NHRA Drag Racing

NHRA Drag Racing is America's premier organized drag racing series: two machines, one straight strip, and a winner decided in a few seconds. Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars burn nitromethane and shake your chest from the grandstands. Pro Stock cars and Pro Stock Motorcycles add tight, precise racing. Fans love the noise, the flames, the open pit areas where you can watch teams rebuild engines between rounds, and the simple rule that the first driver across the line wins.

The National Hot Rod Association was founded in 1951 by Wally Parks, with the goal of moving street racers onto safe, organized strips. The Winternationals at Pomona began in 1960, and the U.S. Nationals, first held in 1955, has been run at Indianapolis since 1961. Pioneers like Don Garlits and Shirley Muldowney, the first woman to win a Top Fuel title, built the sport's reputation for speed, innovation and grit.

How it works

• Qualifying sessions come first. Each car's best run sets its spot on the ladder, with the fastest paired against the slowest.
• Race day is single elimination. Winners advance round by round and losers go home, until two finalists race for the win.
• Drivers watch the Christmas tree, a column of lights that counts down to green. Reaction time to the green light matters as much as raw speed.
• Leaving before green is a red-light foul and loses the round. Otherwise the first car across the finish line wins, regardless of elapsed time.

Fan tips

• Bring quality hearing protection. Nitro cars are loud enough to hurt unprotected ears, and kids need ear muffs sized for them.
• Arrive early for qualifying. It's often less crowded, and you see the cars run hard as teams chase a better spot.
• Walk the pits when access is open. Watching crews swap engine parts between rounds is a big part of the show.
• Check the track's own website before you go for gate times, bag and cooler rules, and parking, since these vary by venue.

Legends of NHRA

Books, biographies and collectibles about the series' greats.

FAQ