What is a hole shot win?

In drag racing, a "holeshot win" occurs when a driver wins a race because, despite having a longer elapsed time, the driver had a shorter reaction time at the start of the race. The driver with the fastest reaction time is said to have "gotten the holeshot."

Reaction time is the time it takes for a driver to accelerate from a standing start to racing speed. Elapsed time is the time from the vehicle leaving the starting line to crossing the finish line. If a driver's reaction time is short enough to offset a long elapsed time, they may cross the finish line first and achieve a holeshot win.