Not for drag racers though, which are usually measured in speed attained from a standstill over 1/4 mile.

Dragsters definitely measure their acceleration for bragging rights, it's usually a 0-100mph metric though. And of course bragging rights mean nothing if your car doesn't win the actual race. Top-Fuel dragsters race only 1000ft because they're so insanely fast it's dangerous to let them go farther and build up even more speed.

I extend the award of most confusing expression to you, for "0-100 mph metric".

I know that "a metric" is not the same as "the metric (system)", but I really had to stop all neurons and think a little.

Also, are 1000 ft a quarter mile? I have no idea, so I had to Google and it's not, that'd be 1,320 ft.

Haha upon reading it, that is a bad phrasing. My American is showing. Funny because I usually watch European racing series which use km, but dragsters are fun to keep track of and those are imperial.

Also you can be sure 1000ft isn't a quarter mile because that's far too evenly divisible.

Do you mean duration and not speed?

Sure the readout gives a max speed reached but the numbers they compete over, and the numbers which establish car classes, are the time duration for the 1/4mi run.