The 5 Best RC Cars For Drag Racing

When it comes to RC racing, one of the most fun forms that you can experience is drag racing! Seeing if your RC car has the acceleration and speed to beat your friends or enemies is guaranteed to be fun whether you win or lose. 

Of course since drag racing requires the best possible acceleration as well as great top speeds it won’t work with just any RC car off the shelf. You need to find some specific RC cars that have those features and can also handle hard driving without breaking. 

That is where this article comes in. We have compiled a list of the 5 best RC cars that are perfect for your next drag race! Each car is different in pricing as well as work required to get the RC car ready to race but hopefully you will find the perfect RC car for drag racing in this list. 

If you want to see some RC car drag racing in action you will want to check out the video below! 

Traxxas AWD RC 4-Tec 2.0 Race Car Chassis

Traxxas was the manufacturer who produced Ready-To-Run, or RTR RC cars but this one is not RTR. This model just comes with the chassis and no body at all. However it does come with its perks including being incredibly low to the ground and having a top speed of over 70mph! 

Since this model is all wheel drive as well, that helps you get the power to the pavement a lot better which in turn means better times off the line and better race times. 

You can see the current prices on Amazon by clicking here. 

Features and specs 

• Highly adaptable body mounts and adaptable wheelbase
  
• TQ 2.4GHz remote control
  
• 70+ mph top speed
  
• Capable rubber street tires on black chrome rims
  
• Waterproof XL-5 electronic speed control
  
• XL-5 ESC
  
• Titan 12-turn 550 altered motor
  
• Total size of 14.9″ x7.9″ x2.4″
  

Pros

• Superb performance and long-lasting all around RC car. The car is designed to be driven hard and fast.
  
• A great choice for intermediate to professional RC dragster racers because of speed and overall intensity.
  
• The Traxxas AWD RC 4-Tec 2.0 is an unbelievable RC Dragster chassis for advanced racers who want to start building their model from the ground up.
  
• It has speed, endurance and every important part you could ever want.
  

Cons:

• It does not come with a battery or charger, and you’ll have to supply them on your own.
  

Traxxas Funny Car Dragster

So this model has actually been discontinued by Traxxas but you can still find them second hand on places like eBay or Amazon (such as here). Unfortunately since they are discontinued that makes finding them even second hand more difficult and the prices can vary a significant amount as well. 

This is one of the only true RC dragster on our list that actually works like a drag racer while also having a top speed of over 70mph! 

Features and specs

• Has an ET-2400 brushless motor
• The body actually tilts up just like a real funny car
• Actually has a functional wheelie bar
• Has an ET-3s ESC

Pros

• Top speeds of 70+mph. This car doesn’t just look the part it backs it up with speed.
• Built by Traxxas so quality is well done and you don’t have to worry about it breaking anytime soon. 
• It has oil filler GTR shocks. 
• 5 spoke perfect replica tires

Cons

• There is really only one major con to this model and that is that they aren’t making it anymore. Since it was discontinued by Traxxas the only way to buy them is through a third party which means finding one is difficult and the prices can vary a lot. 

Traxxas XO-1

Ok so technically this isn’t a dragster but really the only true RC drag racer is the one mentioned above. Beyond that there aren’t any RC cars (at least fast ones) that actually look and perform like a real dragster. 

You can find toy RCs that look more like a drag racer but those will typically have top speeds of only 10-15mph which makes them worthless in a real drag race. 

On the other hand the XO-1 might not look like a traditional drag racer but with top speeds of over 100mph it acts like one! 

No, that isn’t a typo, the Traxxas XO-1 comes out of the box ready to race at speeds above 100mph and you can actually make it even faster by upgrading it!!!

If you want to learn more about this RC car or see how much it is currently selling for on Amazon you can do that here. 

Features and specs

• Comes with Traxxas stability management to help you keep control of the car when on loose rocks or at high speeds.
• Comes with Traxxas link wireless module so you can tune your RC car using your phone or tablet. 
• Comes with the largest brushless motor ever out on an RC car
• Has an aluminum drive shaft and sealed differentials 
• Has RC tires that are rated to go over 100mph! 

Pros

• Obviously the biggest pro that this model brings to the table is its top speed. If you are drag racing on a longer track then you will want this model. 
• This RC car is AWD which helps put the power down to the road and allows you to accelerate much faster than other RC cars. 
• Can get to 60mph in 2.3 seconds! 
• Aerodynamic design to help reach amazing top speeds. 

Cons

• This RC car does not come cheap. It is the most expensive RTR RC car by a significant amount. 
• Because of its design this RC car can only really be used on pavement so you are limited to where you can use it at. 

RJ SPEED 2004 Pro Mod Drag Kit

The body Mod is just the start of an acceptable RC Dragster. It virtually allows you to do whatever you want with it to generate the perfect car for yourself. Of course since this is just the body and other parts and doesn’t include any electronics or motor then this is far from being a RTR model. 

You will have to do a decent amount of work to make this a functioning drag racer but many people prefer that so that is why we added it to the list. 

It looks just like a traditional dragster but the top speed and acceleration that it will offer depends entirely on what kind of electronics and motor that you add. 

You can learn more about this model or see the current price on Amazon by clicking here. 

Features and Specs

• Scale size of 1/10
  
• Incorporates the spur gear and rolling chassis
  
• Total size of 21″ x8″ x 5″
  

Pros

• Even though you only get a body, rolling chassis, and spur gear, it’s a great kit to start building a car with.
  
• RJ Speed is one of the best RC Dragster equipment for sale.
  
• It provides you with the ideal body for an electric car that allows you to personalize and complete it as you see fit.
  

Cons

• The biggest con to this model is it only comes with the body and chassis and doesn’t have any electronics. You have to add all the electronics which can push the price up significantly. 
• It will also take most people quite some time to build an RC car so you won’t be able to race it until you get it built. 

RJ SPEED 2104 Nitro Dragster Kit

This drag kit is ideal for those who want a base that they can build on over time, just like the 2004 model mentioned above. Both models are incredibly similar and require you to add the electronics and motor to the vehicle but this model is designed to be used with a Nitro engine whereas the one mentioned above is for an electric model. 

This model can be found on Amazon by clicking here. 

Features and Specs:

• The kit requires you to add electronic parts nitro motor components
  
• Total size is 6.4″ x25.6″ x4.4″ 
  

Pros

• The body comes with the kit. For those who are looking to build an RC Dragster by themselves, the RJ SPEED 2013 Nitro Dragster Kit is a great body to start with.
  

Cons

• The largest con with this model is that you again have to build it yourself. There is a lot of additional work required before you are ready to start racing it with your friends. 

Conclusion 

Each of these RC cars that are great for drag racing differ dramatically from each other. Some of them look like dragsters while others just look like normal RC cars but are incredibly fast. 

Ultimately it is up to you to decide whether those types of RC cars are fine or if you prefer the traditional dragster look. 

Honestly you can use any RC car to drag race but the faster it goes and the better acceleration that it has the more people that you can beat!