Longest Burn Down in Drag Racing History? These Guys Play Some Mind Games!

In the sport of drag racing, there’s a lot to do to prepare. With so many moving parts in the equation, every component needs to be aligned perfectly. Beyond that, teams have to adapt to track conditions to make sure that traction lives on. Beyond that, though, there’s a mental game that drivers will play between one another. It might sound like just a passive feature of racing that we forget about. However, it’s just as viable a skillset as being able to properly tune your ride. If done right, it can cause enough commotion for the other driver to fall off their A-Game.

One example of such a mind game might come during a phenomenon known as the “burn down.” While it might be nothing more than a couple of cars sitting still, it can be quite an exciting time. It’s sort of like a standoff in the wild west, waiting to see who is going to draw first. The drivers roll into the first beams and wait, trying to hold their position and out-wait the other guy. At times, this can end up taking quite some time. With each and every second, the tension builds, though, almost making the race worth more bragging rights.

By following along with the video below, we check out what might just be one of the longest burndowns in all of racing. Free Life Films was on the scene at a Mountain Motor Pro Stock race to watch as Jeff Dobbins and John Pluchino simply wouldn’t back down. In fact, they stage for so long that they even eclipse the four-minute mark and then some. Long story short, this might be the most interesting four minutes of cars sitting still that you’ll ever watch.

Buckle up because this is going to be a wild ride… or don’t because, you know, they’re sitting still.