The NHRA first used the Christmas Tree starting device in 1963.
The device debuted at the 1963 U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, replacing the less-consistent practice of having a starter signal competitors by hand. Its purpose was to create a standardized electronic countdown and improve safety, especially in handicap racing, where the starter had to stand near cars staged at different positions.
The Christmas Tree was developed through work associated with Chrondek, NHRA officials, and timing specialists. The history of its invention is disputed: Wilfred H. “W.H.” David Jr. claimed to have created an earlier prototype in the late 1950s, while accounts credit Chrondek and NHRA figures with developing the system adopted for national competition. Thus, 1963 identifies the NHRA’s first use, not necessarily the earliest experimental version.
The original Tree used five amber lights. Staging bulbs were added in 1964, and the professional-style simultaneous amber sequence arrived in 1971. Modern trees also include pre-stage, stage, green, and red indicators, with later designs incorporating LEDs and blue staging lights.