• Junior Bracket (J/BR) – Bracket class for cars. Youth class (12-18a). Distance 1/8 mile. The time limit is 8.900-13.600. Class symbol J/BR.
• Junior Dragster (J/DR) – Youth class (8-18a). Distance 1/8 mile. Class indices range from 7.90 to 13.60 seconds. Class symbol J/DR.
• Pro ET (PET) – Bracket class for cars. The 1/4 mile time limit is between 9.000 and 14.999 (1/8 mile 5.75-9.60) seconds. Class symbol PET.
• Street (ST) – Index class for road vehicles. The fastest 1/4 mile time in the class is 13.900 (1/8 mile 8.88) seconds. Class symbol ST.
• Street A (ST/A) – Index class for road vehicles. The fastest 1/4 mile time in the class is 12.900 (1/8 mile 8.230) seconds. Class symbol ST/A.
• Street B (ST/B) – Index class for road vehicles. The fastest 1/4 mile time in the class is 11.900 (1/8 mile 7.300) seconds. Class ST/B.
• Super Street (SST) – Index class for road vehicles. The fastest 1/4 mile time index in the class is 10.900 (1/8 mile 6.900) seconds. Class symbol SST.
• Super Gas (SG) – Car index class. The fastest time index at 1/4 mile is 9.900 (1/8 mile 6.300) seconds. Class symbol SG.
• Super Comp (SC) – Heads-up index class for cars. The fastest time index at 1/4 mile is 8.900 (1/8 mile 5.700) seconds. Class SC.
• Outlaw (OL) – “Backhalflated” body cars and tubular cars. The fastest time index at 1/4 mile is 7.500 (1/8 mile 4.500) seconds. Class indicator OL.
• Street Bike (SB) – a class for street racing motorcycles.
• Pro Bike (PB) – unlimited modifications allowed.
• Bike Bracket (BB) – Bracket class for street racing and modified motorcycles.

Licence information for cars

• EAL licence required for Super Comp and Outlaw classes.
• Pro ET, Street, Street A, Street B, Super Street and Super Gas EAL grassroots competitor’s card required for classes.
• Junior Bracket and Junior Dragster in the Junior class it is necessary to have an EAL Youth licence.

Licence information for motorcycles

• EMF licence required for Street Bike, Pro Bike and Bike Bracket classes.

Licences are issued to owners/users/drivers of competition motorcycles by the Estonian Motorcycling Federation (EMF).

ABC of acceleration and acceleration terminology and acceleration procedure

What is a drag race?

A Drag Race is an acceleration competition held on a special acceleration track or a specially adapted section of road or other asphalt straight. Pairs start from a stationary position and run a fixed distance of a quarter of a mile or 402.33 metres. During the race, the vehicles start in pairs, the losing vehicle is eliminated from each race and the winning driver drives the next race with the winner of the other pair until one driver remains.

The start is usually preceded by a burnout. The aim is to warm up and clean the tyres to improve grip, and to leave rubber tracks on the track to achieve a better grip surface.

Riders start by following an electronic device, usually called a “fir tree” or “tree” because it has a series of coloured lights. To start, the vehicle drives to the first sensor, or pre-stage – the first small light comes on. The driver moves on to the next sensor, the stage, which means he is on the start line – another small light comes on. When both vehicles are in the stage, i.e. exactly on the start line, the “tree” is activated. Both drivers focus on the “tree”. Depending on the mode, the three amber bulbs light up together or in sequence, and after 0.005 seconds they turn green.

Starting before the green light usually results in an immediate elimination, the spectators will then see the red light on the “boom”.

Riders on both courses will be measured on reaction time, 60-leg time, finishing time and finishing speed. The first one across the finish line usually wins.

What is bracket racing?

In a Bracket (handicap) Race you have to run a specific time as accurately as possible, and if you go faster than that you lose. In this class, you drive for accuracy. The winner will be the one who is able to keep exactly the same time and have good reaction times.

In the elimination, the competitors will start in pairs and the difference in dial-ins of each competitor will determine the handycap between them – the competitor’s dial-in is freely selectable between 11.000 and 16.000 seconds. Within this range, the driver selects the time by which he believes his vehicle will cross the finish line. The difference between these times, or dial-ins, determines the handycap between the competitors, which is used to set the “tree”, i.e. the slower car is given the green light earlier by the difference in dial-in times.

