I'm not into dragsters, however - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Craven Morehead · 03-08-2004, 06:50 PM

this article is quite impressive. Damned impressive.

http://www.automobilemag.com/columns...mericandriver/

American Driver: Unimaginable Acceleration

By David E. Davis, Jr.

I once chatted briefly with the late Peter Gregg at a Porsche Club function, and I mentioned that the Mercedes-Benz I was driving that weekend was a lovely road car and a wonderful cruiser, but it lacked really startling acceleration. Peter gave me a sidelong glance and said, "It's been my experience that straight-line acceleration is probably the first aspect of automotive performance that any intelligent driver gets bored with." Ever since that day, probably thirty years ago, his statement has crossed my mind as I nailed the throttle in some Porsche 911 Turbo or Mercedes-Benz S600 and giggled like an idiot.

It crossed my mind again when I received the following e-mail, forwarded from my great friend Mr. William Neely. Bill Neely and I have been enjoying each other's company since I first took over Car and Driver magazine in 1962. Since that time, he has written about a jillion magazine pieces and some three dozen books, including Stand on It, the fictional memoirs of the infamous Stroker Ace, which he cowrote with our mutual friend the late Bob Ottum. Here is the e-mail:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Top Fuel Dragsters

One Top Fuel dragster's 500-cubic-inch Hemi engine makes more horsepower than the first four rows at the Daytona 500.

A stock Dodge Hemi V-8 engine cannot produce enough power to drive the dragster's supercharger.

With 3000 CFM of air being rammed in by the supercharger on overdrive, the fuel mixture is compressed into a near-solid form before ig-nition. Cylinders run on the verge of hydraulic lock at full throttle.

At the stoichiometric 1.7:1 air-fuel mixture for nitromethane, the flame front temperature measures about 7000 degrees Fahrenheit.

Nitromethane burns yellow. The spectacular white flame seen above the stacks at night is raw burning hydrogen, separated from atmospheric water vapor by the searing heat of the exhaust gases.

Dual magnetos supply 44 amps to each spark plug. This is the output of an arc welder in each cylinder.

Spark plug electrodes can be totally consumed during a single pass. After half-distance, the engine is dieseling from compression plus the glow of exhaust valves at 1400 degrees Fahrenheit. The engine is shut down by cutting the fuel flow.

If a spark plug fails early in the run, un-burned nitro can build up in the affected cylinder and explode with sufficient force to blow the cylinder head off in pieces or split the cylinder block in half.

In order to exceed 300 mph in 4.5 seconds, dragsters must accelerate at an average of more than 4 g's. In order to reach 200 mph before half-distance, the launch acceleration approaches 8 g's. A Top Fuel dragster reaches more than 300 mph before you have completed reading this sentence.

With a redline that can be as high as 9500 rpm, Top Fuel engines turn approximately 540 revolutions from light to light. Including the burnout, the engine needs to survive only 900 revolutions under load.

Assuming that all of the equipment is paid off, the crew works gratis, and nothing breaks, each run costs an estimated $1000 per second.

The current Top Fuel dragster elapsed time record is 4.441 seconds for the quarter-mile (October 5, 2003, Tony Schumacher). The top-speed record is 333.25 mph as measured over the last 66 feet of the quarter-mile (November 9, 2003, Doug Kalitta).

Putting all of this into perspective: You are driving the average $140,000 Lingenfelter twin-turbo Corvette Z06. More than a mile up the road, a Top Fuel dragster is staged and ready to launch down a measured quarter-mile as you pass. You have the advantage of a flying start. You run the Vette up through the gears and blast across the starting line and past the dragster at an honest 200 mph. The "tree" goes green for both of you at that moment. The dragster launches and starts after you. You keep your foot down, but you hear a brutal whine that sears your eardrums, and within three seconds, the dragster catches you and beats you to the finish line, a quarter-mile from where you just passed him. From a standing start, the dragster spotted you 200 mph and not only caught you but nearly blasted you off the road when he passed you within a mere 1320 feet.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That doesn't sound too excruciatingly boring, now, does it? I called my equally good friend Don Prieto, of the Prietive Group in Torrance, California, to check the facts. He suggested that the business about heat from dragster exhaust igniting the hydrogen in the atmosphere was probably hypothetical.

