Drag racing, not the illegal kind

I remember reading an article in one of the Los Angeles newspapers that said “L.A. is the street drag racing capital.” The paper refers to the illegal drag racing that takes place on some streets in Los Angeles. Here we are talking about the legal kind not the illegal street drag racing.

Drag racing is a type of motor racing between two vehicles (sometimes motorcycles). Many of the vehicles are specially prepared for the purpose of drag racing. Race takes place on a surface that is paved such as a race track that people call a drag strip. Illegal drag racing usually takes place on a straight street segment about a quarter mile long. Participating vehicles may include funny cars or Top Fuel dragsters. They are a spectacle to watch before and after a race.

Prior to starting a race or the industry call a pass, each driver is allowed to perform a burnout to heat up tires that helps to improve the traction. A Christmas tree like mounted lighting set with many colors including green, blue and yellow is used to electronically start the race. The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) governs most of legal drag racing in the US.