Honda Drag Racing 101: What to Take to the Track

Going racing with your Honda can be made more enjoyable with the right tools and supplies.

If you want to push your Honda to its fullest performance potential, the easiest and safest way to do so is a day at the drag strip. Drag racing only measures the acceleration performance of the vehicle, but for the average street car, this form of motorsport is easier on the vehicle and literally anyone whose car passes the technical inspection can participate. Even with a completely stock car, you can have fun at the drag strip, but if you have never racing before, you might not know what you need to bring with you for a successful day at any track.

That was the dilemma facing “jon570” when he posted to the forum, asking what he should bring along for his first time at the drag strip with his Honda Civic.

First-Time Honda Racer

When the OP first posted his question to the forum, he provided some background on himself, along with a short list of the items that he had already planned to take.

Seeing as how i am about to take my car to the track for the first time (first time ever for me or the car) im curious to know what you all bring to the track with you. TXdragon started a nice thread awhile back about what to know and expect when getting there as far as rules and track safety. But in regards to tools and extras what do you guys/gals usually bring? Heres my own personal list

Electric impact
socket set
extra gas can full
spare set of axles
jack and jack stand
torque wrench

He didn’t go into any detail on how heavily modified his Civic is, but if he plans to bring a spare set of axles, we are going to guess that he isn’t showing up with a showroom-stock car.

The Community Responds

The first member to reply was “AZ CIVIC” who provided his own list.

Slicks
Extra oil never hurts
paper towels/rags
Something to lay on
Bring a battery pack/air tank combo if you have one
screwdrivers Philips/flat
I also bring a cooler with water and something to eat or snack on
I bring a pop up tent if it’s going to be a day event, also if you have one

“Civic steve 94” also shared his list.

A hammer
oil resistant silicone
mechanics gloves
Pliers
cotter keys
cell phone to post super sweet pictures of your time slips

Finally, “turboLScrx” chimed in with some incite that included a long list of items that can contribute to a good day at the track.

All depends on the level of your build, if it’s close to being a stock ride…. just keep a AAA membership lol. Me personally, I take the following items

Power inverter
mini air compressor
tire gauge
28 volt impact with wheel key
jack / jack stands
volt meter
crippers and mini case of connectors
spare fuses
computer for programming
‘socket set and some wrenches
cooler with water and some snacks
fan
Something to lay on for service work
set of Allen wrenches
screw drivers
axles hub socket
large flat head to pop out axles
Lower ball joint puller
shop towels
hand cleaner window cleaner
phone charger
extra oil
extra coolant
flash light
cameras/GoPro
extra hose clamps
spare fuel that car got tuned with
……I’m sure I’m forgetting things

Drag Week Civic Info

While the members provided some great input, we spoke to Clint Taylor, whose wife Jessica pilots their Honda Civic through the festivities of Hot Rod Drag Week. If you are not familiar with Drag Week, it is a week-long drag racing event that requires all of the vehicles to drive from track to track. The race vehicles cannot be trailered and, in many cases, the actual race vehicles tow their own small trailer full of supplies.

That is the case of the Honda Civic owned by the Taylors. Jessica has been driving the car for four years, having learned to drive a manual transmission on this car with the stage 4 clutch. She has a run a best elapsed time of 11.0 and she has competing in Drag Week three times now. Knowing Clint personally, I reached out to him for his input on what they bring along for this endurance-type racing event, as well as some input on competing in Drag Week.

The goal is to make the week and be consistent until Friday when it’s safe to turn it up! Dragweek is a test for the car but also a time to make connections and create bonds with like-minded people.

Maintaining safety equipment and checking the car over for any safety or mechanical issues that may arise is important and a step that should not be skipped. Some of our drag week supplies include tool sets to disassemble the car if need be, parts that aren’t readily available (ECU and A1000 fuel pump), specialty nuts and bolts, slicks/skinny’s, jack, jack stands, fuel jugs, a shade umbrella, chair, and clothes for the week.

Taylor also provided all of the pictures here of his wife and their Drag Week Civic, and for more information on their racing program, you can follow their progress on the ChickwithSlicks Facebook page.

If you are an experienced drag racer who would like to offer input or if you are a rookie looking for help from veterans, click here to participate in the thread.

Join the Honda Tech forums now!

Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com