Christmas Trees...not just for holidays

To most people a Christmas Tree is something that they decorate once a year, put some presents under and throw out when they are done but to other people a Christmas Tree is an electric device used to start a drag race. The device is called a Christmas Tree because of its multicolored starting lights.

“The Christmas Tree is a legitimate invention that replaced flag starts and brought drag racing to another level,” said Brad Wilkins, a La Verne resident and dedicated NHRA fan and follower.

A Christmas Tree looks similar to a stoplight but has seven lights on each side of the tree. Two light beams cross the starting line and connect to photocells along side of the track which are wired to the Christmas Tree and electronic timers in the main control room.

“I remember going to the drags when I was little and asking my dad why there was a Christmas Tree,” said Shannon Talbot a La Verne resident and NHRA fan. “I thought there was an actual tree so my dad sat me down and explained that it was a different kind of tree and how it worked.”

The lights on the tree are arranged in a column starting with the pre-stage indicator lights. These round amber bulbs light up when the front tires cross the first beam approximately seven inches from the starting line and warn the drivers that they are approaching the staged position.

Once the front tires roll exactly onto the starting line the stage indicator lights are lit indicating that the car is ready to run. These bulbs come on when the front wheels of the racecar interrupts the beam from a light source to the photocells.

When both cars are properly positioned the starter will activate the Christmas Tree and the drivers will focus specifically on three amber lights on their side of the track.

NHRA replaced incandescent lights with the use of LED amber lights on the Christmas Tree prior to the 2003 season because the vibration from the Top Fuel and Funny Cars caused the incandescent light bulbs to burn out.

In Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle, all three amber lights flash simultaneously before the green light comes on. In the sportsman classes the three amber bulbs will flash consecutively before the green light is lit.

The green light is the one light that makes all of the action happen. Once the green light is lit the driver in that lane is free to make a run. Anytime that it is lit, indicates that a fair start was accomplished.

“As soon as that light turns green the race begins and not much else matters,” Wilkins said.

When a car leaves the starting line before the green light is lit, the red light will flash in that lane. It indicates that the driver in that lane has been officially disqualified. During a competition, only one red light will flash for the purpose of indicating the elimination of the first offender in the case of both drivers leaving before the green light or staging too late into the staging beams.

The elapsed time and the speed are monitored for each run. Once a car passes the staging beams, it activates an elapsed-time clock, which is stopped when it reaches the finish line. Each lane is timed independently.

“Sometimes a car can win with a lower E.T. [elapsed time] and speed than their opponent,” Wilkins said.

This is because the winning driver had a quicker reaction time to the green light at the starting line and that advantage was greater than their opponent’s advantage on the track. A perfect reaction time is .000.