Hello race fans, today I would like to tell you about a typical day in the Pits at an NHRA National Event. If you have never been to an NHRA National Event and you like racing you will be in for a pleasant surprise. I should explain NHRA is short for National Hot Rod Association! There are 22 National Events held around the Country with the first being in February in Pomona, California and the last being in November at Pomona, California.

A typical day at the races begins around 7:30 am to 9:00 am and goes till around 8:00 pm. Thursday is registration and tech day with Friday and Saturday being qualifying days.There are two qualifying sessions each day, the top 16 cars from each class make the cut and will race on Sunday for Final eliminations.

There are two main area's at the race track, one is "The Spectator Side" which means you can watch the races from the spectator grand stands by purchasing a Spectator Pass. These tickets are generally about $10.00 less than the Pit Side tickets, but you really can't see what all goes into making each run down the track.

The second area is "The Pit Side" when you purchase a Pit Pass you are allowed to go where all the Race Cars are. This is where you can walk right up to which ever team you like and watch them as they rebuild and repair their engine, clutch, heads, injectors & super chargers. The Top Fuel Cars have 70 minutes between each run to completely tear down, inspect and replace any bad parts and reassemble the engine before the next round of racing, if you have never witnessed this you will be amazed at the precision like manner in which this is performed. Most teams usually only take 30-45 minutes or less to accomplish this.

When the teams get their engines re-assembled they will then start them to make sure everything is ok, get ready for your first dose of Nitro (Nitro-methane). The best way I can describe it is that it is almost like tear gas, but it doesn't burn your skin, you can't breathe & your eyes are on fire but you want more. I love the smell of nitro in the air!

Some things you will need to take with you are Ear Plugs, Camera, Sun Screen, Sun Glasses and by all means dress comfortably and wear comfortable shoes since you will be doing a lot of walking in the pits. The main thing is preparation makes for an enjoyable experience! I hope you enjoy your day at the Races, whether you are new to racing or a seasoned pro the sport of Drag Racing has a lot to offer. Find out more at nhrastyleracing.com.