GETTING STARTED – HOW TO RACE
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Want to Give Drag Racing a Go?
If you’re keen to give drag racing a go, you’ve come to the right place.
Getting started is easier than you might think, and you don’t need a purpose-built race car. Whether you’ve got a street car you’d like to try, you’re building something for the track, or you’re simply curious about becoming a racer, we’ll help point you in the right direction.
Before race day:
Getting started is pretty straightforward. Here are the main costs to allow for:
- Gate entry: Approximately $20 to $40 per person, depending on the event.
- Race entry: Entry fees vary by event. Check the details and complete your entry form here.
- Competition Day Licence: $30 if you don’t already have a season competition licence. This covers both days at a two-day meeting.
You don’t need a lot to get started. Just make sure you bring:
- Your driver licence (a restricted licence is fine)
- Suitable clothing and enclosed shoes
- A compliant crash helmet
- Your registered and warranted car or motorbike
- Food and plenty to drink, especially on hot summer days. Food and drinks are also available at the track.
You can check the current crash helmet requirements in the NZDRA Rulebook.
Plan to arrive at the track by 7.00 am on Saturday to allow plenty of time to get your car or bike scrutineered and entered. Scrutineering and entry close at 8.45 am, and you must be fully processed before then. Please do not leave your arrival until the last minute, as delays may mean you miss the cut-off.
One of our scrutineers will have a look over your vehicle to check some important safety items before you race. The exact requirements depend on your vehicle and class, but most entry-level classes require either a current WoF and registration, or an NZDRA Tech Inspection and logbook.
A couple of things new racers sometimes overlook:
- Your battery must be securely clamped.
- You must have a radiator overflow bottle fitted.
If your vehicle runs quicker than 13.0 seconds, additional safety requirements may apply. Check the NZDRA Rulebook for more information.
Scrutineering is not a full safety inspection or a guarantee that your vehicle is safe to race. As the driver, you are ultimately responsible for making sure your vehicle is safe and suitable for racing. See Section 4.02 of the NZDRA Rulebook for more information.
Don’t be afraid to ask! Drag racers are a friendly bunch, and your pit neighbours are usually more than happy to help.
We also have a Racer Mentor specifically to help anyone who is new to the sport. Geoff Kydd, who races the silver Camaro in Super Street, is a friendly and experienced racer who is happy to answer questions, explain how things work, or point you in the right direction.
Masterton Motorplex crew are also around the track throughout the day. If you’re unsure about anything, just ask. If they don’t know the answer, they’ll find someone who does.
Getting ready to race:
Absolutely! Just before 9.00 am on Saturday, we’ll make an announcement over the pit PA for new racers to attend a walk-through of the start line and racing procedures.
If it’s your first time racing, we strongly recommend you attend. It usually starts at around 9.05 am at the pedestrian crossing in the staging lanes.
Yes. All drivers/riders and crew chiefs must attend the official Drivers Briefing, usually held at 9.30 am outside the entry booth; listed for announcements over the P.A. for and changes.
Important information about the day’s racing and procedures is covered, so make sure you’re there and ready before it starts.
Listen out for the PA announcements. You’ll first hear a call for your class to get ready, then around five minutes later you’ll be called to stage. The announcement will tell you which staging lane to use.
If it’s your first time, follow the other racers in your class into the staging lanes and watch what they do. As the cars ahead move towards the track, keep moving forward with the queue, but please don’t stop on the pedestrian crossing.
This is usually when the adrenaline starts to build! Having a simple routine can help settle the nerves and make sure you’re ready when it’s your turn.
Some events at Masterton Motorplex are run No Prep. This means the track hasn’t been treated with the traction compound normally used at a fully prepped drag racing meeting, so there may be considerably less grip available.
If you’re racing at a No Prep event, drive to the conditions. Don’t assume the car will have the same traction as it would on the road or at a fully prepped meeting. Be smooth with the throttle, especially on your first few runs while you get a feel for the track.
