Drag Strip
★★★★☆
See straight-line standing-start sprints at Richmond Dragway, a drag strip located in Sandston, Virginia. Competitors launch off the line in quick races. If you plan to visit, consider calling (804) 737-1193 to confirm event details. This area offers extensive motorsports viewing, as Richmond Dragway is one of fourteen different racing venues around.
Know Before You Go
- Test & tune nights
- Most strips run open 'test and tune' or 'run what ya brung' sessions for $20-40 entry. Make as many passes as time allows — perfect for street cars and bracket prep.
- Required gear
- A helmet is required once you run faster than 13.99 in the quarter-mile (or 9.99 in the eighth). Anything quicker than 11.49 typically requires a roll bar and SFI gear.
- Tech inspection
- Cars go through a basic safety check: battery hold-down, throttle return, seatbelt condition, tire condition. Faster cars need NHRA tech and current chassis cert.
- Bracket racing
- Saturday-night bracket programs pit dial-in handicap races. You declare your ET, race against a 'pro tree,' and closer to your dial without going under wins.
- Timeslip souvenir
- Most tracks print your ET, trap speed, reaction time, and 60-foot on a timeslip after each pass — a fun keepsake even if you're just there to mess around.