Now if your idea of fun at the drag strip is cameras, cooler and bleacher time. That's Cool! But if in the back of your mind those little thoughts are going something like, "Wonder what that feels like", or "I could do that", or best of all, "If I put my mind to it, I could out run all of them." Well, Buddy, have we got a deal for you! Come Race your scooter! It's only $20 Bucks. You can race for a trophy or if you just want to make a few hot laps during time trials running a buddy, that's okay too. Drag racing is not too complicated and a lot of fun. Reading the rest of this article ought to put you pretty well In tune with the program. Listening to the PA speaker or talking to one of the race staff will fill in any holes. There's a complete breakdown of the classes in here. But basically they are broken down into Sportster or Big Twin Categories and are divided into street bike classes or classes for drag modified bikes with slicks or wheelie bars. Big Twins also have individual classes for foot dutch bikes and for scooters with Evo-Motors, or the 2-Cam motors or V-Rods. Sportsters are classified into street and drag modified type classes also. Classes run from Stock to Super Street with several in between and you will race bikes more or less like your own for trophies. All class racing will be heads-up. No E T or handicap style racing here, the lights come on for both bikes at the same time. If your scooters BAD, then you ought to win, right? Anyway Just go down to the registration area and get a number for your Hartey They'll look your bike over, and then you'll have a pie plate attached to your bike. This allows the timing tower to punch your number into the computer. After registering, listen for the announcer to say "time trials." That means you can get in line for some practice runs. When you make it to the head of the line the staging boss will give you the "nod." Fire it up and pull out into the burn out area. There's about a 50' area behind the starting line that it's cool to "burn rubber" (that's the only place on the track too, pealing out in the Pits gets folks upset). The starter in between the lanes will probably motion you when to burn out and motion you up to the line. Just a little advice, lots of folks that run with street tires that have tread on them try to avoid the water in the burn out area.. Pros use it to start a big slick turning. If you do it with a street tire, a lot of times the water doesn't come out and you end up taking off in a puddle of water. When the starter motions you up, get close to the line and watch the Christmas Tree. As you roll slowly forward, the top light on your side will come on. That means you're getting close. Stop when the second light is on. This means you are staged. Be careful not to roll out of it, if you leave before the green light comes on, you'll get a red light and be disqualified. Now when both racing bikes are staged, the starter punches a button and starts the countdown. 3 yellow lights, then green. Stay too long and you'll lose and If you leave too early you will red light. That's what time trials are for. Play with it, you'll figure it out. Now you're going down the track, there are two sets of electric eye beams 660' down the track. The last one is the finish One. The first set is used to figure your speed as you cross the finish line. After the finish, slow down and take the return road back. 10 mph speed limit. Go around to the E.T. slip booth. Tell them your number and get your ticket. Make several time trials trying to vary your riding style. Do what works and quit what doesn't Line up in the proper lane when your class is called, there should be 2 lines of bikes In the lane. The Staging Boss at the front of the lane with a striped shirt has a deck of cards. There are only aces and deuces in his deck. When he draws an ace, the first bike in the left side line of scooters comes out to race. Now when you're pulled out of the staging lanes first- you go in the right lane of the drag strip. When you're pulled out second, you get in the left lane to race. If he draws a couple of aces, the first two bikes in that line race. There's several different combinations that the cards can be drawn, so you never know who your gonna get to race when it's time for Trophy Eliminations. Come back to staging each time when your dass is called every time you win. If you lose once your out. If you keep winning until no one else is left, you get the trophy. Try it, you'll like it!! ,