Drag Races are a series of Land Races featured in Grand Theft Auto Online as part of The Chop Shop update, released on January 25, 2024.
Description[]
Host options[]
The host can choose the vehicle class allowed for the event – Tuner, Muscle or Sports – and Custom vehicles can also be turned on or off. The host may also turn contact on or off, change the time of day, weather, traffic and density. Catchup and Slipstream are also available, as well as a few other options shared with other race event types.
The host can also set the number of rounds for the race, i.e. how many times the drag race is run. The Round Type option allows the choice of First to Win, Highest Points, or Fastest Time. If First to Win is chosen, the race repeats until the first racer wins the selected number of rounds. If Highest Points is selected, points will be awarded based on the players' finishing order, and the player with the most points at the end of the selected number of rounds is declared the winner. The Fastest Time option means that after the specified number of rounds, the person with the fastest time overall – i.e. a time set during any of the rounds – is declared the winner.
Race details[]
The races are available for one to four players. There is a total of seven races available, all Point to Point events.
A unique feature of Drag Races is a speedometer at the bottom right of the screen – showing the rev counter, current gear and speed. Before the drag race begins, a short cinematic shows the vehicles rolling up to the start line, after which the player is prompted to warm up their tyres by doing a burnout. The player needs to keep the revs within the blue zone on the speedometer, which will get smaller as time passes. If the needle is kept within this zone for most of the burnout duration, the player will achieve a Perfect Burnout. The quality of the burnout will impact how much traction the player will have off the line.
A countdown for the race then commences and the players race down the set route. The gearbox is set to manual for these races, and the players must use the appropriate buttons on their platform, shown below the speedometer, to shift up or down. For each gear, two zones are marked on the speedometer: a blue zone indicating the perfect revs for shifting, and a red zone indicating overrevving. If the player shifts in the blue zone, a Perfect Shift message pops up and the car receives a small boost in speed. If the shift happens below the blue zone or in the red zone, a Too Early or Too Late message will appears, respectively.
During the race – the exact time is dependent on the drag race played – nitrous boost becomes available, and the player can toggle it on or off as they wish. The remaining boost is shown next to the health and armour bars at the bottom left, where the special ability is shown in Story Mode. When activated, flames will shoot out the car's exhaust, and the player will receive a significant boost to their acceleration. If activated at high speeds, the boost can also propel the car far beyond speeds normally achievable.
Traffic during the races generally appears unscripted and as they would during normal gameplay, but certain scripted scenarios will play and act as obstacles for the drag racers, such as a bus driving past an intersection or a Fire Truck responding to a call.
Visually, the Drag Races appear similarly to Street Races and Drift Races. Paint on the ground marks the starting line, and there is a person starting the race with a unique animation. There are also spectators and their parked cars around the drift track. Painted arrows appear on the track, and larger vehicles can sometimes be seen blocking off the road.
Vehicle choice[]
Only selected vehicles can be used in drag races:
- All Tuners
- Muscle
- Sports
List of Drag Races[]
There are seven races. These are listed in the "Races" list, with the "Drag Race" prefix.
| Race | Description |
|---|---|
 Bluff It |
“The one downside of a drag race on the Great Ocean Highway is the crowd of concerned citizens throwing insults from the overpass. But here’s the thing: If you nail that nitrous and hit those shifts, those guys will be throwing their tighty whities instead.”
—In-game description. |
 Drag It Out |
“With nothing standing between you and a clear run down Hawick’s main drag, it’s time to slam on the gas and kick up smoke. Not only is the burnout vital for cleaning your rear tires and providing grip, it also obscures the evidence of the multiple vehicular assaults you committed on the way here.”
—In-game description. |
 High n Dry |
“The LS Tourist Board invites you to explore the natural wonders of the Grand Senora. Discover unique flora blooming in the 100° heat. Come upon inedible fauna clinging to life. Gasp with delight as dragsters smash the Eastern Motel sign. Natural selection is a marvel.”
—In-game description. |
 Kickin' Sand |
“You can launch well, you can shift perfectly, you can time your nitrous down to a hundredth of a second, you can be the best drag racer Sandy Shores has ever seen. But the real reward? It’s the friends you write off along the way.”
—In game description. |
 Make the Pass |
“There are three secrets to becoming a drag race legend in San Andreas. 1) Lightning reflexes. 2) Unwavering nerves. 3) Strong cervical vertebrae. On the manic Senora Freeway, you’ll need them all.”
—In-game description. |
 Natural Highs |
“Drag racing is technically illegal in the state of San Andreas. But don’t worry, the team’s prepared. They’ve disconnected all the cameras and bribed the local cops, so unless you’re thirst trapping on Snapmatic at 150mph, no one’s gonna know…”
—In-game description. |
 Playing Chicken |
“Want to make it to that finish line? Then you better stick your shifts and pray the G’s wipe you out at just the right moment, because nobody wants to be conscious for the smell of Clucking Bell Farms at 140mph.”
—In-game description. |
Gallery[]
Official Screenshots[]
Promotional advertisement during the Drag Races Week (January 2025) event.
