This allows you to focus on learning track etiquette and procedures to get you safely down the track.īefore making a run, NHRA will require that your car passes technical inspection. On a test and tune day (or night), you’ll simply be making runs so you won’t be concerned with competition.

Most tracks offer days/nights dedicated to test and tune. You should either visit the track’s website or call the provided phone number to check out the schedule and be sure the track is open for racing.

NHRA member tracks are listed on click here, then select your state, then scroll through the list of tracks in your area. Step one, obviously, is finding a place to race. We’ll cover what happens after that, but for now, let’s just get you comfortable getting to that point. How do you find a place to race? What should you bring? In essence, how does it all work? We know it can sound daunting, but we’ll walk you through every step of the process to get you up to the starting line. Nevertheless, racing for your first time can be intimidating. And whether you’re after head-to-head competition, or if you just want to see how quickly your car can run, NHRA sanctioned tracks provide a safe and fun environment for you to experience drag racing. I say simple because almost anyone with a driver’s license can make runs with everything from street-legal vehicles to a dedicated race car. At its core, drag racing is a simple sport, a straight-line competition that most commonly takes place on eighth- and quarter-mile dragstrips.

How to become a professional racer