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Racing Policies

General Rules/Information

  • Alcohol consumption by participating drivers is strictly prohibited. Drivers caught consuming alcohol will be disqualified from their races.

  • No alcohol is allowed in the staging lanes or starting line area.

  • No glass bottles are allowed on track premises.

  • The speed limit in the pit area and return road is 10 MPH. Watch for children, Jr. Dragsters, and pets.

  • No skateboards or roller blades allowed in pit area or staging lanes.

  • Golf carts, ATVs, mopeds, and bicycles are to be used for race support only. No joy riding or horsing around is allowed.

  • Children under the age of 16 (and without a valid driver's license) are not allowed to operate any motorized vehicle. This includes ATVs, golf carts, scooters, and mopeds.

  • Auxiliary pit vehicles should park in Lane 8 or in the dashed (///) lines near the starting line.

  • No engines starting before 7:30 a.m.

  • Background music will stop when racing ends, and quiet time (no motors/music/loud noise) begins at midnight.

Race Procedures

  • ALL safety equipment must be current and unaltered, per the NHRA Rulebook.

  • Absolutely NO Anti-Freeze allowed in your race vehicle's cooling system.

  • Oil containment device required on all vehicles running 9.99 or quicker.

  • Drivers in competition, if for any reason you feel you have the incorrect lane assignment or pairing, stop in the lanes and get the attention of an Official. Once you pre-stage, you have accepted the run and no re-runs will be given.

  • Lane assignments are as follows: Left Lane ODD numbers, Right Lane EVEN numbers. Listen to the PA or Rock Falls Radio 99.9FM for your call.

  • If there is an uneven number of cars in line, the first car will be given lane choice.

  • Round Robin! Once the call has been made for Round Robin, you will have 15-minutes from your class's last pair turning off of the track to return to the staging lanes.

  • Competitors, please stay in your assigned lanes all the way to the front of the staging area.

  • All Semi Finalists & Finalists: lane choice will be determined by a coin flip regardless of what lane you pull up in.

  • All eliminators will be given a maximum of three time trial sessions or qualifying runs. The number of time trials may, however, vary from time to time based on weather or other special circumstances.

  • Time trials will be run by eliminator, out of their designated lanes.

  • No driver may change vehicles once eliminations have begun.

  • A driver may change vehicles before eliminations have begun, as long as the vehicle is not entered in the same class.

  • Reaction times and intermediate times are given as a courtesy to the driver and no races will be re-run over disputed times.

  • A driver's dial-in must be on the vehicle for all racers, track personnel, and spectators to see. The dial-in must be visible on the right-hand side of the vehicle by the time the driver leaves the line in front of their respective staging lane. Once a driver has pre-staged, you have accepted your dial-in.

  • It is the sole responsibility of the driver to check their dial-in before pre-staging. AutoStart is used at Rock Falls Raceway and once one car has pre-staged and the other car has staged, the countdown for AutoStart is on and the second vehicle has 10 seconds within which to stage. If the 2nd driver does not stage within this 10 second time frame, the 2nd driver will be timed out. No re-runs will be made if this occurs. Once both cars have pre-staged, it is a race.

Point Series Rules

  • Enrollment for the 2024 Gold Rush Point Series should be done prior to competing in your first bracket race of the 2024 season. All Rock Falls Raceway members must have a NHRA competition number or a Rock Falls Raceway permanent number in order to earn points. Membership is $40 for the season.

  • Drivers in all classes are advised to purchase a NHRA competition number and NHRA membership. If a driver chooses not to purchase a NHRA number, Rock Falls Raceway will assign you a permanent number once you have purchased your RFR membership.

  • A driver's points are earned according to the number displayed on the vehicle. Should a driver change vehicles during the season, his or her permanent number must be on the vehicle.

  • All numbers and dial-ins are to be displayed on the passenger's side of the vehicle. The numbers have to be as bright and legible as possible for the tower crew.  Prior to pre-staging your vehicle, it is the responsibility of the driver to make a final check of his/her dial-in displayed on the scoreboard.  If it is incorrect, the driver must get the attention of the starter or starting line official and indicate to them a wrong dial-in - do not pre-stage.  Tower personnel are not responsible for a wrong dial-in and no re-run will be given.  

  • Points will be given in all ET Series categories at all 10 Bracket Race events.  Points are not given to these classes at Fun Races. The year end points total will be based on your best 8 of 10 races.

  • A driver may not drive more than 1 car in the same eliminator.

  • Points will be awarded to the driver and category. They may not be transferred to another category.

Important Tech/Safety Updates

  • All vehicles running 9.999 or quicker or 135.00 mph will be required to have a NHRA accepted Engine Diaper or Lower Engine Oil Containment Device.

Guaranteed Payout for Super Pro & Pro ET Classes

Super Pro:  6.00 to 11.99 (Delay Boxes & Throttle Stops ALLOWED)

Pro ET:  8.00 and slower (NO Electronics Allowed - NO delay boxes, stutter boxes or throttle stops).  Two steps okay.

Motorcycle/Sled competitors are allowed in all relevant categories. Must follow Motorcycle/Sled rules.

​Payout is as follows:​

Winner:                $2,000
R/U:                     $900
Semis:                 $375
5th Rd. Winner*:     $225
4th Rd. Winner*:     $150
3rd Rd. Winner:      $75
2nd Rd. Winner:      $50
(* If Needed)

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