I have often wondered why we call what we love "Drag Racing". How was the word "Drag" incorporated into the description?
Today there are various kinds of auto racing like NASCAR, Formula 1 etc. Notice that they are named after the sanctioning body that puts on the races. But in the distant past they had other kinds of racing like dirt track racing, hill climbs, board track racing, road racing. Notice that these are named after the venue where the racing was done. So where did drag racing get its start? On the main drag, of course. Drag racing only moved to the drag strips after fifty years of street racing. If you really want to delve into it, the term 'main drag' comes from logging where they cut down the trees then dragged the logs out with oxen or horses. While logging a patch of forest they made various trails where they dragged the logs out, all leading to the 'main drag' or main trail. Loggers went on to use the term for the main street of a town and somehow it became popular slang.
According to Phases.Org.uk "The 'roadway' meaning of drag was transferred from England to the USA and, in the 1950s, the teenage pastime of racing cars 'along the main drag' began to be called 'hot rodding' or 'drag racing'."
Sir Winston Churchill the well known leader of the "Brits" during WWII was an avid car guy as well as a cigar smoking conasur'e. It was said that once while cruising the streets of post war England in his open top roadster and smoking his famous stogie they stopped at a traffic signal. When another car pulled up beside... him he held out his cigar (held between his nicotine stained fingers) and uttered these famous words...."Wanna drag"?! Good old Winston........."named after a cigarette, and smoked cigars!" Wanna drag? 6sally6
The gospel according to Google.......... (From the Oxford Dictionary Of Word Origins) https://books.google.com/books?id=J4i3zV4vnBAC&pg=PA136&lpg=PA136&dq=Roots+of+"the+main+drag"&source=bl&ots=aFvaUOuGBm&sig=oSzZK2S3mThuRND6e8nTOgSkE3Q&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiN7ozb85vfAhVKbK0KHTlDCJ4Q6AEwC3oECAEQAQ#v=onepage&q=Roots of "the main drag"&f=false
In this documentary they say it is derived from saying "drag it out". As an example they said cars would be lined up on the sides of the road watching the races, one guy would say that he can beat so and so and the other guy would say "well drag it out here and let's race"
I've always liked the Modified Eliminator on down Classes. In fact, when the Fuel Dragsters and Funny Cars were up, I headed to the pits to look at "my" cars up close. The Pro Classes were just too much of a "drag", if you know what I mean? Too much setup time, burn outs, backing up, dry hops, etc, etc, etc, just to race for a few seconds; it was all just too much of a "drag"! Impressive yes, but I'm a do-it-right-now kind of guy. What a drag!!! I am Butch/56sedandelivery. Here's another similar deal: I belonged to the Handler's Racing Association for four years, 88-92. That's the all volunteer, non-profit group, that has operated Bremerton Raceway since 1959. We used to have an announcer who would, when there was an oil down on the track, and we'd all get out there with our brooms and burnt rice hull to clean up the oil, he'd always say that's how the name got started, "look at how well they "handle" those brooms". Truth is, the driver of a car was originally called the "handler", back in the old days, hence the Handler's Racing Association. This year marks the 60th year for Bremerton Raceway. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
Sheesh, the things you guys come up with... In the early days of street racing, men would gather on the darkened, moon lit backstreets of America with their souped up jalopies. Wanting to emulate other sanctioned forms of auto racing, starts were made by the drop of a green flag. Trouble was, carrying a flag around, along with all the other necessary racing hardware was not usually on the list of priorities, not to mention getting caught by the man with one. So, in a pimch, shop rags became the standard starting method. Flashlights were used as well, however early battery and switch technology were often iffy. So, with the drop of the rag, it was go time. A term for this was coined, Drop Rag And Go, or DRAG for short.
Unfortunately Drag Racing is kind of moving toward "Swag Racing" nowadays. I was having fun with my SBC powered TE-440 Chassis Research dragster in '65 until I got drafted for the Vietnam fun. Some turds stole it from storage in Richardson, Texas while I was gone defending their freedom. When I got out in '69, everything had changed and it was really becoming a "drag" for independent home builders. I don't go to the drags anymore. I still build hot rods at home. Check my '40 Ford cpe in avatar.
The term came from the procedure of Dragging the R P M's and shift points way beyond normal usage. Instead of fishing for 2nd gear at 1000 they might Drag it clear out to Two. Fireball 5
Mickey,Why do you ask this question???It started long before my time and you know how old this old fart is.
Hey Bobby...You could probably tell us if it was maybe Fred Flintstone or Barney Rubble dragging their feet. ;>)
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