- As you approach the entrance of Friendship Raceway you will be greeted by our 'gatekeeper'. This is where you pay your entry fees and sign the insurance release forms. (See Friendship Raceway Entry Fees Below). Racers, you will receive a Tech Slip for the class you entered. Any spectators or crew members will receive event wrist bands.
- Find a spot to park on the grass. This will be your "Pit" area for the day. Set out your lawn chairs and make yourself at home.
- Now that you're settled in, head over and see Ben. He will take a few minutes and Tech your car. He will be looking for leaks, seat belt condition, missing lug-nuts, battery hold-downs and any obvious unsafe condition with your car for the speeds that they will reach. Don't forget your helmet! Once your car passes tech, drop it off at the concession stand or you can take it up to April in the tower.
- Now you can begin your Open Time Trials, which run from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. You may make as many passes as you wish. Simply pull into line at the staging lanes and wait your turn. You may choose either lane.
- When it is your turn to make a pass, pull your car to the Staging Line marked on the pavement on either side of the starter barricade. Wait for the lineman to signal you into the lane. He will guide you back in and out of the waterbox and signal you when it is safe to burnout.
- Slowly pull up to the starting line. You will see the Christmas tree in the center of the track. Ease your front tires to the starting line until you activate the very top bulb on your side of the tree. This is called Pre-Stage.
- At Friendship Raceway, we practice what is called, "Courtesy Staging". You will want to pull your car into pre-stage position and wait for your opponent to do the same. Once both Pre-stage bulbs are lit, you can pull your car the second line across the starting line. This will activate your stage bulb and put your car into Stage position.
- Once both cars are staged, the amber lights will begin to countdown and the green bulb will activate. Now floor it! Your Reaction Time is calculated from the time the green bulb lights to the time you leave the starting line. Having a good reaction time is called "Cutting a good Light" and can give you an advantage when racing. But, if you leave to soon, the bottom red bulb will light. You will receive what is called a Red-Light and be disqualified for the round.
- After you cross the finish line, slow your car down, but stay in your lane. Exits are to your right. You may choose either exit depending on how fast your car is going. The first is right after the finish line and the second is a little further down, giving you more runoff time.
- Make the turn off the track and head up the return lane. The speed limit here is 15 mph so slow down and wave to your fans!
- After your pass you can head over to the back of the tower and pick up your ET slip, which is a print out of your performance. The goal here is to run your car as close as possible to the same time every time. This is called consistency.
- Okay, Now it is time to Race. The name of the game is to estimate the time it will take you to make the pass, and run as close to that estimation as possible without going faster. Going faster will result in a "Break Out" and loss for the round. Before every round, you will write your ET on your front windshield and passenger side window. This is called your Dial. Be sure it is large and clear enough to be seen from Tower officials.
- When you hear the racers being called for eliminations, you will want to immediately bring your car to the staging lanes. You may choose to run in either lane, however, track officials may need to guide you into another lane. Be prepared and pay attention to the lineman behind the starter barricade and follow his directions. During a race, you may notice that you and your opponent will leave the tree at different times. This is because in Bracket Racing the slower car is given a head start. The idea is that both racers will cross the finish line at the same time. This creates a more equal playing field for cars of different performance abilities. Remember, the actual name of the game is to choose your Dial or ET (estimated time) and run as close to that number without going faster, or breaking out. This form of Drag Racing focuses more on the driver and the consistency of his passes rather than the sheer speed of his car.
- After each round, the tower will give the cars a ten or fifteen minute cool down time. You can return your car to your pit area and use this time to retrieve your ET slip, grab a bite to eat at the concession stand, and socialize with your racing buddies.
- Friendship Raceway offers two rounds of buybacks. So, if your eliminated in the first two rounds, you will be given the opportunity to line back up in the buyback lane and pay $10 to jump back into the competition.
- New this year, we will offer a Gambler's Race after buybacks have been run. Any competitor who has been knocked out of the race, will have the option to run in the Gambler's Race beginning after Round 4 of Eliminations. It will have a $10 buy-in, and the winner will take 50% of the race's total buy-in.
Friendship Raceway Entry Fees and Regular Race Program Schedule
Fridays:
For Only $10, you can test your car. Track is open from 2pm to 7pm every
Friday. Show up anytime and makes as many passes as you want.
Saturdays: We run a Regular Race Program unless we have a special event scheduled.
$40 Racer Entry Fee (3 Hours of Open Time Trials Included)
$10 Test & Tune Entry Fee
$5 Spectator or Crew Member Fee
Open Time Trials run from 11:00am to 2:00pm
Dial-In Race at 2:30pm ($10 Racer Entry & Winner takes 60% of the Buy-in)
Eliminations usually begin by 3:00pm
This article is one of several articles written to better help you understand ET Bracket Racing:
- Anyone Can Become a Drag Racer at Friendship Raceway (the current article).
- Understanding ET Bracket Racing - The Basics
- Test &Tune Info
- Your First Pass as a Bracket Drag Racer
- Racing Your Car at Friendship Raceway
See you this weekend! Contact us with any questions!
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