A drag racing start in which both cars leave simultaneously is called a heads-up start.
In heads-up racing, both drivers receive the starting signal at the same time and race over the same distance without a built-in time advantage. This format is standard in professional NHRA classes, where the winner is generally the first driver to reach the finish line legally.
Heads-up racing differs from handicap or bracket racing. In a handicap start, the slower car leaves first according to the competitors’ predicted elapsed times, or “dial-ins.” That system gives both cars a theoretically equal chance despite different performance levels. The stored alternatives—Sportsman Tree and Pro Tree—are not names for simultaneous-start racing. They describe different Christmas Tree light sequences: a Sportsman Tree lights the amber bulbs in sequence, while a Pro Tree illuminates them together.
A driver’s reaction time still matters in heads-up competition. Leaving quickly after the green light can produce a holeshot, and a driver can win despite recording a slower elapsed time if the starting advantage is large enough.