Racers have been looking for an advantage from the time of chariot races. Before drag racing slicks were made from sticky compounds, the only way to make the rubber gooey was to spin and smoke the tires. The "burnout" quickly became part of the show.

But when Pat Minick began smoking the tires THE ENTIRE QUARTER MILE in his red and orange "Chi-Town Hustler" Charger, a new era of drag racing showmanship was born. Fans just went out of their minds when the Chi-Town Hustler covered the entire track with smoke. Thus, the Chi-Town Hustler were crowned "The Burnout King."

Eventually other racers like Jungle Jim and others perfected the looooooong smokey burnout. It was all part of the "show" in professional drag racing.