Drag racing is pure straight-line speed. Every upgrade should focus on maximising power and traction off the line. Weight reduction is critical. The car needs to launch hard without spinning the wheels, then accelerate as fast as possible to the finish.
Upgrade priority
The general order for a drag build. Exact picks scale with class and car, but this is the order that matters.
- Biggest Engine Swap Available Drag is pure power. The largest engine you can fit gives the most horsepower per PI spent. V12s, twin-turbo V8s, and supercharged options are all strong.
- Max Power Upgrades Stack turbo, intercooler, exhaust, intake, cam, valves, and displacement on top of the engine swap. Every horsepower matters in a straight line.
- Consider AWD Swap AWD launches harder than RWD because all four wheels put power down. The PI cost is significant but the launch advantage usually outweighs it at most classes.
- Race Transmission (10-Speed) More gears means less time between shifts and more time at peak power. 10-speed is ideal for keeping the engine at maximum output through the entire run.
- Race Differential Unlocks accel and decel lock. Full acceleration lock ensures both driven wheels put power down equally for maximum traction.
- Rear Tyre Width (Max) Maximum rear contact patch for launch traction. This is where your power meets the road.
- Full Weight Reduction Every kilogram removed improves acceleration directly. Lighter cars reach top speed faster.
- Front Tyre Width (Min or Stock) Narrow fronts reduce rolling resistance and aerodynamic drag. The front tyres do not drive the car in a straight line.
- Race Suspension Unlocks spring and ride height tuning for the launch stance: minimum front height for less drag, rear slightly raised so the suspension can squat and plant the tyres on launch.
Best value per PI
Spend here first
| Upgrade | Why |
|---|---|
| Centrifugal Supercharger | Currently the single biggest performance-per-PI item in FH6: it adds huge power for far less PI than it should, almost certainly a bug. If your car can fit one, it is the strongest power upgrade available until it is patched. Expect it to be nerfed in a future update. |
| Race Exhaust | The best power-per-PI upgrade in the core engine tree. Install this on every build. |
| Race Intake | Second best power-per-PI in the engine tree. Pair with Race Intake Manifold to unlock its full gain. |
| Race Ignition | Very cheap PI for consistent gains across the whole rev range. |
| Sport or Race Flywheel | Often free performance: on many cars the weight saving outweighs the PI cost, so PI stays flat or even drops while throttle response improves. Watch the PI counter when you fit it. |
| Sport or Race Driveline | Typically 1 to 3 PI for 10 to 25 kg off the rotating drivetrain. One of the quietest bargains in the shop. |
| Race Transmission (10-Speed) | A 10-speed race gearbox keeps the engine in its power band and cuts time lost between shifts. The extra ratios are cheap PI for a real acceleration gain, and let you tune final drive precisely to the track. A meta pick on almost every build. |
| Weight Reduction | The best PI-to-performance conversion overall: one upgrade improves acceleration, braking, and cornering at the same time. |
| Lighter Rims | Reduces unsprung and rotating mass for very little PI. Experiment with rim style and size while watching the PI counter. |
Poor value, usually skip
| Upgrade | Why |
|---|---|
| Front Aero and Wide Front Tyres | Pure drag on a drag build. Front downforce and front grip do nothing in a straight line but still cost PI. |
| Handling Parts You Do Not Need | Race brakes, ARBs, and wide front rubber spend PI that should be going into power and rear traction. |
Adjustment tips
- Launch technique is everything. Practice feathering the throttle off the line to avoid wheelspin.
- AWD with full power will usually beat RWD due to superior launch traction.
- Gear ratios matter more than any other tuning setting in drag racing.
- If you are bogging down on launch, shorten first gear. If you are spinning, lengthen it.
- Consider using 8 to 10 gears for drag builds. More gears means less time between shifts and more time at peak power.
- Weight reduction is critical for drag. Every kilogram removed improves acceleration directly.
- Race clutch and driveline are mandatory for drag: shift time is pure lost seconds. They are also some of the cheapest PI in the shop.
- EVs and single-speed hybrids (Regera, Nevera, Taycan) skip shifting entirely, which is why they dominate short drag distances. Against one of them, you need a big top-speed advantage.
- The Series 2 drag tyre nerf does not affect drag racing: only cornering grip was reduced. Straight-line launch grip, drag times, and drag leaderboards are unchanged, so drag tyres remain the correct compound here.
Best Drag cars by class
Best R class Drag cars
The strongest R class drag picks right now.
Best S2 class Drag cars
The strongest S2 class drag picks right now.
Build any of these in the tuning calculator, or read the setting guides for the detail behind each number.