| Drag racing is one of the most dangerous and | | | | Coined by dragster crews in the late 1960s to |
| deadly hobbies around the United States and the | | | | separate Funny Cars, which had fiberglass bodies |
| world. Drag racing is illegal in most areas of the | | | | with fenders, from dragsters. Erroneously |
| country and is done late at night on long stretches | | | | attributed to flip-top bodies of Funny Cars. |
| of road between two usually inexperienced | | | | Fuel-mix of methanol and nitromethane ("pop", |
| drivers. Inexperienced means that they are not | | | | nitro); race class using it |
| professional race car drivers. There is legal drag | | | | Holeshot-getting a significant advantage off the |
| racing in the United States and it takes place on a | | | | starting line. The other driver gets "holeshotted" |
| safe race track. Two vehicles race down a long | | | | or "left at the tree". A "holeshot win" is any win in |
| track with a set distance at top speed and deploy | | | | a heads-up class where a slower car beats a |
| a parachute at the end of the race to help with | | | | faster car because of better reaction time. |
| the breaking process. | | | | Hook Up-Good traction between tires and track |
| The National Hot Rod Association, also known as | | | | resulting in increased acceleration and reduced |
| the NHRA, is in charge of overseeing the majority | | | | slipping or smoking of tires. |
| of drag races in the United States. The second | | | | Nitro-nitromethane (sometimes incorrectly used to |
| largest racing organization is the International Hot | | | | refer to nitrous oxide) |
| Rod Association, also known as the IHRA. There | | | | Overdrive-The ratio between the revolutions of |
| are five classes in drag racing in the NHRA and | | | | the supercharger to the revolutions of the engine, |
| the IHRA. They are the Top Fuel Dragster, the | | | | controlling amount of boost; see underdrive |
| Top Fuel Funny Car, the Pro Modified, the Pro | | | | Rail-dragster (as distinct from bodied car or |
| Stock and the Pro Stock Bike. The latter is a | | | | flopper). From the exposed frame rails of early |
| heavily modified motorcycle and is only raced in | | | | cars. |
| the NHRA. Some unprofessional yet popular | | | | Slingshot-early front-engined dragster, named for |
| classes are the Super Stock, the Sport Compact, | | | | the driving position behind the rear wheels |
| the Top Sportsman, the Pro FWD and the Top | | | | (erroneously attributed to launch speed) |
| Alcohol Dragster. | | | | Top end-finish line of strip; high part of engine's |
| Here is a brief list of terms and their definitions | | | | rev band. |
| regarding drag racing from Drag Racing Made | | | | Traction bars-rear struts fixed to rear axle to |
| Easy's website: | | | | keep rear axle from twisting, causing wheel hop |
| Beam-starting line electric eye controlling | | | | and loss of traction; also called slapper bars. |
| "pre-staged" and "staged" lights | | | | Wheelie bars-rear struts fixed to rear axle, which |
| Blow-supercharge; wreck. Said of an engine. | | | | protrude out to rear of car to help prevent car's |
| Digger-dragster (as distinct from a bodied car or | | | | front from racing too high or flipping over on |
| flopper) | | | | launch. |
| Flopper-Funny Car, short for "fender flopper." | | | | |