dB Drag Racing Magazine - April/May 1997

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Originally appeared in the April / May 1997 issue of Car Sound magazine.

Let's Get Loud

Welcome to the premiere issue of dB Drag Racing magazine! It is with sincere gratitude that I dedicate this publication to all of the competitors that have made dB Drag Racing such a phenomenal success. In this issue, and those that will follow, we will feature articles highlighting some of the hottest vehicles on the dB Drag Racing circuit. We also plan on recognizing the competitors whose dedication and love of the sport have made dB Drag Racing what it is today. If you're already a competitor, don't miss our special section on improving system performance. In it, you may find that elusive bit of information that will help you extract every last dB your system is capable of producing.

What is dB Drag Racing?

In a nutshell, dB Drag Racing is a contest where competitors compete to see who has the loudest sound system in their vehicle. If you're thinking that Sound Pressure Level (SPL) based contests are nothing new, you're absolutely correct. Sound-off events based on SPL have been taking place for a long, long time. In fact, when I was a competitor (1984-1986), I routinely competed in contests where the competitor's SPL reading comprised more than 90% of the total score. Even so, those early contests were fun to compete in, easy to understand, and exciting to watch. It was the success of these early sound-off events that eventually led to the creation of today's high-profile sanctioning organizations.

Unfortunately, something seemed to have been lost in the transition between the primitive sound-off events of yesteryear and the professionally produced shows of today. As the competition became more refined, it also became more sterile. From a spectator's perspective, the contests were boring! What was needed was a competition format that could recapture the fun and excitement of those earlier years. dB Drag Racing was the solution.

The dB Drag Racing competition format is the culmination of more than a decade of sound-off event analysis. What makes it so exciting is that the competitors in a dB Drag Racing event actually compete head-to-head to determine who has the loudest sound system in their vehicle.

A typical dB Drag Racing event works like this . . .

On Saturday, contestants are judged one at a time in the preliminary qualification rounds. During these rounds, each contestant's sound system is measured to see how loud it will play. If time permits, contestants may be allowed to re-enter the preliminary competition in order to better their score. At the close of the qualification rounds, we take the eight loudest vehicles from each power class and enter them into brackets. These contestants advance to the elimination rounds to be held on Sunday.

On Sunday, we begin the elimination rounds. In the elimination rounds, contestants actually compete head to head, with the winner of each bracket competition advancing to the next round in the event. (Quarter Finals, Semi-finals, and Finals.) By the end of the day, we have the winners for each power class.

The competition itself is very similar to drag racing. The two contestants that are competing pull alongside the judging tower. On the judging tower, there are two light trees that are used to indicate the relative loudness of each respective vehicle. When both contestants are ready, the light trees start cycling down in a manner similar to the light trees used in drag racing. When the bottom light illuminates, the judging begins. Each competitor then has 30 seconds to achieve their highest SPL. Spectators can see immediately who is winning by watching the light trees. The louder a competitor's vehicle is, the higher his light tree will be illuminated. At the end of the 30 second time frame, the competitor who achieved the higher SPL wins.

Its that simple! dB Drag Racing's formula for fun, excitement, and simplicity is revitalizing the sound-off community. Isn't it time you got involved?

If you have questions, comments, or suggestions regarding dB Drag Racing or this publication, please write to:

dB Drag Racing Magazine
6 Manhasset Avenue
Port Washington, NY 11050

Wayne Harris is President of Wayne Harris Enterprises, Director of Research and Development for Rockford Corporation, and President and Founder of the dB Drag Racing Association.

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