Dragracers have immense power with explosive starts and insane grip (sticky tires after a burn out, sometimes even sticky stuff on the pavement. Don’t know if you ever walked on an official drag strip, but sometimes you feel it stick under your shoes), meaning that sometimes the traction asphalt-tire doesn’t break before the tire-rim traction gives a little, that’s why they have beadlocks in the higher classes. Google-knowledge says ‘from 800hp on’.
Not likely on loose sand indeed, with less power and having it distributed over 4 wheels. You’d suffer more from it in 2wd accelerating away at the traffic lights.
So it’s a very unlikely source of smell indeed, but as you mentioned it I guess one chalk line is a simple check.
Nice video showing the wrinkles in the tires in slo-mo. Soft sidewalls anyone?
https://youtu.be/gXp2QgY1OB8
We’re wandering off-topic a bit 🤣