Drag cars are designed to go fast — obviously. But at the end of that 1/4, 1/8, mile or 1,000 foot mark is an unfriendly barricade of sand, water barriers, nets, or K-rails. Slowing down after blasting through the traps can be a more frightening experience than a blistering run if your binders are inadequate for the job.

Further compounding the issue of sufficient brakes on a dragster are weight concerns and packaging. If you run a set of racing beadlock wheels in order to keep your shoes on under a violent launch, you know the confines of that inner barrel puts a damper on the size of caliper and rotor you can fit. We stopped in to Wilwood at PRI to see what they had cooking for racers of all walks, and makes.

Chiefly among the latest offerings was a new application for the drag racer. “One of the products that we’re really excited about is the new drag-racing kit that will fit double-beadlock wheels. It won’t be officially launched until the spring of 2016.” explained Jamie Harding of Wilwood.

More often known for their road-race and off-road applications, Harding continued to say that Wilwood would be making a concerted effort to step up their presence in the drag racing market in 2016.

In terms of product applications for the new drag racing kit we spoke with Carl D. Bush of Wilwood. He explained, “It’s for all the fast street shootout cars that run 15-inch wheels under stock wheel wells. The sole purpose was to build a small-diameter, small radius kit specifically for that segment of drag racing. It features double-calipers for the extra pad area and stopping power.” concluded Bush.

These brakes a slick solution to a potentially dangerous problem. If you need additional information about the kit as it becomes available next year give Wilwood a call.