Top fuel dragster facts
#11
I hate the winter!!
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And after that 1 run, they take the motor down to the bare block to rebuild it.
The better funded teams, just replace it every run with a fresh one. This is due to the 90 minute rule, which means that they have only 90 minutes between rounds of competition. So, if you have the money, it is easier to drop in a fresh piece each run.
The better funded teams, just replace it every run with a fresh one. This is due to the 90 minute rule, which means that they have only 90 minutes between rounds of competition. So, if you have the money, it is easier to drop in a fresh piece each run.
#12
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I've been to NASCAR, Formula 1, Indy/Cart, and a bunch of lesser classes of auto races. Nothing prepared me for what I experienced when I went to the NHRA a few years back. We got to our seats as they were starting the round and sat through street, stocker and a few other of the slower classes. I can remember the first run of the funny cars, I almost pooped my pants. The sound was unbelievable. The funnies and top fuelers were so loud, that the sound went through your body. It's hard to describe if you haven't been there, but the sound took on physical properties, you could amost see it. Geez, those things are amazing. Just like any other event of this sort, you just can't appreciate what's going on by watching it on TV. It's definitely worth the day to witness this awesome amount of power if you ever get the chance.
What's even more amazing is that the starter stands between these monsters, each one about 10 feet away and gets blasted during each burn-out and launch many times during the day. He's only wearing ear plugs...geez. It's gotta take a toll on his hearing Or maybe they just hire a deaf person for this job
What's even more amazing is that the starter stands between these monsters, each one about 10 feet away and gets blasted during each burn-out and launch many times during the day. He's only wearing ear plugs...geez. It's gotta take a toll on his hearing Or maybe they just hire a deaf person for this job
#15
The first time I witnessed a Top Fuel Race was a Friday night race at Richmond. I have never heard anything so loud. During the race you can actually see the sound wave coming to you. The first time you want to take cover, it's overwhelming and unexpected. And OMG, What a rush!!!!!!
The Power, the smell of Nitro burning, the rubber, the fans.......
It is a very cool experience.
The Power, the smell of Nitro burning, the rubber, the fans.......
It is a very cool experience.
#16
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the feeling from inside the car after the 1/2 track burnouts I ALWAYS got my ass chewed for (they do nothing but tear up the car but I always get the crowd on their feet) and you stage. green light .... SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT TTTTTTTTTTT pull chutes...... climb out.....the part that was never any fun was tire shake.. that could get so viloent it will give you a concusion
#19
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-One dragster's 500-inch Hemi makes more
horsepower then the first 8 rows at Daytona
-Under full throttle, a dragster engine consumes
1 1/2 gallons of nitro per second, the same rate of
fuel consumption as a fully loaded 747 but with 4
times the energy volume.
-The supercharger takes more power to drive
than a stock Hemi makes.
-Even with nearly 3000 CFM of air being rammed
in by the supercharger on overdrive, the fuel mixture
is compressed into nearly-solid form before ignition.
Cylinders run on the verge of hydraulic lock.
-Dual magnetos apply 44 amps to each spark plug.
This is the output of an arc welder in each cylinder.
-At styceometric (exact) 1.7:1 air/fuel mixture
(for nitro), the flame front of nitromethane
measures 7050 degrees F.
-Nitro methane burns yellow. The spectacular
white flame seen above the stacks at night is raw
burning hydrogen, dissociated from atmospheric
water vapor by the searing exhaust gases.
-Spark plug electrodes are totally consumed during
a pass. After 1/2 way, the engine is dieseling from
compression-plus the glow of exhaust valves at
1400 degrees F. The engine can only be shut down
by cutting of its fuel flow.
-If spark momentarily fails early in the run,
unburned nitro builds up in those cylinders and
then explodes with a force that can blow cylinder
heads off the block in pieces or blow the block in
half.
-Dragsters twist the crank (torsionally) so far
(20 degrees in the big end of the track) that
sometimes cam lobes are ground offset from
front to rear to re-phase the valve timing
somewhere closer to synchronization with the
pistons.
-To exceed 300 mph in 4.5 seconds dragsters
must accelerate at an average of over 4 G's. But
in reaching 200 mph well before 1/2 track, launch
acceleration is closer to 8 G's.
-Drivers shut off before the finish line, or even
dual parachutes will not stop the car.
-If all the equipment is paid off, the crew worked
for free, and for once NOTHING BLOWS UP,
each run costs $1000.00 per second.
-Dragsters reach over 300 miles per hour before
you have read this sentence.
horsepower then the first 8 rows at Daytona
-Under full throttle, a dragster engine consumes
1 1/2 gallons of nitro per second, the same rate of
fuel consumption as a fully loaded 747 but with 4
times the energy volume.
-The supercharger takes more power to drive
than a stock Hemi makes.
-Even with nearly 3000 CFM of air being rammed
in by the supercharger on overdrive, the fuel mixture
is compressed into nearly-solid form before ignition.
Cylinders run on the verge of hydraulic lock.
-Dual magnetos apply 44 amps to each spark plug.
This is the output of an arc welder in each cylinder.
-At styceometric (exact) 1.7:1 air/fuel mixture
(for nitro), the flame front of nitromethane
measures 7050 degrees F.
-Nitro methane burns yellow. The spectacular
white flame seen above the stacks at night is raw
burning hydrogen, dissociated from atmospheric
water vapor by the searing exhaust gases.
-Spark plug electrodes are totally consumed during
a pass. After 1/2 way, the engine is dieseling from
compression-plus the glow of exhaust valves at
1400 degrees F. The engine can only be shut down
by cutting of its fuel flow.
-If spark momentarily fails early in the run,
unburned nitro builds up in those cylinders and
then explodes with a force that can blow cylinder
heads off the block in pieces or blow the block in
half.
-Dragsters twist the crank (torsionally) so far
(20 degrees in the big end of the track) that
sometimes cam lobes are ground offset from
front to rear to re-phase the valve timing
somewhere closer to synchronization with the
pistons.
-To exceed 300 mph in 4.5 seconds dragsters
must accelerate at an average of over 4 G's. But
in reaching 200 mph well before 1/2 track, launch
acceleration is closer to 8 G's.
-Drivers shut off before the finish line, or even
dual parachutes will not stop the car.
-If all the equipment is paid off, the crew worked
for free, and for once NOTHING BLOWS UP,
each run costs $1000.00 per second.
-Dragsters reach over 300 miles per hour before
you have read this sentence.