How Do I Start

 

The NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League offers kids ages 8-17 the opportunity to experience the thrill of racing half-scale dragsters in a controlled racing environment at many of NHRA’s 140 member tracks across the United States and Canada.

The cars that Jr. Drag Racing League competitors race are called Jr. Dragsters and are half-scale versions of Top Fuel dragsters. Using a
five-horsepower, single-cylinder engine, a Jr. Dragster can go as fast as 85 mph and as quick as 7.90 seconds in an eighth-mile. Just like their full-size Top Fuel counterparts, Jr. Dragsters must meet NHRA’s stringent technical specifications. NHRA also places speed and elapsed-time restrictions on competitors based on their age and experience.

The starting cost of a basic Jr. dragster is about $5,000. Though it may not go from 0 to 85 right away, investing in a basic Jr. Dragster is a great way to get started. You’ll learn the basics of the sport and still get moving right along at about 45 mph.

In addition to having the parts and pieces needed to make a Jr. Dragster run, NHRA requires that racers be members of the JDRL and have necessary items such as an approved helmet, jacket, neck collar, and gloves. All drivers must also wear long pants and arm restraints while behind the wheel of their Jr. Dragster. Depending on the style of the items you choose, these items will cost about $500.