Junior Drag Racing offers kids ages 5 – 18 a chance to race half-scale dragsters in a controlled and safe environment before they are able to obtain an Ontario driver’s license.
In order to compete membership is required.
These Junior Dragsters are half-scale versions of Top Fuel dragsters; using a five-horsepower, single-cylinder engine, they can go as fast as 85 mph and as quick as 7.90 seconds over the eighth-mile racing distance.
Competition with Junior Dragsters is equalized by a handicapped starting system, and classes are usually split into age groups, which helps keep racers of the same skill level together. These events are contested on an 1/8 mile format on an ET dial-your-own format or a pre-set index on a heads up breakout basis. See our Drag Racing Basics page for more info about how to drag race.
This class is designed to help build the ranks of tomorrow's stars by generating a starting point for young competitors to learn the basics of drag racing while also creating a fun experience for the whole family.
REQUIRED CREDENTIALS
Valid NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League participant card and NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League membership mandatory. Visit: http://jrdragster.nhra.com/ for more information.
AGE REQUIREMENTS
Drivers may enter the NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League on the day of their 5th birthday in the non-competitive Trainee category. Drivers may compete in the Jr. Drag Racing League from the day of their 6th birthday through the year of their 18th birthday. All Jr. Drag Racing League participants must submit a certified birth certificate on all new participant registration. Subsequent renewals do not require resubmission of certified birth certificate or notarized copy of birth certificate. Willfully falsifying NHRA membership and/or participation documents for any reason including avoiding age restrictions will be grounds for denial of license, suspension or revocation of license, or other action deemed appropriate by NHRA in NHRA’s sole and absolute discretion, including but not limited to exclusion from the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League Eastern/Western Conference Finals. Driver must be the minimum age for the Age Group class (i.e., to run in the 10-year-old class, the driver must have already celebrated his or her 10th birthday). Likewise, a driver can compete in a lower Age Group class if his or her birthday falls after Jan. 1 of the current year (i.e., a driver who turned 13 on July 1 can compete as a 12-year-old through the entire calendar year).
COMPETITION CLASSES
TRAINEE
Age 5; elapsed time restricted to 20.00 seconds or slower; no racer can run quicker than 20.000. Limited to noncompetition, single passes. Engine restricted to factory-sealed Briggs & Stratton 206 crate engine (part no. 124442 8201) with red slide valve (part no. 555733). If the racer runs faster than 20.00 seconds, he or she will be disqualified for the remainder of the event and may face further action deemed appropriate by NHRA in NHRA’s sole and absolute discretion.
YOUTH
Ages 6 and 7; dial-in restricted to 13.90 seconds or slower based on either an e.t. dial-your-own or heads-up basis; breakout rules apply. In qualified events, no racer can qualify quicker than 13.900. Any competitor running quicker than 13.70 e.t. in the eighth-mile or 7.00 e.t. in 330 feet at any time during an event generally will receive one warning unless the race director feels further action would be appropriate. If the same competitor runs quicker than 13.70 e.t. in the eighth-mile or 7.00 e.t. in 330 feet again at the same event, he or she will be disqualified for the remainder of the event and may face further action deemed appropriate by NHRA in NHRA’s sole and absolute discretion. Any competitor running quicker than 13.50 e.t. in the eighth mile or 6.80 e.t. in 330 feet at any time during an event will be immediately disqualified for the remainder of the event and may face further action deemed appropriate by NHRA in NHRA’s sole and absolute discretion. Penalties will be imposed regardless of whether the infraction(s) occur during time trials or eliminations. See also Breakout Rules in Race Procedures. Engine restricted to factory-sealed Briggs & Stratton 206 crate engine (part no. 124442 8201) with blue slide valve (part no. 555734).
NOVICE
Ages 8 and 9; dial-in restricted to 11.90 seconds or slower based on either an e.t. dial-your-own or heads-up basis; breakout rules apply. In qualified events, no racer can qualify quicker than 11.900. Any competitor running quicker than 11.70 e.t. in the eighth-mile or 6.10 e.t. in 330 feet at any time during an event will receive one warning unless the race director feels further action would be appropriate. If the same competitor runs quicker than 11.70 e.t. in the eighth-mile or 6.10 e.t. in 330 feet again at the same event, he or she will be disqualified for the remainder of the event and may face further action deemed appropriate by NHRA in NHRA’s sole and absolute discretion. Any competitor running quicker than 11.50 e.t. in the eighth-mile or 5.90 e.t. in 330 feet at any time during an event will be immediately disqualified for the remainder of the event and may face further action deemed appropriate by NHRA in NHRA’s sole and absolute discretion. Penalties will be imposed regardless of whether the infraction(s) occur during time trials or eliminations. See also Breakout Rules in Race Procedures.
INTERMEDIATE
Ages 10 to 12; dial-in restricted to 8.90 seconds or slower based on either an e.t. dial-your-own or heads-up basis; breakout rules apply. In qualified events, no competitor can qualify quicker than 8.900. Any competitor running quicker than 8.70 e.t. in the eighth-mile or 4.70 e.t. in 330 feet at any time during an event will receive one warning unless the race director feels further action would be appropriate. If the same competitor runs quicker than 8.70 e.t. in the eighth-mile or 4.70 e.t. in 330 feet again at the same event, he or she will be disqualified for the remainder of the event and may face further action deemed appropriate by NHRA in NHRA’s sole and absolute discretion. Any competitor running quicker than 8.50 e.t. in the eighth-mile or 4.50 e.t. in 330 feet at any time during an event will be immediately disqualified for the remainder of the event and may face further action deemed appropriate by NHRA in NHRA’s sole and absolute discretion. Penalties will be imposed regardless of whether the infraction(s) occur during time trials or eliminations. See also Breakout Rules in Race Procedures.
ADVANCED
Ages 13 to 18; dial-in restricted to 7.90 seconds or slower based on either an e.t. dial-your-own or heads-up basis; breakout rules apply. In qualified events, no competitor can qualify quicker than 7.900. See also Breakout Rules in Race Procedures. Any competitor running quicker than 7.50 e.t. in the eighth-mile or 4.10 e.t. in 330 feet or faster than 85.00 mph at any time during eliminations will be disqualified from the event. Any competitor running quicker than 7.50 e.t. in the eighth-mile or 4.00 e.t. in 330 feet or faster than 89.99 mph at any time during time trials or qualifying will be disqualified from the event and will be subject to additional disciplinary action in the sole and absolute discretion of NHRA.