What does Tree mean in drag racing?

You could also say: 'Tree. Definition: The starting line light fixture that lets racers know when the car is properly positioned for a start and when to start. Trees often have the following bulbs: Pre-staged and staged (yellow), countdown (three amber bulbs), start (green bulb), and foul start (red bulb).

What is full Tree in racing?

They indicate that the driver is actually on the starting line, and presumably ready to race. The next section is the three amber starting signals. In most bracket racing and sportsman classes, these bulbs will light in sequence, a half-second apart, this is called a full tree.

Are drag race starting lights called trees?

After this point, the lighting sequence will be different based on the type of tree and start that a race is using. The "Standard" tree will light up each large amber light consecutively with a . 500 second delay in between them, then followed by the green light after another . 500 second delay.

How far is the Tree from the starting line in drag racing?

When the front tires of a vehicle break the first light beam, the pre-stage beam, the pre-stage lights on the Tree indicate that the racer is about 7 inches from the starting line.

What is a pro Tree?

The Pro Tree is when all three amber lights flash simultaneously followed four-tenths of a second later by the green light ( green is when you gas the vehicle forward). The Sportsman Tree is used for exhibition, Street Legal Drag events and other non-Pro NHRA events (Dragsters, Funny cars etc.).

Dragracing 101 - The Tree and Staging

What is RT and ET in drag racing?

REACTION TIME (RT)

You want your RT to be at or as close to . 500 as possible. If you react faster than that, you've just red lighted. 60, 330, 1/8,mph, and 1000 ET and MPH Times. These figures give you the elapsed times at the 60 foot, 330 foot, 660 foot or eighth mile, and 1,000 foot marks.

What is red light in drag racing?

Also known as a red-light. When a vehicle leaves the starting line before the green light, indicated by the red light on the Tree. When a foul start occurs in eliminations, the racer is eliminated from further competition at the event (unless his or her opponent commits a worse infraction).

What does deep mean in drag racing?

Deep staging is the practice of rolling forward enough to turn off the prestage light. The thought behind this is you are closer to the finish line than your opponent.

Why is a drag strip 1/4 mile?

Traditionally, a drag strip is 1,320 feet, which equals a quarter-mile. (One mile equals 5,280 feet.) Many classes in NHRA drag racing—actually, all but the Top Fuel and Funny Car classes—still compete on a quarter-mile course.

What does double bulb mean in drag racing?

Essentially, when staging, you turn on the first staging bulb or your opponent does and waits until the other racer turns on their first bulb. Then both racers in turn push in to turn on their second stage bulb. The opposite of courtesy staging is generally called double bulbing.

What is considered a perfect light in drag racing?

(. 500 is a perfect light on a sportsman tree, . 400 on a Pro tree.) What this really means is that your front tire(s) left the stage beam .

What does 1320 mean in drag racing?

The 1320 name reflects the car's drag-racing designs, as there are 1,320 feet in a quarter-mile. Neil Vorano. My first step before I hit the start line is to test out one of those features, specifically what's called a “line lock” – basically, it shuts off the rear brakes.

What does no prep in drag racing mean?

The "no-prep" part refers to the fact that the race surface is not prepared ahead of time like it is in most forms of drag racing. In this regard, the no-prep track resembles an actual street.

What is a burndown in drag racing?

Burn down: When both cars intentionally hesitate before moving out of “pre-stage” and into the "stage" position at the Christmas tree, therefore delaying the start of the race.

Why does 1320 mean quarter-mile?

The 1320 part of its name comes from the distance in feet in a quarter mile. Don't let its normal Challenger looks fool you: This Scat Pack 1320 is the fastest naturally aspirated showroom stock drag car you can buy.

What does OG stand for in racing?

To fans surprise, the term OG in street racing is the same as the original meaning. They use the phrase, Original Gangster, when talking about their peers and sometimes their cars. Initially, the phrase means 'we are first' – which is what the racers want to be.

What does bump in mean in drag racing?

The "Bump Box" has totally transformed the way many drag racers stage their cars. By controlling the trans brake with a high speed micro processor, the car can be bumped into the second bulb with extreme precision and control! Allowing the driver to focus on the tree, and not worry about rolling the beams.

What is a 400 pro tree?

With the "Pro Tree" you stage just like in the Sportsman Tree but the three amber lights illuminate at exactly the same instant and the green follows exactly . 4 seconds later. The goal is to anticipate the "green" and be as close to the . 4 second interval as possible.

What does jump mean in street racing?

This is another system of handicapping that requires one car to wait until they see the other car start to move before they are allowed to leave their starting line. In legitimate drag strips that run street racing style events, a jump is used for a red light foul if the Christmas Tree is used.

Why do drivers do burnouts?

Burnouts can help remove unwanted debris

Performing a burnout can help to remove any foreign matter or unwanted debris that may have collected on the tires before the race, particularly if the vehicle was coming from the pits.