E.T.

E.T., which stands for Elapsed Time, is the total time it takes for a vehicle to travel from the starting line to the finish line in a drag race, typically measured over a quarter-mile distance.

When a drag racer launches from the starting line, an electronic timer begins counting. The moment the vehicle crosses the finish line, the timer stops. This measurement is the E.T., and it tells you exactly how long the run took from start to finish. Think of it like using a stopwatch to time a runner in a 100-meter dash—the E.T. is simply the race time.

In drag racing, E.T. is one of the most important performance measurements because it shows how fast a car can accelerate and maintain speed over the entire track. A lower E.T. means a faster run. Professional dragsters might have an E.T. around 4 seconds, while street cars might run in the 12 to 16 second range for a quarter-mile.

It's important to understand that E.T. is different from reaction time. Reaction time measures how quickly the driver responds when the green light comes on—basically, how fast they hit the gas pedal. The E.T. only starts counting when the vehicle actually leaves the starting line, not when the light turns green. Your total time includes both reaction time and E.T., but they're tracked separately.

E.T. plays a crucial role in bracket racing, which is a type of drag racing where cars of different speeds can compete fairly against each other. Before the race, each driver predicts their E.T., called a "dial-in." The slower car then gets a head start based on the difference between the two dial-ins. This handicap system means a minivan could theoretically race against a sports car.

The goal in bracket racing isn't necessarily to run the fastest time—it's to run as close to your dial-in as possible without going faster than it. If you run quicker than your predicted E.T., you "break out" and lose the race, even if you crossed the finish line first.

Several factors affect a vehicle's E.T., including engine power, how well the tires grip the track, the car's weight, transmission setup, and even weather conditions. Racers constantly work to improve their E.T. by tuning these variables. Even small improvements of a tenth of a second can make the difference between winning and losing.

While E.T. measures time, drag strips also record your speed in miles per hour (MPH) at the finish line. These two measurements together give a complete picture of your run. A car might have a good E.T. but lower MPH, suggesting strong acceleration but less top-end speed, or vice versa.