Prieto then reminded me of a factoid he had passed along in the days of front-engined dragsters. He said, "You know that you're in deep trouble in a dragster if you can suddenly see things clearly. That means the supercharger has been blown off the top of the engine and the raw nitromethane fuel has eaten through your visor."

Prieto has written a terrific history of hot rods called Hot Rod Chronicle, and if anybody can capture all of that, it would be my pal Prieto. The book is beautiful as well as instructive, published by Publications International Ltd. Well worth your attention.

WarWagon · 03-08-2004, 07:01 PM

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Even if you're not a drag racing fan, you HAVE to see these things in person given the opportunity. Its an experience you'll never forget.

Stare At The Sun · 03-08-2004, 07:57 PM

indeed that article is impressive, how much HP do those things put out?

And that Twin turbo vette example is crazy...

WarWagon · 03-08-2004, 08:18 PM

There is still some debate over this, and a wide range of answers. All power numbers were estimates, because there was never any way of actually dynoing these cars. But using various approximation methods, its realistically between 7000-8000 horsepower.

shakran · 03-08-2004, 08:21 PM

generally somewhere in the neighborhood of 8,000 horsepower.

damn, I'm not a fan of driving in a straight line, but. . . .damn.

I'm impressed.

Ilow · 03-09-2004, 11:49 AM

ditto on everyone else's feelings, I'm not into dragsters lilke some people, but in order to build one of those monsters you can't be some backyard redneck, it's like rocket science. I like how a regular hemi V8 couldn't turn the supercharger, if that's not saying that it couldn't carry its jock, I don't know what is!

laconic1 · 03-09-2004, 01:02 PM

I'm not a huge drag racing fan, but it is awesome when you are in the pits when they run the engine after rebuilding it. When they snap the throttle wide open momentarily with the rear wheels locked to seat the clutch it literally blows you back and vibrates you, even though you are 20 feet away.

shakran · 03-09-2004, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ilow
ditto on everyone else's feelings, I'm not into dragsters lilke some people, but in order to build one of those monsters you can't be some backyard redneck, it's like rocket science. I like how a regular hemi V8 couldn't turn the supercharger, if that's not saying that it couldn't carry its jock, I don't know what is!

Of course, the flip side to this is that the hemi will still be running next week, and the dragster engine will not

Still. I think i'm gonna have to go watch a top fuel event some time. . . try to get a pit pass.

saltfish · 03-09-2004, 10:06 PM

Once, I was granted a pit/staging lane pass to take some photos for a small magazine. Being roughly 20 feet away from a dragster during a burnout/takeoff is one of the most amazings things that I have experienced. The raw power, simply put, is an earth shaking powerhouse. Seriously, when you're looking through the shutter, and 8000 horsepower are tearing tires, you can feel the ground RIPPLING, like an earthquake.

Crazy, crazy stuff..

-SF

WarWagon · 03-09-2004, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by saltfish
Once, I was granted a pit/staging lane pass to take some photos for a small magazine. Being roughly 20 feet away from a dragster during a burnout/takeoff is one of the most amazings things that I have experienced. The raw power, simply put, is an earth shaking powerhouse. Seriously, when you're looking through the shutter, and 8000 horsepower are tearing tires, you can feel the ground RIPPLING, like an earthquake.

Crazy, crazy stuff..

-SF

I know EXACTLY what you mean. I'm involved with a few racers who are running in the 8's and 9's, and just the rush you get from them alone pulling massive wheelstands is just awesome. But being near one of those monsters, oh God, I can't even begin to describe it. Someone could have murdered my friends, stolen my organs, and gouged out my eyes, but as long as I get to hear and feel all of the racers start up at 8am at Englishtown, the result is absolutely orgasmic. Its the only thing I can think of thats better than sex.

Scorps · 03-10-2004, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by WarWagon
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Even if you're not a drag racing fan, you HAVE to see these things in person given the opportunity. Its an experience you'll never forget.

I used to see drag racing all the time, It was part of my life back about 5 years ago...

But now I really don't care for racing, been to busy getting a new car keeping old love alive and well working my ass off!

Tech · 03-11-2004, 11:56 AM

Quote:

In order to exceed 300 mph in 4.5 seconds...

