Free tool, no account
Drag Racing Practice Tree
Free reaction time trainer. Pro or Sportsman tree, rollout, delay box and dial-in. No account needed.
Which tree should I practice on?
Pro Tree
All three ambers at once, green 0.400 s later
The tree used in the pro classes and many index and bracket classes. You see one flash of amber and the green four tenths later, so you leave on the flash.
Sportsman Tree
Ambers 0.500 s apart, green 0.500 s after the last
Also called a full tree, the one most bracket, sportsman and Junior Dragster racers see. 1.5 seconds from the first amber to green, so you time your leave off the last amber.
How do I use the practice tree?
- Pick a Pro or Sportsman tree in Settings, and set your rollout and delay.
- Press Stage. The pre-stage and stage bulbs light, then the tree starts after a random 1.0 to 1.5 seconds, like a real starter.
- Leave on the tree. Too early is a red light; the reaction time shows to the thousandth.
- Watch your best, your average and your red-light rate for the session, and try again.
What can I set on the tree?
Rollout
The time between your release and the car leaving the stage beam. It starts at 0.300 s; set it to what your car does so the reaction time matches your slip.
Reaction Time Delay
A delay box setting from 0.000 to 2.000 s. The car holds on the line for the delay after you let go, the way a delay box does, so you can practice leaving on the first amber of a Sportsman tree.
Tap or hold
Tap to leave, or hold the button down and release to leave, like a transbrake or line-lock button.
Dial-in mode
Enter your dial and each rep gets a simulated ET. The rep is called Won, red light or breakout, so you practice the whole race, not just the light.
Classic or LED bulbs
Practice on the bulbs your track uses.
How do I get a better reaction time?
Practice the tree your class runs
A Pro tree and a Sportsman tree need different timing. Practice the one you will see on race day, with the rollout and delay your car really has.
Same routine every rep
Breathe, grip and set your hand or foot the same way every time. A routine you repeat is what makes the light repeat.
Practice with a dial
Dial-in mode adds the other half of bracket racing: a good light does not win if the car breaks out.
Watch the average, not the best
One .003 light is luck. An average that stays in the .0s with few red lights is what wins rounds.
What do racers ask about the practice tree?
What is a practice tree?
A practice tree imitates the Christmas tree on a drag strip starting line so you can train your reaction time away from the track. This one runs in your browser and in the Drag Race Logbook app on iPhone and Android.
What is a good reaction time in drag racing?
A perfect light is .000. Anything below zero is a red light and loses the round. In sportsman and bracket racing a light in the .0s is a good light; what matters most is doing it every round.
What is the difference between a Pro Tree and a Full Tree?
On a Pro tree all three ambers light together and the green comes 0.400 s later. On a full, or Sportsman, tree the ambers light one after another 0.500 s apart and the green comes 0.500 s after the last one.
Can I practice with a delay box?
Yes. Set Reaction Time Delay in Settings from 0.000 to 2.000 seconds and the tree holds the car on the line for that long after you release, the way a delay box does.
What is rollout?
Rollout is the time from your release until the car leaves the stage beam. It is part of every reaction time on a time slip. Set it to match your car so the practice light matches the real one.
Do I need an account?
No. The tree is free and needs no account, and it keeps your last 10 reps for the session. Pro saves every rep across devices, shows your reaction-time trend, and adds vibration on the green.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. It works in any modern browser on a phone, tablet or computer, and the iPhone and Android apps have it as a tab.
Which guide should I read next?
What else is free?
The light is half the round. The Race board predicts your ET for the air and helps you set the dial, the slip scanner logs the pass from a photo, and the density altitude calculator and track pages show the air before you get there.