ANDRA Drag Racing utilises a number of different formats for the various categories of racing.
The most popular area of the sport is "dial your own" competition. It handicaps fast cars or bikes against slow ones and as the name suggests, you nominate your own time. The slow vehicle gets the head start, which is programmed into the starting lights, known as the Christmas Tree. To stop someone nominating a time they can beat to gain an unfair advantage, a "breakout" rule is applied. Put simply, if you nominated 14.00 seconds as your "dial-in" and ran 13.99 or quicker, you lose the race. If your opponent does the same thing it's a "double breakout" and the person breaking out by the least amount wins. The timing equipment sorts this out immediately, but this is where the vehicle that gets to the finish first doesn't always win. Consistency is important.
Dial your own racing (also known as Group Three) is very fair. It provides close competitive racing at a level you nominate. As well as special brackets at most events, the dial your own system is used in Junior Dragster, Modified Bike, Super Street, Super Sedan, Modified, Top Sportsman and Supercharged Outlaws.
Fixed index racing (also known as Group Four) is very similar to the dial your own system, except that the time everyone must run is fixed. The breakout still applies. Super Gas is run under the fixed index system.
In class index competition (also known as Group Two), the handicaps used are set by cars and bikes in the same class anywhere in Australia. The class “index” is calculated by ANDRA from the national record for each class, or nominated class minimums in the case of new or amended classes. The difference in indexes is monitored by ANDRA and an index elapsed time is set for each class. When two racers approach the startline, the difference between their indexes is programmed into the system and the slower vehicle gets the head start. There is no breakout. You can go as quickly as you like and the first to the finish line wins, but quick times will eventually lower your class index. Class index handicaps are used in Competition, Super Stock, Super Compact and Competition Bike.
The “no holds barred” style of competition that drag racing started with is known as heads-up racing (also called Group One). Both lanes get the green light at the same time, after one flash of all the yellows simultaneously, which is known as the “pro start”. The first to the finish line wins. ANDRA Pro Series categories such as Top Fuel, Top Alcohol, Top Doorslammer, Top Fuel Motorcycle, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle use “heads-up” starts.
Off-street or “grudge” events are a great place to start racing. As long as you don’t run quicker than 12.00 over the quarter in your car, or 10.50 on a motorcycle, you can get a basic licence on the day and have the time of your life. Many tracks also provide brackets at Pro Am and National Open events for racing at this level.
As things start to get quicker, safety gear and an ANDRA licence may be required. By joining ANDRA and applying for an Unlimited or Super Street licence, which includes a medical in most cases, you’ll be able to step up to Super Street or Modified Bike and be part of ANDRA Championship competition at national levels if you choose to go to that level.