A Top Fuel dragster reaches more than 300 mph before you have completed reading this sentence.

there must be some slow readers out there... i read that sentence in like 2 seconds

stingc · 03-11-2004, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Craven Morehead
Putting all of this into perspective: You are driving the average $140,000 Lingenfelter twin-turbo Corvette Z06. More than a mile up the road, a Top Fuel dragster is staged and ready to launch down a measured quarter-mile as you pass. You have the advantage of a flying start. You run the Vette up through the gears and blast across the starting line and past the dragster at an honest 200 mph. The "tree" goes green for both of you at that moment. The dragster launches and starts after you. You keep your foot down, but you hear a brutal whine that sears your eardrums, and within three seconds, the dragster catches you and beats you to the finish line, a quarter-mile from where you just passed him. From a standing start, the dragster spotted you 200 mph and not only caught you but nearly blasted you off the road when he passed you within a mere 1320 feet.

Actually, it would take the vette 4.5 seconds to do the quarter mile with a 200 mph start. So the fastest dragster ever would barely beat it. Still damned impressive though.

Scorps · 03-11-2004, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by stingc
Actually, it would take the vette 4.5 seconds to do the quarter mile with a 200 mph start. So the fastest dragster ever would barely beat it. Still damned impressive though.

well he is off by a second they do the quarter mile in 3.5 seconds at 300+ mph.

WarWagon · 03-11-2004, 05:10 PM

Actually, the current top fuel record is 4.441 held by Tony Schumacher. He set it last October at my home track, Englishtown.

tfin · 03-11-2004, 10:18 PM

I'm glad that someone said being next to that power was orgasmic. I don't feel so weird now. I have never seen in person anything that ran under an 8 sec 1/4 but it was still awesome. I was all smiley, giddy, and my nipples were standing at attention. I also get teh same feeling from watching dirt track stock car racing.

BoomTruck · 03-12-2004, 06:50 AM

Kind of amazing what one can do with an 'antiquated' pushrod V-8, ain't it?

Scorps · 03-12-2004, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by WarWagon
Actually, the current top fuel record is 4.441 held by Tony Schumacher. He set it last October at my home track, Englishtown.

HUmm ok must have been something else that did that time.....oh ya the jet truck

floydthebarber · 03-12-2004, 05:06 PM

Spend the cash for a pit pass, that's all I have to say.

WarWagon · 03-12-2004, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BoomTruck
Kind of amazing what one can do with an 'antiquated' pushrod V-8, ain't it?

Can I get an A-MEN?!

Scorps · 03-13-2004, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by floydthebarber
Spend the cash for a pit pass, that's all I have to say.

Yes it is the best!

The track I used to go to you could walk right up and talk to the driver or the crew!

nate_dawg · 03-13-2004, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pain Train
Yes it is the best!

The track I used to go to you could walk right up and talk to the driver or the crew!

uhmm, go to any nhra nat'l event, purchase a gen admin ticket, and you're in the pits

no special "pit passes" need like in some other forms of motorsport

hell, you see drivers and crewmembers walking all over the place

theblackmax455 · 03-16-2004, 02:35 PM

Yeah those numbers in that article are ridiculous to say the least, Top Fuel Dragsters amaze me in every way........

RaDiAn · 03-23-2004, 09:45 AM

Hey that is a awsome article, thanks for posting!
So that's why you can feel it in your chest when they pass by you on the track. Amazing indeed!

I have aready sent it off to a few people.

)

merkerguitars · 03-23-2004, 03:28 PM

At a car hotrodding shop I do work for they custom ordered a ken black (keith black son) hemi aluminum engine block. No water jackets....and they blew it up

Redjake · 03-23-2004, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pain Train
HUmm ok must have been something else that did that time.....oh ya the jet truck

Actually, their quarter-mile times aren't that impressive. Around 5-6 seconds

Top-Fuel Dragsters are faster by a margin.

I've been to probably 15 NHRA Drag Races in my life, I'm only 20. My dad used to take me and my brother to the race every year when we were younger. Just now (for the past 5 years) we have started going back. It never ceases to amaze me how fucking fast those motherfuckers are. You will <b>NEVER</b> see anything go that fast every again so quickly. Nothing is as loud as a Top Fuel Dragster taking off (that's proven), not even a jet airplane.