If a rider goes faster than his designated dial-in time, this is called a break-out and the rider is disqualified and the other rider automatically wins the race. The driver is also eliminated if the ‘light on the tree’ turns red, i.e. the driver starts before the green light.

Terminology

Drag Slick – a non-patterned, special compound tyre specially designed for racing. Slicks ensure good grip only on dry and clean road surfaces.
Index – the fastest and slowest time limit in a class. The class indexes are usually set by the organisation that makes and approves the rules.
Line Up – the enclosed area behind the starting grid. This is where the pairs are set up, who will be paired with whom in the next race.
Waterbox – a couple of metres of wet area next to the start map. The reason for starting a burnout in the Waterbox is to get the wheels turning more easily and to better wash off the debris accumulated on the tyre.
Burnout – before the start, the wheels are spun around the track at a designated place. The aim is to warm up the tyres to improve grip. It also leaves a layer of warm, melted tyre on the road surface, which further improves grip. The third reason is that tyres need to be cleaned of dust and other foreign particles before the start.
Pre-Starter – the marshal who guides the cars coming from the starting grid to the waterbox and gives the competitors permission to burnout.
Starter – the marshal who gives the competitors permission to start the staging, i.e. to take up their positions on the line, and starts the “Christmas tree”. The starter stands between the two lanes and is usually the judge closest to the start line.
Christmas tree/tree – Stardifoor. It is usually located about 15 m from the start line, between the two runways. All starts in modern speedway racing are given with a stick.
Pro Tree – this is one of the starting modes used for higher and professional classes. In this mode, all three amber lights on the start light come on at the same time, followed 0.4 seconds later by the green light.
Soprtsman tree – starting mode, where the amber lights light up one by one, top to bottom, at 0.5 sec intervals, followed by green.
Amber light – the yellow lights of the start flag.
Pre Stage – the uppermost white light at the top of the foil, indicating that the competitor is about ten centimetres from the start line. A competitor in the Pre Stage will not be allowed to start.
Stage – both top white lights on the start light are now on. This signals to the race starter that the competitor is in position on the start line and ready to start. Unless it is a solo race, competitors from both lanes must be present on the Stage before the start.
Deep Stage – if a competitor rolls over the start line far enough for the Pre Stage light to go out in the forum, the competitor is in the Deep Stage. It is possible to start from this position, but there is a high risk of getting a false start from here, i.e. taking a red light.
LBTA (Left Before Tree Activated) – a competitor leaves the start line before the starter has time to activate the timing system. Neither in the heats nor in the finals will there be any result in the LBTA.
Red Light – a competitor leaves the start line before the green light is on. In the qualification races, the result will be recorded (except bracket classes). A red light in a sub-maximum race means an automatic loss.
Timeslip – a piece of paper, usually printed from a cheque printer, which each competitor receives after each race. The Timeslip shows all the possible times and speeds that can be measured by the timing system used.
ET (Elapsed Time) – the time it takes from the start of the car to cross the finish line.
RT (Reaction Time) is the time measured from the green light at the starting lights until the car starts moving.
Speed Trap – in speed racing, the speed of a racing machine is measured at several points on the track. Speed is not measured using radar or any other commonly known speed measuring device, but by calculating how fast a machine travels between two sensors 20 metres apart. This 20-metre sensor gap is called the Speed Trap.
Qualifying race – can also be called a preliminary race. The qualifying heats will determine who will finish in which position in the final eliminator table. In qualifying, only the ET, the time actually spent on the race, counts. A red light may be taken in a qualification race, but the result will still be recorded.
Eliminator table – a table compiled on the basis of qualifying heats. One competitor will be eliminated from each elimination race and the winner will advance to the next round. And as long as there is only one – the winner. There are two types of eliminator tables:
*SporstmanLadders
*ProgressiveLadders
Eliminator race – this race determines who advances to the next round of the eliminator table. In the elimination race, RT and ET are added together, which means that an extremely good reaction time is required. A red light in an elimination race means a loss. If both competitors take the red light, the one who stole the least, i.e. the one with the negative reaction time closest to 0.000 seconds, moves on.
DNQ (Did Not Qualify) – the competitor did not qualify.
Holeshot – a situation where a race is won purely on reaction time.
Dial In – mostly used in Bracket type racing. This is a time that the driver sets himself and must be as close to it as possible. Driving faster than your set Dial In automatically means a loss.
Brakeout – an expression used only in Bracket racing. This is a situation where a competitor has driven faster than their own set Dial In. The Estonian equivalent is “to drive through”.