Spectators shocked to see how sticky race track is after getting caught in 'human fly trap'

Few people have gotten the chance to step directly onto a racetrack, but one would imagine that most of those who have are quite familiar with the terrain and its condition.

However, the Texas-based racing event TX2K allows spectators to step foot on the racetrack at the end of the season, and many were surprised to learn just how sticky the ground beneath their feet truly was.

The TX2K takes place each year and, unlike traditional racing events such as ones hosted by NASCAR and Formula One, it features street racing events.

Specializing in roll races and drag races, the event made its debut at the Texas Motorplex on 12 March and hosted events every day until 17 March, when the final set of drag races took place.

A video shared by @mackmotivates on Instagram gained a lot of traction as it displayed fans in attendance at this year’s event, fittingly named TX2K24, struggling to walk on the track after all the races had ended.

In the video, footage of men and women attempting to jump, walk, and maneuver their way through on the ultra-sticky track was compiled to the tune of Edvard Grieg’s 'In the Hall of the Mountain King' - better known as that classical song that amps up when chaos ensues - and spread all across the internet over the past week.

The comedic video saw people fall over, others jump out of their shoes, and a few standing completely still as they were quite literally stuck in place.

The recorder of the video gave others a word of advice, telling them to simply walk on the tips of their toes to avoid finding themselves stuck to the track.

The video found its way to Reddit, specifically r/Damnthatsinteresting, where some commenters joked that the raceway was something of a 'human fly trap' that had caught a handful of victims.

As for the question I’m sure you’re dying to know the answer to, one Redditor (u/PixelBoom) gave the simplest explanation as to why the track was so sticky.

“In drag races, they spray a sticky chemical on the track called VHT, also called Track Bite,” they explained.

“This is so the drag car's tires stick to the track better for better traction.”

The Redditor went on to explain that without this chemical, the potential lack of traction could result in disaster for the racers.

The chemical also means that the cars can accelerate faster from the starting point, meaning that we have VHT to thank for both the race and its hilarious aftermath.