Bracket Racing

Bracket racing is a form of drag racing that uses a handicap system to allow cars of different speeds to compete fairly against each other, where winning depends on driver consistency and skill rather than having the fastest vehicle.

In traditional drag racing, the fastest car almost always wins. Bracket racing changes this by giving slower cars a head start. Before each race, drivers predict how long their car will take to complete the quarter-mile run. This prediction is called a "dial-in" and is typically written on the car's window with shoe polish or tape.

The handicap system works like this: if one driver dials in at 15 seconds and their opponent dials in at 12 seconds, the slower car gets a 3-second head start. This head start happens automatically through the Christmas Tree, which is the electronic starting device with colored lights that counts down to the start of each race. The slower car's green light comes on first, giving them their advantage.

The goal in bracket racing is not to go as fast as possible. Instead, drivers try to run as close to their dial-in time as they can without going faster than it. If you run faster than your dial-in, you "break out" and automatically lose the race, even if you crossed the finish line first. The only exception is if both drivers break out—then whoever broke out by less wins.

Reaction time plays a crucial role in bracket racing. This measures how quickly a driver releases the brakes and launches after the green light appears. A perfect reaction time is 0.500 seconds on a full tree, which is the type of starting sequence typically used in bracket racing where amber lights illuminate one at a time.

Winning comes down to your "package," which combines your reaction time with how close you came to your dial-in. For example, if you had a 0.520 reaction time (0.020 seconds slow) and finished 0.015 seconds slower than your dial-in, your package is 0.035. The driver with the smaller package wins.

Strategy matters enormously in this type of racing. Experienced drivers constantly monitor their opponent's position during the race. If they're ahead and at risk of breaking out, they might "lift" off the throttle slightly to slow down. Some drivers intentionally dial in conservatively, giving themselves room to run faster without breaking out.

Bracket racing is considered the grassroots level of drag racing because almost any vehicle can participate. A well-driven street car with a consistent driver can beat a much faster race car driven by someone less skilled or with an unreliable vehicle. This accessibility makes bracket racing popular at local drag strips across the country, where you'll see everything from daily drivers to purpose-built race cars competing on equal terms.