We took this guy from my dad's shop to the Bristol, Tennessee race the year before last. He had never seen a Top Fuel Dragster do a run before, he thought it was loud when "monster trucks" took off though

We got front row tickets in the bleachers. We were like "ok, here we go, it's loud, don't be scared. and remember, it's ok to admit it's loud." And the guy took his earplugs out and hung his head over the bar and as soon as the christmas tree went green the dragsters took off and the guy jumped back and covered his head in the bleachers. His eyes teared up and he said "WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT!!!!!!!!! MY GOD WHAT WENT WRONG!!!!!!!! WHY WAS IT SO LOUD!!!!!!!"

Just a regular run.

He thought something exploded underneath us or something. Nope

I have been to enough of the races where I dont' use earplugs anymore (the dragsters are only near you for a split second). I love the feeling of your intestines vibrating when they take off

It's so weird to see those cars go from 0-60 in .2 seconds and see them down the track 4 seconds later.....going 330 MPH. Crazy.

merkerguitars · 03-24-2004, 12:14 PM

covered in this thread

http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthr...+fuel+dragster

twilightfoix · 03-25-2004, 09:15 AM

yes, dragsters are quite crazy indeed

joshibahn · 04-08-2004, 12:33 PM

shit, damn, my god.....

opey99 · 04-10-2004, 08:48 PM

never seen top fuel run, but I have worked on the slower cousin, top alcohol, they do have non supercharged nitro cars in that class, I understand top fuel cars are about twice as loud, I can imagine the feeling of the top fuel's after feeling the alky cars run.

gonna have to get steve to get me to winternats some time!

vdublover · 05-09-2004, 08:08 AM

I used to work at the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association; the governing body for the fastest top fuel dragsters). At the first race I went to after I started working there, they let my wife and I stand at the starting line between Kenny Bernstein in the Budweiser Top Fuel dragster, and Doug Kalitta in the MGM Grand dragster. It was THE MOST EXHILERATING experience of my ENTIRE life. It literally rattled my teeth in my skull.
If you have never been to a race, I definitely recommend going. There are tracks all over the country and lots of national events.

Why I left that job I'll never know...

tec-9-7 · 05-10-2004, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Stare At The Sun
indeed that article is impressive, how much HP do those things put out?

That is a matter of speculation. There is no dyno in existance that is capable of measuring the amount of HP that a Top Fuel motor generates.

