The Water Box. You’ll typically see racers with slicks go through the water box and do burnouts. Cars that make decent power can do some very nice smoky burnouts. American muscle cars (old and new alike) are usually the burnout kings. Lots of horsepower + lots of torque + water = huge clouds of smoke.

Years ago it was unacceptable to roll through the water box on “street” tires. Now depending on the drag strip you’re at you may or may not be able to drive through the water box on DOT approved street tires whether they’re made for racing or not.

If you are NOT going to do a burnout, then just drive around the water box. It doesn’t make sense to get your tires wet if you’re not going to smoke those tires.

If you ARE going to do a burnout on street tires, first check with track officials to ensure that it’s ok to do it at that track. Infineon Raceway (previously Sears Point Raceway) is actually ok with water box burnouts on DOT approved drag radials as well as high performance summer street tires. Again, when in doubt just ask!

It used to be common practice to first drive around the water box and then back up into it if you are racing a rear wheel drive car. Times do change. Now at Infineon they want you to just drive straight in and NOT back in.