Why Is Drag Racing Called Drag Racing?

[James]

Back before trailers, racers use to "drag" their cars behind the tow vehicles on car dollies to the races. hence the name, drag racing.

 

[Fireball]

Drag racing (1947), is said to be from thieves' slang drag "automobile" (1935), perhaps ultimately from slang sense of "wagon, buggy" (1755), because a horse would drag it. By 1851 this was transferred to "street," as in the phrase main drag (which some propose as the source of the racing sense).

In addition to the time trials there are a number of "drag races" between two or more cars. They are run, not for record, but to satisfy the desire of most Americans to see who can get from here to there in the fastest time. ["Popular Mechanics," January 1947]

 

[Fireball]

From:
www.etymonline.com/word/drag

 

[Cliff]

Dragula. From the Munsters TV show, filmed at Lions, featured the Coach & the Coffin/Dragster. That show really dragged out. Wait, did I just hear a bad pun groan out there? heh heh