A burnout is a maneuver in which the driver intentionally spins the wheels of a car, causing them to lose traction and smoke. This is typically done by applying excessive throttle while holding the brake pedal, causing the wheels to spin rapidly in place. Burnouts are often performed as a form of entertainment or competition, and can be done on both manual and automatic transmission vehicles.
To perform a burnout on an automatic transmission vehicle, the driver must first put the car in drive and hold the brake pedal firmly. The driver then applies full throttle, and as the engine revs, the car will begin to move forward. The driver must then release the brake pedal and continue to apply full throttle, causing the wheels to spin rapidly in place.