03-08-2004, 06:50 PM	#1 (permalink)
Craven Morehead Custom User Title	I'm not into dragsters, however this article is quite impressive. Damned impressive. http://www.automobilemag.com/columns...mericandriver/ American Driver: Unimaginable Acceleration By David E. Davis, Jr. I once chatted briefly with the late Peter Gregg at a Porsche Club function, and I mentioned that the Mercedes-Benz I was driving that weekend was a lovely road car and a wonderful cruiser, but it lacked really startling acceleration. Peter gave me a sidelong glance and said, "It's been my experience that straight-line acceleration is probably the first aspect of automotive performance that any intelligent driver gets bored with." Ever since that day, probably thirty years ago, his statement has crossed my mind as I nailed the throttle in some Porsche 911 Turbo or Mercedes-Benz S600 and giggled like an idiot. It crossed my mind again when I received the following e-mail, forwarded from my great friend Mr. William Neely. Bill Neely and I have been enjoying each other's company since I first took over Car and Driver magazine in 1962. Since that time, he has written about a jillion magazine pieces and some three dozen books, including Stand on It, the fictional memoirs of the infamous Stroker Ace, which he cowrote with our mutual friend the late Bob Ottum. Here is the e-mail: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Top Fuel Dragsters One Top Fuel dragster's 500-cubic-inch Hemi engine makes more horsepower than the first four rows at the Daytona 500. A stock Dodge Hemi V-8 engine cannot produce enough power to drive the dragster's supercharger. With 3000 CFM of air being rammed in by the supercharger on overdrive, the fuel mixture is compressed into a near-solid form before ig-nition. Cylinders run on the verge of hydraulic lock at full throttle. At the stoichiometric 1.7:1 air-fuel mixture for nitromethane, the flame front temperature measures about 7000 degrees Fahrenheit. Nitromethane burns yellow. The spectacular white flame seen above the stacks at night is raw burning hydrogen, separated from atmospheric water vapor by the searing heat of the exhaust gases. Dual magnetos supply 44 amps to each spark plug. This is the output of an arc welder in each cylinder. Spark plug electrodes can be totally consumed during a single pass. After half-distance, the engine is dieseling from compression plus the glow of exhaust valves at 1400 degrees Fahrenheit. The engine is shut down by cutting the fuel flow. If a spark plug fails early in the run, un-burned nitro can build up in the affected cylinder and explode with sufficient force to blow the cylinder head off in pieces or split the cylinder block in half. In order to exceed 300 mph in 4.5 seconds, dragsters must accelerate at an average of more than 4 g's. In order to reach 200 mph before half-distance, the launch acceleration approaches 8 g's. A Top Fuel dragster reaches more than 300 mph before you have completed reading this sentence. With a redline that can be as high as 9500 rpm, Top Fuel engines turn approximately 540 revolutions from light to light. Including the burnout, the engine needs to survive only 900 revolutions under load. Assuming that all of the equipment is paid off, the crew works gratis, and nothing breaks, each run costs an estimated $1000 per second. The current Top Fuel dragster elapsed time record is 4.441 seconds for the quarter-mile (October 5, 2003, Tony Schumacher). The top-speed record is 333.25 mph as measured over the last 66 feet of the quarter-mile (November 9, 2003, Doug Kalitta). Putting all of this into perspective: You are driving the average $140,000 Lingenfelter twin-turbo Corvette Z06. More than a mile up the road, a Top Fuel dragster is staged and ready to launch down a measured quarter-mile as you pass. You have the advantage of a flying start. You run the Vette up through the gears and blast across the starting line and past the dragster at an honest 200 mph. The "tree" goes green for both of you at that moment. The dragster launches and starts after you. You keep your foot down, but you hear a brutal whine that sears your eardrums, and within three seconds, the dragster catches you and beats you to the finish line, a quarter-mile from where you just passed him. From a standing start, the dragster spotted you 200 mph and not only caught you but nearly blasted you off the road when he passed you within a mere 1320 feet. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- That doesn't sound too excruciatingly boring, now, does it? I called my equally good friend Don Prieto, of the Prietive Group in Torrance, California, to check the facts. He suggested that the business about heat from dragster exhaust igniting the hydrogen in the atmosphere was probably hypothetical. Prieto then reminded me of a factoid he had passed along in the days of front-engined dragsters. He said, "You know that you're in deep trouble in a dragster if you can suddenly see things clearly. That means the supercharger has been blown off the top of the engine and the raw nitromethane fuel has eaten through your visor." Prieto has written a terrific history of hot rods called Hot Rod Chronicle, and if anybody can capture all of that, it would be my pal Prieto. The book is beautiful as well as instructive, published by Publications International Ltd. Well worth your attention.

03-09-2004, 11:49 AM	#6 (permalink)
Ilow Junkie Location: Pats country	ditto on everyone else's feelings, I'm not into dragsters lilke some people, but in order to build one of those monsters you can't be some backyard redneck, it's like rocket science. I like how a regular hemi V8 couldn't turn the supercharger, if that's not saying that it couldn't carry its jock, I don't know what is! __________________ "Religion is the one area of our discourse in which it is considered noble to pretend to be certain about things no human being could possibly be certain about" --Sam Harris

03-11-2004, 10:18 PM	#16 (permalink)
tfin Insane Location: At the Casino	I'm glad that someone said being next to that power was orgasmic. I don't feel so weird now. I have never seen in person anything that ran under an 8 sec 1/4 but it was still awesome. I was all smiley, giddy, and my nipples were standing at attention. I also get teh same feeling from watching dirt track stock car racing. __________________ Did I mention that I can't spell or type? Oh yeah, check out my car www.cardomain.com/member_pages/view_page.pl?page_id=275916

03-12-2004, 06:50 AM	#17 (permalink)
BoomTruck Insane Location: On a gravel road rough enought to knock fillings out of teeth.	Kind of amazing what one can do with an 'antiquated' pushrod V-8, ain't it? __________________ Judge me all you want, but keep the verdict to yourself.

03-12-2004, 05:06 PM	#19 (permalink)
floydthebarber Insane Location: ?	Spend the cash for a pit pass, that's all I have to say. __________________ wish you were here

03-08-2004, 07:01 PM	#2 (permalink)
WarWagon Loser	I've said it before and I'll say it again. Even if you're not a drag racing fan, you HAVE to see these things in person given the opportunity. Its an experience you'll never forget.

