Understanding The Cars And Classes
Sportsman Classes

Sportsman Overview

These purpose-built race cars have an incredible variety of chassis, engine and body style configurations including dragsters, altered, roadsters and full body cars. The one thing they all have is common is that they are built to accelerate as quickly as possible in a straight line for 1320 feet while rolling on four tires.

Top Sportsman and Top Dragster competitors employ any configuration of an internal combustion motor allowed, varying from naturally aspirated, supercharged, turbocharged or nitrous to run in the 6 second range at speeds up to 200 mph. The minimum weight of the vehicle will vary based on engine size and power adders. They utilize the full range of electronic aids to hit their dial in times and the breakout rule is enforced.

Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street are all heads-up index classes (8.90, 9.90, 10.90). The cars run a variety of combinations of engines, chassis and bodies. Competitors use electronic timers and throttle stops to run as close to the class index without breaking out.

Pro Mods have sophisticated tube chassis and four-link rear suspensions, but are allowed more body, chassis and engine modifications. These include mountain motors with an array of power adders such as superchargers, turbochargers and nitrous oxide, and can use different types of fuel for their application.

Competition Eliminator is another class that features a wide variety of machines including Gas Dragsters, Street Dragsters, Econo Altered Dragsters and door slammers that can run numerous engine combinations. They race off a full, five-tenths tree and the class has individual indexes. Racers are not allowed delay boxes in this class.

A category growing popularity is the Drag Radial class such as Outlaw x275 and Outlaw 10.5. These are relatively new to the drag racing scene, but offer some incredibly exciting and sophisticated racing. Competitors are laying down up to 1000 horsepower to a tire with dimensions that might only be 28" x 11.5". Like many other classes, there are certain rules and guidelines racers must adhere to in order to compete.