other lane. Most tracks have the starting line beams well back from the tree. Most rookies will rush up there and miss their front tires rolling through the staging beams and actually stage with their back tires. This will result in a knock on the window from the starter waving you to back out and stage again.

3) Make sure you know what the finish line looks like. Once you cross the finish line, get out of the throttle and ease into the brakes. Look for the turnoff, but NEVER cut in front of another car to exit the track. Either wait for the other car to pass you or turn off first before you exit the track.

4) Keep the speed down on the return road. Many track post 15-20MPH speed limits on the return road. Look for the ET slip booth and carefully stop at the booth and get your slip. It is a good idea to look at the car numbers listed on the slip to ensure that your car number is listed. If your number is not listed, then it is a good time to tell the booth operator about the discrepancy. It is possible the tower could not read the number off your car correctly. If this is the case, you can fix it when you get back to the pits.

5) Keep you speed down in the pits. The pits are basically a parking lot full of people and kids.

Helpful things to bring to the track:
1) Helmet
2) Window cleaner
3) paper towels
4) shoe polish
5) pen/pencil
6) hat (to cover up helmet hair between runs)

Between runs spend some time walking the pits and talk to people with similar cars to the one you plan on racing. The amount of information you can get from folks about how they achieved their results can be priceless. All of these people live drag racing every week, but sadly none of them will ever write a book about their experiences.

If you are interested in reading more about racing slow cars against faster cars, do a search for old copies of SS/DI and BRUSA with articles by Mr. Dirt.