What does E.T. stand for in drag racing timing?

In drag-racing timing, E.T. stands for elapsed time.

Elapsed time is the period from a vehicle’s departure at the starting line to its crossing the finish line. Timing systems measure it separately from reaction time, which records how quickly the driver responds after the starting signal. That distinction matters because a driver can win with a slower elapsed time if a quicker reaction produces a large enough advantage at the start.

In professional heads-up racing, the first vehicle across the finish line wins, so both reaction time and elapsed time affect the result. In bracket racing, competitors choose a predicted elapsed time, called a dial-in. A driver who runs quicker than that prediction may be penalized for a breakout, even if the car’s raw time is impressive.

E.T. is therefore not the same as terminal speed, trap speed or reaction time. Speed is measured separately, often through a timing trap near the finish. The abbreviation appears throughout drag-racing timing boards, result sheets and commentary, making “elapsed time” the standard canonical answer.