Top Fuel Dragster Facts

[shortthrow50]

They are also only using one fuel pump during the burnout. After they prestage (turn on the first bulb) they engage the second fuel pump. If you watch and listen you can tell the difference.

sure can tell differnce fella! burn out , no hair stands up. After the burn out and when they pop hood and do what they do, light turns greeen, THE HAND OF GOD HITS YOU IN THE CHEST AND MAKES YOUR HAIR STAND UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[arrow]

Actually glad you brought that up cause I missed it in the OP.

The 11.2 gal/second is not right. It is actually only 1-1.5 gallons per second. They burn 4-5 for the run itself. and 10-15 for the whole show including ideling and burn out.

I cant remember, but I think they only have 15gal fuel cells.

That's exactly right. I use to work on these kind of engines when AA/F rails were in the low sevens and the driver was behind the engine. Most of these had a little 10 gallon tank up front. Then they produced less than a thousand horse power give or take a hundred. They have really zipped the fuel as these modern day engines would be producing less than 2000 hp on their own. Funny Cars were AA/FX and were in the 8's and low nines at the time. They had the same engines but way more aero drag. All kinds of tricks were used back then to cheat mother nature including moisture injection to richen fuel mix. It was a wild time but probably nothing as it compares to now.

 

[Depmandog]

My son and I went to Heartland Park in Topeka KS a couple of weeks ago. We had a blast!

The best part is hanging out in Nitro Alley waiting for the top fuelers to fire up their cars prior to the race. Some will "burp" the throttle - I swear it feels like you have just been smacked in the chest with a baseball bat. The concussive force coming out of that exhaust is mind boggling!!

I have heard three different fuel consumption figures. Six years ago - 13 gallons of fuel for the actual race. Then this year I heard 26 gallons per pass. We were at Tony Schumacher's pit, and he was moving a 55 gallon drum of fuel. Tony made the comment if they could run a mile race it would burn the entire drum of fuel.

If you have never been - it's totally worth it. Every ticket is a pit pass, and you can literally stand 10' from the cars and watch the crew rebuild the engines. And each driver is very accessible, including the big name drivers. If you want to shake John Forces hand - just hang at his pit and you will get the opportunity.

Amazing machines!!

 

[arrow]

No. They start the engine by squirting alcohol in the blower. If you listen, the car starts and runs very smooth then they turn on the fuel system which is nitro and the car starts to make more of a cackle sound. Also, if you watch them do the burn out, the butterflies hardley open. They back the car up and the crew chief makes his final adjustments then removes the throtle stop which they used in the burn out. Now they have access to full throtle. Most crew chiefs show the driver the stop they pulled giving him the all clear. I am a HUGE NHRA fan and go every year when they come to Norwalk and watch the rest of the series on ESPN2.

As a spectator, racing has lost its luster for me. Pro Stockers go faster than AA/F cars in the 60's but they are all the same now. I liked it when guys would cut up regular cars and alter wheelbases, acid dip body parts to make a funny car or lighten up a super stocker. If anyone is old enough, one of the guys I most respected was Farmer Arnie Beswick. He started with a 1964 Lemans body and had to make money on his farm to go racing until GM threw some money his way. What bothers me is that all they show is 3 classes on TV now. They used to show stockers but that went out a long time ago but to me, that is where the fun is.

 

[arrow]

I found this on the 'net a while ago, makes for some eye-opening reading..
!

That's acceleration !

Good thread Chilly. Brought back some fond memories.

 

[brain55]

Standing inbetween fuel cars at the starting line is an incredible experience. The only thing that comes close (that I have done) is standing between two jet dragsters at the starting line and it isn't that close. I love drag racing and being in the pits. I have had the pleasure of crew-chiefing for my best friend on his front motor dragster (8.2 secs @ 160 mph) and his jet dragster (5.2 secs @ 300 mph). He just put a deposit on a wheel-stander so it looks like we'll have some new stories to tell.

 

[arrow]

My son and I went to Heartland Park in Topeka KS a couple of weeks ago. We had a blast!

The best part is hanging out in Nitro Alley waiting for the top fuelers to fire up their cars prior to the race. Some will "burp" the throttle - I swear it feels like you have just been smacked in the chest with a baseball bat. The concussive force coming out of that exhaust is mind boggling!!


Amazing machines!!

That's because nitro does not deflagrate like all other fuels you know of...it detonates

 

[magicheater]

Geesh, on a tractor you get all the G forces by tapping the HST in the opposite direction! Interesting reading non the less.

 

[LD1]

Geesh, on a tractor you get all the G forces by tapping the HST in the opposite direction! Interesting reading non the less.

Lots and lots of g-forces on a tractor when you accidentally run the loader into a tree because you were looking behind you too. Probabally more than the dragsters. Just dont last long enough to do any harm.

