In drag racing, the reaction time is the amount of time it takes a driver to react to the green light on the Christmas Tree (which is an electronic device on the starting line that shows each driver's approach to the line--pictured below).
This is a picture of how the current NHRA Christmas Tree appears.
Picture retrieved from USA Today.
Measured in thousandths of a second, the reaction time often determines the winner of the race.
Larry Dixon, NHRA Top Fuel driver and three-time champion, said that a good RT is "vital to help the team win rounds, getting that head start" over the driver in the other lane.
However, it is important to not get too much of a head start, as a driver may red light. If a driver red lights during eliminations, they are automatically disqualified and lose the round.
So, what does a good reaction time look like?
My dad has always told me, "Getting a .000 light is basically a bad red light." Meaning, either the driver was too quick on the throttle or simply guessed on the light and got lucky.
"For me, I sleep well at night cutting .040-.050," Dixon said.
The next question for Dixon--if a driver knows they have a performance advantage over another, does that mean there is less emphasis on the RT?
Dixon said that he tries to be the same, regardless of the competition. Drag racing can be unpredictable, and it is important to remain as consistent as possible.
To test your reaction time, you can go here. My best reaction time in ten tries was .035. How did you do?
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