Edmunds U-Drags: Race to There and Back

What's On This Page?

1. The Leaderboard: Results from First to Worst
2. What Is U-Drags?
3. How it Works
4. The Track: Diagram and Details

The Leaderboard

What Is U-Drags?

U-Drags is a short, car versus car challenge that tests acceleration, braking and handling. The name U-Drags represents the shape of the course and the initial acceleration phase of the challenge, which resembles a drag race.

The test involves two cars accelerating as quickly as possible down a flat, straight track, side-by-side from a standing stop. The vehicles start at the same time. Once the vehicles pass through a quarter-mile (1,320 ft; 402m) mark, they brake hard into a U-turn and accelerate back to the starting line. After the first run is completed, the drivers return to the start line and switch vehicles. The vehicles also switch lanes to ensure fairness. After both drivers and lanes have been changed, the vehicles do another lap. 

Cars are equipped with sophisticated GPS-equipped digital measurement devices that record speed, distance traveled and g-forces, among other data points.

How it Works

When two cars are chosen to be tested against each other, it’s called a ‘pairing. Within each pairing, there are two runs. If there isn’t a clear two-runs-to-none winner, a tiebreaker third run is introduced.

Each driver must give the car they are driving the best opportunity to launch and accelerate as quickly as the car will allow to the quarter mile. Braking cannot be initiated until the vehicle crosses the quarter-mile markers. If a vehicle is unable to slow down (brake) before making the corner, it must overshoot the corner marker and turn when it’s at a practical speed to do so and progress into its return run.

If a vehicle gets a false or bad launch/start that impacts the outcome, the run will be declared void, the vehicles reset, and a rerun ordered. Drivers are allowed up to three practice runs to gauge the vehicle's launch and braking parameters before the officially timed runs

The Track

A classic drag race only tells part of the story. Edmunds' unique U-Drags format starts with side-by-side acceleration to the quarter mile, then adds a maximum braking section, a U-turn and a frantic race back to the start/finish line. It's the ultimate test of a car's all-around performance talents.

What's Next?

Keep up with the latest content from the Edmunds crew at edmunds.com/news. See you there!