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

As a spectator, racing has lost its luster for me. Pro Stockers go faster than AA/F cars in the 60's but they are all the same now. I liked it when guys would cut up regular cars and alter wheelbases, acid dip body parts to make a funny car or lighten up a super stocker. If anyone is old enough, one of the guys I most respected was Farmer Arnie Beswick. He started with a 1964 Lemans body and had to make money on his farm to go racing until GM threw some money his way. What bothers me is that all they show is 3 classes on TV now. They used to show stockers but that went out a long time ago but to me, that is where the fun is.

Check your tv listings. They show the sportsman classes from all the national events. Just not in the same show as the pro's.
Animal Jim is one of the tec inspectors at Route 66 and some times after we get done racing Jim stops by my trailer for a beverage. He tells some unbelievable stories about him and Arnie grudge racing.
Bill

 

[arrow]

Check your tv listings. They show the sportsman classes from all the national events. Just not in the same show as the pro's.
Animal Jim is one of the tec inspectors at Route 66 and some times after we get done racing Jim stops by my trailer for a beverage. He tells some unbelievable stories about him and Arnie grudge racing.
Bill

Animal Jim Furer came on the scene a little bit later. As far as I know, Arnie was racing all the way into 2009 when he was badly injured in a car fire. I would treasure any conversation with 'Anjmal Jim" At any rate, Arnie did what Jim Lieberman couldn't. Jungle Jim ran another GTO funny car called "Brutus". After awhile, and because Brutus kept blowing up Pontiac engines while running nitro, he switched to a 392 hemi. That was ok but there stamped on the hemi valve covers was the word "Pontiac". To the uninformed, this actually flew as this car having a Pontiac motor. Arnie figured out a formula that allowed his "Tameless Tiger" with a Pontiac motor to use nitro and stay competitive in match racing. To this day, I prefer watching these nostalgia race cars to any modern day funny or pro stocker.

 

[beersngars]

Not a drag race snob, but when I'm at the track for a national meet, the only time we are in our seats is when the fuel cars are up. The rest of the time is spent in the pits. When I watch the races on TV, I usually DVR and start watching about an hour after they start so I can FastForward all but fuel. All that said, I still do like going to the more local tracks and watching the "regular folks" run. Maybe it's because you are so much closer to the action rather than being high in the stands.

 

[brain55]

Not a drag race snob, but when I'm at the track for a national meet, the only time we are in our seats is when the fuel cars are up. The rest of the time is spent in the pits. When I watch the races on TV, I usually DVR and start watching about an hour after they start so I can FastForward all but fuel. All that said, I still do like going to the more local tracks and watching the "regular folks" run. Maybe it's because you are so much closer to the action rather than being high in the stands.

That is exactly what I do at National events too.

 

[RobertN]

Sure other tracks do the same; Sacramento Raceway has Wednesday Night Fun Drags spring-fall. If it is street legal, you can run it. That's fun to watch.

All that said, I still do like going to the more local tracks and watching the "regular folks" run. Maybe it's because you are so much closer to the action rather than being high in the stands.

 

[JDgreen227]

Only time I ever saw a dragster actually run a quarter mile was back about 1970, think it probably took about 8 seconds. But exactly what is the purpose of spending huge amounts of money to travel such a short distance? Do developing and racing these single purpose vehicles add anything to the engineering for the vehicles 99.9% of drivers purchase?

 

[RobertN]

Sometimes. The Hurst tool that is common on most fire engines, was designed to get racers out of mangled up, wrecked cars.

And, the oils formulation, metallurgy etc finds it's way in to more common products and/or cars.

Only time I ever saw a dragster actually run a quarter mile was back about 1970, think it probably took about 8 seconds. But exactly what is the purpose of spending huge amounts of money to travel such a short distance? Do developing and racing these single purpose vehicles add anything to the engineering for the vehicles 99.9% of drivers purchase?

 

[arrow]

Only time I ever saw a dragster actually run a quarter mile was back about 1970, think it probably took about 8 seconds. But exactly what is the purpose of spending huge amounts of money to travel such a short distance? Do developing and racing these single purpose vehicles add anything to the engineering for the vehicles 99.9% of drivers purchase?

Its sort of like spending 52 million on Alex Rodrigues. Didn't do anything for me. Perhaps if you sat in say even an 8 second car and traveled down the quarter mile, depending on your psyche, that trip may not end fast enough or you'd have a big smile on your face and say: "refuel, I'm doin that again". I suppose its like anything else we humans do for sheer enjoyment. There does not always have to be an advantage for the masses or even a justification should one find interests elsewhere. I do know the industry has provided plenty of jobs for a very long time.

 

[JDgreen227]

My mom's sister was married to Larry Dickson (that's DICKSON, not DIXON) and Larry was a well known sprint car racer and competed in the Indy 500 a few times. When comparing drag racing and circle track racing I would surely think driving for several hours would be more demanding on a driver than a 6 second run down a straight track. And 52 million for Alex Rodrigues? Only complete morons would pay anybody that much.

 

[LD1]

When comparing drag racing and circle track racing I would surely think driving for several hours would be more demanding on a driver than a 6 second run down a straight track.

Maybe??? Maybe not?? But whats the point? Who's comparing circle track to drag racing And whos comparing what is more demanding of a driver