Bleach Box

A bleach box is a designated area at the starting line of a drag strip where drivers perform burnouts by spinning their rear tires in water to heat them up before a race.

In drag racing, tire temperature is critical for getting the best possible launch off the starting line. Cold tires don't grip the track as well as hot tires, which can mean the difference between winning and losing a race that often lasts only a few seconds. The bleach box solves this problem by giving drivers a place to quickly heat up their tires right before they race.

The bleach box is typically a shallow pit or marked section of pavement located just before the starting line. It contains water that drivers roll through with their rear tires. Once the tires are wet, the driver holds the front brakes while pressing the accelerator, causing the rear tires to spin rapidly against the wet pavement. This creates the dramatic smoke and tire squealing that spectators associate with drag racing.

The name "bleach box" comes from the early days of drag racing when competitors actually used household bleach instead of water. Racers believed that bleach would soften the rubber compounds in their tires, giving them better grip. While this turned out to be mostly a myth, the name stuck even after everyone switched to using plain water, which works just as well and costs much less.

The burnout process serves three important purposes. First, it heats the tire rubber to its optimal operating temperature, making it stickier and more likely to grip the track. Second, it cleans any dirt, pebbles, or debris off the tire surface that could reduce traction. Third, it deposits a thin layer of hot rubber on the track surface right where the car will launch, further improving grip.

After completing the burnout, drivers carefully back up to the starting line, positioning their now-hot tires on the rubber they just laid down. They then wait for the starting lights, known as the "Christmas tree," to signal the beginning of the race.

Modern drag strips maintain their bleach boxes carefully, ensuring there's always enough water for effective burnouts. Some facilities have automated systems that spray water into the box between races, while others rely on track workers with hoses to keep the area wet.

Not all drag racing vehicles use the bleach box the same way. Professional top fuel dragsters and funny cars perform massive, extended burnouts that create huge clouds of tire smoke. Street-legal cars in sportsman classes might do shorter, more modest burnouts. Some classes with street tires or all-wheel-drive vehicles may skip the burnout entirely, as it provides less benefit for their particular setup.