I remember the first time I went to the track and they told me look at the christmas tree I was so confused as to why this would be on the track and why he would be explaining it to me, but I eventually put two and two together. Yes I said christmas tree, what is it and why would this concern you in drag racing? To most a christmas tree would bring thoughts of tree with ornaments, in December and with gifts nicely wrapped under it. To me a christmas tree reminds me of the one at the track, standing rite in-front of you ready to light up the race. The christmas tree is simply the sets of lights that start the race. The tree was first introduce on 1963 by the NHRA at the event Nationals in Indy (Burgess). Since then it has had some new updates here and there but moving on. So depending on the track or the event the tree will work in 2 different ways. The first is the standard tree or sequential. So there are two invisible beams on the track, when you roll your car forward and cross the first beam the pre-stage lights will light up. That means you’re 7 inches from the “stage” light, you can take this moment to just prepare yourself. Once both cars light up the stage light, the lights will begin to light up: yellow, yellow, yellow, green. What you don’t know is if you see green or go on green you’re going to slow. So always try to go on the third yellow, this will lower your reaction time which is crucial. Reaction time is simply how fast you react to the lights. The other way the tree works is the professional, this is one is fast and you have to be ready. So again, once both cars are lined up on “stage” (finish line) then all three lights will light up at the same time and .400 seconds after green. So you have less then half a second to react.
Sources:
Burgess, Phil. "National Dragster." In 1963, the Christmas Tree Lit Up Drag Racing. Read Periodicals, 22 Apr. 2011. Web. 06 May 2015. <http://www.readperiodicals.
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