Technical How are cars matched up in drag racing?

I know it's a basic question, but I haven't been able to find the answer on the net.

I have volunteered to run a kids drag race, some what like pine wood racing. The question that I have is if I have 16 competitors, who races who? Fastest vs second fastest, fastest vs slowest, or something else? TIA.

PS. I haven't been to a drag race in 40 years and don't get cable.

 

Pinewood derby is not like multi-class drag racing. Most pinewood derby is just heads-up racing of anybody against anybody else. There is only one class. Unless the cars are prepared to different class standards. In real drag racing, cars are grouped by classes. Inside a class, it is often based on who shows up in the staging lanes at the same time you do. Don't overthink it, just have fun.

 

look up "sportsman ladder"

 

If you want to run fastest slowest elimination grid you'd have to do qualifications to baseline the cars. For a pinewood derby, I'd just pair off all 16 cars and run them. Run a consolation grid for the kids that got knocked out so everyone can keep racing. The kids just want to get passes in on their cars, anything you can do to get more passes in will increase the fun. Have top 3 prize and a consolation prize- gift card, can of that metallic shimmer paint, whatever.

 

We use to run the pine wood cars in opposing Alphabetical order (A vs Z etc)

 

Another idea is to use a "double elimination" or even "triple elimination" format to give the kids lots of track time. A car must be beaten twice - or three times - to be eliminated from racing. This is pretty common in real bracket racing formats when the field is small. Have fun!

 

Thanks squirrel and all. Sportsman ladder is what I was looking for.

http://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/regulation/file/ladder_ET_Sport.pdf