burnout
Use of the throttle to spin the wheels of a vehicle being held stationary, causing the spinning tires to produce smoke and burn rubber.
burnout: spinning wheels under throttle to produce smoke
A burnout occurs when a driver applies full throttle to the engine while the vehicle remains stationary or nearly so, typically with the brakes locked or held by another means. The driving wheels spin freely against the road surface, generating friction intense enough to heat the tire rubber above its adhesion temperature. The result is visible smoke, a distinctive acrid smell, and blackened rubber deposited on the asphalt.
The mechanism relies on a simple imbalance: the engine produces more torque than the tires can transmit to the ground. In rear-wheel-drive vehicles, this happens when the rear wheels break traction while the front brakes hold firm. In front-wheel-drive cars, the front wheels spin. All-wheel-drive vehicles can be more difficult to burn out because torque distribution across multiple wheels increases total grip. Manual transmissions allow a driver to hold the engine at high RPM in low gear before releasing the clutch suddenly; automatics require a firmer brake application to resist engine torque.
Burnouts consume tire compound rapidly. Temperatures at the tire contact patch can exceed 100 degrees Celsius during a sustained burnout, degrading the rubber structure and accelerating wear. A typical performance tire loses visible tread depth within seconds. The practice is consequently restricted to controlled environments: drag racing starting lines, closed courses, and dedicated events. Street burnouts damage public infrastructure and are illegal in most jurisdictions because the practice reduces tire lifespan, generates hazardous smoke, and creates safety risks for other road users.
In drag racing, burnouts serve a legitimate technical purpose. The friction heats the tire surface, improving grip coefficient and reducing rolling resistance at launch. Drag racers also use burnouts to clean the tire surface of debris and to position the vehicle for optimal alignment. The practice is performed in designated burnout boxes before the race stage.
The term itself originated in drag racing culture and refers to the condition of the tire: burnt rubber, rubber burnt away. Burnout is distinct from a donut or spin-out, which involve circular motion of the vehicle, and from a launch, which is acceleration from a standstill. Modern traction control systems actively prevent unintended burnouts by limiting wheel slip, making the phenomenon now primarily associated with deliberate, recreational use.