If your tyres start spinning or the vehicle begins to move around, back off the throttle and regain control. There’s no prize for trying to save a bad run.
Take your time, get a feel for the available grip, and have fun!
Your first run:
When you reach the front of the staging lanes, a track official will wave you onto the track. Turn into your lane, line yourself up with the centre of the lane, and watch the officials near the start line for instructions.
They’ll signal you forward into the water box. Creep forward until your driving wheels are in the water, then wait for the starter’s signal.
Once you get the signal, you can do your burnout, if you want to.
Don’t worry if you’re unsure what to do. Watch the officials and follow their directions. They’ll help guide you through the process.
A burnout heats the tyres to help improve traction, and of course, they can be a bit of fun too!
There are two important rules to remember:
- Keep moving forward. Stationary burnouts are not permitted. Once your tyres are spinning, allow the vehicle to creep forward. Staying in one spot can damage the track surface.
- Street cars and bikes must finish their burnout before the start line. Street tyres can leave small pieces of hard rubber, known as “marbles”, and can damage the prepared racing surface, reducing traction for the racers who follow.
If you’re unsure, watch the starter and follow their directions.
Please follow the burnout rules. You may be warned or prevented from further racing if you don’t.
Next, it’s time to stage your vehicle. Watch the starter, and when they wave you forward, slowly move towards the start line while watching the Christmas Tree.
First, creep forward until the top set of lights come on. This is called pre-stage and means you’re about 175 mm (7 inches) from the stage beam. Stop there and wait for the other vehicle to pre-stage.
Once you’re both pre-staged, creep forward again until the second set of lights come on. This is called stage. Stop as soon as they light up. You’re now staged and ready to race!
If the other vehicle stages before you, you have 10 seconds to stage your vehicle.
Once both vehicles are staged, the starting system will automatically begin the countdown, so be ready, because it happens quickly!
The three yellow lights will flash down the Christmas Tree, one after another. Each stays on for 0.4 seconds before the next one comes on.
Here’s the important bit: go when the third (bottom) yellow light comes on. Don’t wait for the green!
By the time you react and your front wheels move out of the stage beam, the green light should be on. This is all part of your reaction time, which we explain further down the page.
Now for the fun part! Accelerate down the track, but always drive to the conditions and within your own ability. If the tyres spin or the vehicle starts to move around, back off the throttle and regain control.
As you get more comfortable, try to do things the same way each run, such as changing gear at the same engine speed (revs). Being consistent will help you run a similar elapsed time (ET) each pass, which becomes important when you start racing DYO.
For your first few runs, don’t worry about being the fastest car out there. Concentrate on driving safely, getting comfortable and having fun. The speed will come later!
The finish line is marked by paint, lights and signs. Once you cross it, ease off the throttle and start braking. At speed, the end of the track comes up quickly, so don’t admire the view – concentrate on slowing down!
As you approach the end of the track, get ready to turn onto the return road. The left lane always turns first. If you’re in the right lane, wait for the left-lane racer to turn unless a track official waves you through.
If you’re unable to make the turn, continue straight ahead. Don’t attempt a sudden or unsafe turn. The sand trap at the end of the track is there to help bring a vehicle safely to a stop.
Once you’re safely on the return road, let out a whoop – you’ve just completed a pass down the drag strip!
Drive back on the RIGHT side of the return road (just like you’re driving in America) and keep your speed to 30 km/h or less. There may be other race vehicles, tow vehicles, officials and safety crew using the return road, so take it easy and stay alert.
As you enter the pits, stop at the time slip printer to collect your time slip and see how you went.
Then head back to your pit, get yourself and your vehicle ready, and listen out for the PA call for your next run.
Don’t panic. We have trained safety and rescue crews at the track, and they’ll come to you if you need help.
If you break down at the start line: Stay in your vehicle, watch the starter and follow their instructions. Do not get out unless you’re told to, or you are in immediate danger.
