Take a look at this Insane Round of Qualifying at Lights Out 17! Wheelies, Wrecks and Back Fires!
When it comes to radial tire drag racing, few events match the intensity of Lights Out. At Lights Out 17, qualifying wasn’t just competitive — it was chaotic. Held at South Georgia Motorsports Park, the session delivered everything fans expect from the most unforgiving radial event in the world: sky-high wheelies, violent wrecks, and explosive backfires.
This wasn’t warm-up mode.
This was maximum attack.
Radial Racing: Zero Margin for Error
Radial tire cars are brutally efficient — and brutally unforgiving. Unlike slicks, radials:
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Don’t recover easily once they lose grip
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Demand precise power application
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Punish aggressive boost ramps
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Expose even minor suspension miscalculations
During qualifying, racers push beyond safe limits to secure position. That’s when chaos enters.
The Wheelies: When Power Overwhelms Physics
Lights Out 17 saw multiple cars lift hard off the line. In radial racing, controlled wheelstands are rare — most cars aim to stay planted for maximum efficiency.
When the nose climbs too high:
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Aero balance shifts
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Steering authority disappears
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The chassis can unload violently
Some drivers pedaled perfectly. Others weren’t as lucky.
Wrecks Under the Lights
Qualifying at this level means nobody is holding back. With 3-second eighth-mile passes on the table, cars are operating at peak stress.
Common triggers behind the incidents included:
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Tire shake escalating mid-track
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Rear-end instability under high boost
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Overcorrection at 180+ mph
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Oil-down chain reactions
At radial events, once a car steps out, recovery windows are microscopic.
Backfires & Fireballs: The Nitro-Like Drama of Boosted Radials
Boosted combinations at Lights Out are capable of spectacular combustion events. When fuel mixtures go off under load, fans see:
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Header flames shooting sideways
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Intake backfires
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Turbo systems coughing fire
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Sudden engine shutdowns
While dramatic, these moments highlight how finely tuned — and stressed — these engines are.
Why Qualifying Was So Wild
Qualifying at Lights Out isn’t about conservative passes. It’s about securing lane choice and elite positioning.
That leads to:
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Aggressive boost curves
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Risk-heavy tuning decisions
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Drivers staying in runs longer than comfort allows
When you mix 2,500+ horsepower with radial limitations, unpredictability becomes part of the show.
The SGMP Factor
South Georgia Motorsports Park is known for strong prep — but even great surfaces can’t eliminate risk at this level. Conditions shift quickly with temperature and humidity.
Under night air:
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Power increases
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Tire response changes
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Track bite evolves
Drivers have to adapt in real time.
Final Take
Insane Round of Qualifying at Lights Out 17! Wheelies, Wrecks & Backfires perfectly captures what makes radial racing both thrilling and dangerous.
At this level:
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Precision wins
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Hesitation loses
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And sometimes chaos steals the spotlight
Lights Out isn’t about safe passes.
It’s about finding the limit — and hoping you don’t cross it.
