Make Yourself A Pro In Drag Boat Racing

Every game has its own set of rules and technicalities that participants must follow. The same may be said about “Drag Boat Racing.” So, before you can become a professional, you must first learn the rules and terminologies of the sport.
Here’s a rundown of the most prevalent lingos and guidelines that every participant should be familiar with.

The terminology:

A Run — a race down the track that is timed
Alcohol — a 100% methanol-based fuel for boats
Nitro—nitromethane is used as a fuel for boats.
The Big End — the last quarter of the track
Blown — A “supercharged” engine is one in which air is pumped into the engine using a compressor.
Un-Blown — An engine without being supercharged
Break Out — when a boat exceeds its dial-in time on the track
Bye — a single run earned by having the fastest qualifying time, a no-show, or a broken competitor’s boat.
Christmas Tree — the lights at the starting line, usually stacked in a vertical manner

Dial-In — This is the estimated elapsed time (ET) for your boat.
Elapsed Time (ET) — the amount of time that has occurred since a boat has crossed the starting line and has not yet crossed the finish line of a race track
Foul, Foul Start — when a boat passes across the starting line before the green light comes on
Holding Rope — A rope that can be dropped and lifted across the starting line. The boats will remain here until it is time for them to run.
Injected — a method of injecting fuel into an engine under pressure
In Ramp — the point at which boats enter the water
Out Ramp —This is the site where boats are removed from the water.
Perfect light — .000 seconds of reaction time
Pilot — The boat’s driver
Pits — When not in use, this is the place where boats are prepared, constructed, serviced, and stored.
Reaction Time — the amount of time it takes a boat to go from the starting line to the holding rope
Red Light — indicates that you’ve been disqualified. Usually as a result of skipping the starting line or breaching a regulation.
Starter — the person who provides the green signal to the boats
Time Trial — To determine the qualifying place, a timed run is performed.

The beginning sequence for a timed run is as follows:

Course Is Closed — There are solid red lights on.
The starter instructs the driver (by boat number) to keep an eye on the lights.
Get Ready Alert — For 25 seconds, red lights turn off, and amber lights begin to flash. Drivers get started with their routines.
Get Set Alert —For 5 seconds, the amber lights stop flickering and become solid.
Start Their Pass —The amber lights fade away, and a countdown clock begins at “9.” The green lights turn on when the “1” goes out.

When the countdown is finished, and the light becomes green, the starting line aim is for the boat(s) to have left the holding rope area and be at the starting line. If a boat crosses the starting line before the green light is turned on, a red light will turn on, signaling a “red-light” situation (foul start).
Unless its opponent has failed to fire or is disqualified, a boat that fouls or breaks out of an index class during eliminations is out of the program. The competition must cross the start line under engine power within 5 seconds of the lead boat to win the round.