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A long time ago, around the 1950's, some gearheads got together and wanted to see who had the fastest car. Figuring the best way to test this was to simply race in a straight line, they did, and invented the drag race. Okay, so I don't know for sure how the drag race was invented, but it could have been like that. Anyways, according to an article in Popular Mechanics, Californians built hot rods and raced them in the valleys around the area. Then they formed the National Hot Road Association (NHRA), and drag racing spread.
Today, drag racing can be found almost anywhere. There are dozens of NHRA licensed tracks around the US. There, rules are enforced in such a way to keep injuries down, but not spoil the fun of it. In most cities, however, there is street drag racing, where people meet and then race from stoplight to stoplight for money, or just for fun. Also, everyone knows of the informal drag racing we all do with the guy across from you at red lights.
Sanctioned drag races have a burnout box, where racers spin the tires to warm them up, or to remove dirt. We have pictures of many drag race burnouts, and they are pretty good. That is a way drag racing relates to burnouts. Another reason drag racing is on this site, however is because of the vehicles they use. Some race stock cars, but most have heavily modified beasts. These cars attempt to get traction (hey, we're not all perfect), but they have good intentions. They think it is better to win than to burn the tires 60 ft at the start.
Okay, so they're right. Burnouts and launching off the tree just don't mix. But there is a lot to learn from how people build up there drag cars, and how they get traction. So take a look at our drag section, and have fun.
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