Where to Go for Drag-Racing School

"It's just a straight line, how hard can it be?" Every drag racer on earth has heard that, from someone—usually a road racer—dismissing quarter-mile competition as easy to do and skill-less.

The truth is, for all its loud engines and smoky starts, drag racing is a subtle motorsport. It's easy to do it if all you want to do is move quickly from point A to point B. It's hard to do it perfectly, and if you want to win, that's how it has to be done.

Practice makes perfect, and indeed, regular attendance at your local track will make you a better racer, but even with on-car data loggers and attentive crew members, it can be difficult to pinpoint where you're losing time. Is it at the launch? At the shift? In your head before you even get to the track?

For those who know that the answer to "How hard can it be?" is "Very," there are several different drag racing schools available to help you hone your skills. While many tracks host some version of a dragster experience, the two most dedicated schools we've tried are Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School, run by two-time Nitro Funny Car champ Frank Hawley, and the Radford Racing School SRT program, which comes as part of a Dodge Demon 170 purchase but is also available to folks wanting to experience Dodge's street-legal quarter(-mile)-pounder without the monthly payment.

Radford Racing School

Chandler, Arizona

One-day course

Cost: $2499 to $2998

Cars: Dodge SRT Demons

Pros: Comfy, cool cars, applicable to a wide range of racers, beginner-friendly, includes lunch

Cons: Only in Arizona, pricey, not as quick as dedicated race cars

Let’s begin with Radford, because this program is perfect for beginners. It’s designed for new owners of Dodge Demons, so the one-day class is focused on using in-car tech, plus learning to feather the throttle and deal with poor traction, all of which is applicable in some way to most new cars. The Radford instructors also spend time familiarizing the students with how to go through tech inspection, how to stage the car at the "Christmas tree," what the lights mean, and proper track exit strategy.

For folks with some experience, it may be a little basic, but because it is almost all in-car time, it never feels dull. The instructors are patient and supportive, the cars are fast and comfortable, and since it is held on the Radford (formerly Bondurant) school property, there is plenty of time to practice burnouts and launches on the skidpad. Another benefit to sharing a campus with the Radford road course is a training segment in the drift/skid practice car, which is an excellent reminder that "You go where you’re looking" is the truest statement in car control.

Obviously, the Radford school is good for Dodge Challenger owners, but it’s also a nice setup for anyone racing a street car. Most schools focus on dedicated drag cars, with full cages, big slicks, and launch technology that lets you leave with a button. The Radford school trains you on a foot-brake launch, which is more applicable to anyone thinking of casually running their Tesla, Vette, or even an older muscle car. Time slips can range from high nine seconds if you're a good student to mid-13s if you’re not.