If your vehicle starts moving out of your lane: Back off the throttle immediately. Don’t try to save the run. Concentrate on getting the vehicle straight and back under control.
If your vehicle loses power, breaks down, or you think it may be leaking fluid: Move to the side of the track and out of the racing groove immediately. Even if you’re not sure whether you’re dropping fluid, get out of the groove.
Fluids in the racing groove can take a long time to clean up and may stop racing for everyone while the track is made safe.
Once stopped, stay in your vehicle until the other racer has passed and follow the instructions of the safety crew, unless you are in immediate danger.
We have trained motorsport rescue, fire and medical personnel at the track. Your crew, friends and family must stay off the track and let the safety crew do their job.
If you do need to get out of your vehicle, check for other vehicles and safety crew before stepping onto the track.
Understanding the racing:
Your reaction time is the time between the green light coming on and your front wheel leaving the stage beam. A perfect reaction time is 0.000 seconds. Anything under 0.100 seconds is good, and under 0.050 seconds is very good.
A good reaction time can make a big difference. If you’re slow to leave, the other racer can already be on their way down the track before you get moving.
Don’t worry about chasing a perfect reaction time when you’re starting out. Concentrate on getting comfortable with the Christmas Tree and being consistent. As you gain experience, you’ll naturally start working on improving your reactions.
A red light means you left the start line too early. If your front wheel leaves the stage beam before the green light comes on, the red light will come on and you’ll lose that race.
Remember, you should still react to the last yellow light, rather than waiting to see green. The trick is getting your timing right so your vehicle leaves the stage beam just as the green comes on.
Don’t worry if you red light while you’re learning. It happens to everyone!
Dad’s Drags works a little differently from our usual Dial-Your-Own (DYO) racing, which we explain in the next section.
After the practice runs, cars are grouped into brackets with other cars running similar elapsed times. Racing within each bracket is heads-up, which means both cars leave the start line at the same time. There’s no handicap start and you don’t need to nominate a DYO.
The winner of each bracket then progresses to the Dad’s Drags Final, where DYO handicapping is used to give the different-speed bracket winners an equal chance of taking the overall win.
The great thing is you don’t need a fast car to be competitive. Whether you bring your everyday street car or something considerably quicker, you’ll initially be racing against cars running similar times.
That’s what makes Dad’s Drags such a great event for first-time racers. Bring your street car, have some fun and see what it can do!
Most of our sportsman racing uses a handicap system called Dial-Your-Own (DYO). It allows cars of very different speeds to race each other and still have an equal chance of winning.
Your DYO is the time you think your vehicle will run. If one car has a slower DYO than the other, the Christmas Tree gives that car a head start equal to the difference between the two DYOs.
You don’t need to choose a DYO for practice or qualifying. Use those runs to see how consistently your vehicle performs, then before eliminations, write your chosen DYO on the sheet at the entry booth.
Here’s the important part: if you run quicker than your DYO, you “break out” and will usually lose the race. So you want to choose a DYO that is close to what your vehicle can consistently run, without making it too easy to break out.
It can take a little practice to get your DYO right, so don’t be afraid to ask another racer or our Racer Mentor for help choosing one.
Drag racing is exciting, and the adrenaline can definitely kick in! One of the best things you can do is get organised and develop a simple routine. It’ll help you stay calm, remember what you need to do, and become more consistent with every run.
Most importantly, don’t overthink it. Have fun and enjoy your first day at the track!
And finally:
That’s the basics! If you’ve got a good understanding of everything above, you’re ready to come along and have a go.
Don’t worry if you don’t remember everything on your first day. There are plenty of people around to help, including our Racer Mentor, Geoff Kydd, other racers and Masterton Motorplex crew.
If you’re unsure about anything, just ask. We’d much rather you ask a question than stand there wondering what to do.
Most importantly, relax, have fun and enjoy your first day of drag racing!
Have fun!
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