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General Tips

1.  If you don't know, ask!  Everyone at the track knows what it is like to be a first timer.  After all, nobody was born there.

2.  If you can find someone that has gone, go with them.  If not, then go to watch your first time.  Pay the extra $, and get on the pit side, you aren't going to learn much otherwise!  When you are ready to try your luck, most tracks have "test & tune" nights, or "street nights" where it is open for anyone to make as many passes as they want.  This is a great time for newbies to get out and try it without being under pressure.
 
Tricks And Tips

Some of these tips are best used by people who have been to the track a couple time and know what they are doing.  If it's your first time, just take a look around and see what the other people are doing.  I guarantee you'll see some of the stuff below.  After you're comfortable with the track, and know the etiquette rules, feel free to try some of the following suggestions to be a faster racer.

In an automatic, you usually don't gain anything by shifting the automatic by hand. Let the computer do it for you. You may want to put it in "D" instead of "OD", but it probably won't make a difference. If you want to shift quicker/faster/better, get a chip.

You may want to preload the drivetrain a little bit to remove some of the shock from the system and also get a bit of a quicker launch.  This is done by "brake-torquing" the system: keeping your left foot firmly on the brake, depress the accelerator until your revs increase slightly. You don't want to do this too long, as your torque converter will overheat, nor to too high an RPM, as the engine will eventually overpower the brakes and move the car forward.  Also, launching at too high an RPM may just send the tires up, and that kills your ET.  Remember that all of that built up energy gets transfered to the tires:  pick an RPM where you won't bog and where you won't obliterate the tires.

Heat is your enemy: the hotter your engine is, the slower you will be.  Try not to idle the car any more that you have to.  Keep the hood open until you are ready to run.

Weight is your second enemy.  Remove all unnecessary items from the car, and make sure that you're fuel tank has around a 1/4 tank or so (less and you'll miss as the fuel sloshes, more and you'll be slower than you have to be).  In addition, some people remove the spare tire and jack at the track.  If you want to get really wild, you can start taking off interior pieced, the front sway bar, washer fluid, floor mats, etc.  Every little bit helps!

If you're looking for a quick ET (and don't care so much about winning the race), barely inch the car into the staging beams.  Your time doesn't start until the wheels no longer block the beam. By staging this way, you get an extra couple of inches to accelerate before your time is recorded.  Similarly, if you are interested in getting to the finish line first, go forward more.  Beware that some dragstrips are very strict about backing up if you go past the staging lights.

If you are bracket racing, remember that consistency is the key, even if you are consistently slow.  Make a mental note of everything about the car: launch RPM, lane choice, temperature, length of burnout, etc.  You want all of these to remain constant for each run.  Even if you are not bracket racing, mentally keeping track of all of these variables will help you get to a better time.

Half of the battle at the drag strip is winning the launch.  If you can get a good, solid launch without spinning the tires, you've almost won the race 

Driver Checklist For The Day

1. Car (duh).
2. 1/2 tank (possibly less) of gas.
3. Helmet (required).
4. Proper clothes for the days weather. Cooler at night. NHRA rules say no shorts or tank tops. Bring long pants.

~some information curtesy from Greer Dragway, Greer SC.