A burnout is pretty easy to do, but it's a lot easier with a line-lock. A line-lock allows you to lock the front brakes independently of the rear brakes, so the car stays put while the tires smolder.

We were stuck. Recent rains had ripped through the Anza-Borrego desert, leaving deep ruts in a normally smooth section. Our chosen line had taken us into a spot where the left front and right rear ...