Before each race (also known as a pass), each driver is allowed to perform a burnout,
which heats the driving tires and lays rubber down at the beginning of
the track, improving traction. Each driver then lines up (or stages) at
the starting line. Races are started electronically by a system known as
a Christmas tree. The Christmas tree consists of a column of
lights for each driver/lane, one blue, then three amber, one green, and
one red, connected to light beams on the track. The first, a split blue
open circle, is split into two halves. When the first light beam is
broken by the vehicle's front tire(s) indicate that the driver has
pre-staged (approximately 7 inches (180 mm) from the starting line),
lights the first half of the blue circle, and then staged (at the
starting line), which lights up the second half of the blue circle, and
also the corresponding bar in the middle of that circle.[1] [2]
Below the blue "staged" light are three large amber lights, a green
light, and a red light. When both drivers are staged, the tree is
activated to start the race, which causes the three large amber lights
to illuminate, followed by the green light. There are two standard light
sequences: either the three amber lights flash simultaneously, followed
0.4 seconds later by the green light (a Pro tree), or the ambers light
in sequence from top to bottom, 0.5 seconds apart, followed 0.5 seconds
later by the green light (a Sportsman tree, or full tree). If the front
tires leaves from a stage beam (stage and pre-stage lights both turned
off) before the green light illuminates, the red light for that driver's
lane illuminates instead, indicating disqualification (unless a more
serious violation occurs). Once a driver commits a red-light foul (also
known as redlighting), the other driver can also commit a foul
start by leaving the line too early but still win, having left later.
Should both drivers leave after the green light illuminates, the one
leaving first is said to have a holeshot advantage.
The winner is the first vehicle to cross the finish line (and
therefore the driver with the lowest total reaction time and elapsed
time). The elapsed time is a measure of performance only; it does not
necessarily determine the winner. Because elapsed time does not include
reaction time and each lane is timed individually, a car with a slower
elapsed time can actually win if that driver's holeshot advantage
exceeds the elapsed time difference. This is known as a holeshot win.[3]
Several measurements are taken for each race: reaction time, elapsed
time, and speed. Reaction time is the period from the green light
illuminating to the vehicle leaving the starting line. Elapsed time is
the period from the vehicle leaving the starting line to crossing the
finish line. Speed is measured through a speed trap covering the final 66 feet (20 m) to the finish line, indicating the approximate maximum speed of the vehicle during the run.
In the standard racing format, the losing car and driver are removed
from the contest, while the winner goes on to race other winners, until
only one is left.
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