1/4 Mile Calculator
Estimate your vehicle’s performance using the industry-standard Patrick formulas based on weight and horsepower.
🛠️ Vehicle Configuration
📊 Live Performance Data
About the 1/4 Mile Calculator
Our 1/4 Mile Speed Calculator is a powerful automotive tool designed for car enthusiasts, racers, and engineers. It uses well-established mathematical models to predict how fast a vehicle should travel down a standard 1320-foot drag strip based on its power-to-weight ratio.
The Formulas Used
This calculator utilizes the Patrick Formulas, which are highly respected in the drag racing community for their accuracy:
- ET: 5.825 × (Weight / HP)1/3
- Speed: 234 × (HP / Weight)1/3
Accuracy Factors
While these estimates are statistically accurate, real-world variables like traction, air density (DA), transmission ratios, and aerodynamic drag can affect final results.
How to Use This Calculator
To get the most accurate estimate, ensure you are inputting the “Race Weight,” which includes the vehicle’s curb weight plus the driver and fuel. For horsepower, using Engine HP (BHP) will give you a theoretical maximum, while Wheel HP (WHP) often provides a more realistic real-strip result.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Does weight matter more than horsepower?
Weight has a significant impact on the initial launch (ET), while horsepower dominates the high-end acceleration (Trap Speed). Reducing weight is often more cost-effective for improving performance.
What is “ET” in drag racing?
ET stands for Elapsed Time. It is the time it takes for a vehicle to travel from the starting line to the finish line of a race track.