03-08-2004, 07:57 PM	#3 (permalink)
Stare At The Sun Eh? Location: Somewhere over the rainbow	indeed that article is impressive, how much HP do those things put out? And that Twin turbo vette example is crazy...

03-08-2004, 08:18 PM	#4 (permalink)
WarWagon Loser	There is still some debate over this, and a wide range of answers. All power numbers were estimates, because there was never any way of actually dynoing these cars. But using various approximation methods, its realistically between 7000-8000 horsepower.

03-08-2004, 08:21 PM	#5 (permalink)
shakran Tone.	generally somewhere in the neighborhood of 8,000 horsepower. damn, I'm not a fan of driving in a straight line, but. . . .damn. I'm impressed.

03-09-2004, 01:02 PM	#7 (permalink)
laconic1 Junkie	I'm not a huge drag racing fan, but it is awesome when you are in the pits when they run the engine after rebuilding it. When they snap the throttle wide open momentarily with the rear wheels locked to seat the clutch it literally blows you back and vibrates you, even though you are 20 feet away.

03-09-2004, 10:06 PM	#9 (permalink)
saltfish !?!No hay pantalones!?! Location: Indian-no-place	Once, I was granted a pit/staging lane pass to take some photos for a small magazine. Being roughly 20 feet away from a dragster during a burnout/takeoff is one of the most amazings things that I have experienced. The raw power, simply put, is an earth shaking powerhouse. Seriously, when you're looking through the shutter, and 8000 horsepower are tearing tires, you can feel the ground RIPPLING, like an earthquake. Crazy, crazy stuff.. -SF

03-11-2004, 05:10 PM	#15 (permalink)
WarWagon Loser	Actually, the current top fuel record is 4.441 held by Tony Schumacher. He set it last October at my home track, Englishtown.

03-16-2004, 02:35 PM	#23 (permalink)
theblackmax455 Tilted Location: Columbus, Ohio	Yeah those numbers in that article are ridiculous to say the least, Top Fuel Dragsters amaze me in every way........ __________________ "Whaddaya want me to do? Whack a guy? Off a guy? Whack off a guy? Cuz I'm married." -Peter Griffin, Family Guy

03-23-2004, 09:45 AM	#24 (permalink)
RaDiAn Addict	Hey that is a awsome article, thanks for posting! So that's why you can feel it in your chest when they pass by you on the track. Amazing indeed! I have aready sent it off to a few people. )

03-23-2004, 03:28 PM	#25 (permalink)
merkerguitars Buffering......... Location: Wisconsin...	At a car hotrodding shop I do work for they custom ordered a ken black (keith black son) hemi aluminum engine block. No water jackets....and they blew it up __________________ Donate now! Ask me How! Please use the search function it is your friend. Look at my mustang please feel free to comment! http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=26985

03-24-2004, 12:14 PM	#27 (permalink)
merkerguitars Buffering......... Location: Wisconsin...	covered in this thread http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthr...+fuel+dragster __________________ Donate now! Ask me How! Please use the search function it is your friend. Look at my mustang please feel free to comment! http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=26985

03-25-2004, 09:15 AM	#28 (permalink)
twilightfoix Insane Location: in the clouds ;)	yes, dragsters are quite crazy indeed

04-08-2004, 12:33 PM	#29 (permalink)
joshibahn Psycho Location: portland, or	shit, damn, my god..... __________________ TFP=heaven Heaven, n 1: the abode of God and the angels and the souls of those who have gained salvation 2: any place of complete bliss and delight and peace [syn: eden, paradise, nirvana, promised land, Shangri-la]

04-10-2004, 08:48 PM	#30 (permalink)
opey99 Junkie	never seen top fuel run, but I have worked on the slower cousin, top alcohol, they do have non supercharged nitro cars in that class, I understand top fuel cars are about twice as loud, I can imagine the feeling of the top fuel's after feeling the alky cars run. gonna have to get steve to get me to winternats some time! __________________ name's Bramage, Dain Bramage

05-09-2004, 08:08 AM	#31 (permalink)
vdublover Upright Location: Los Angeles	I used to work at the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association; the governing body for the fastest top fuel dragsters). At the first race I went to after I started working there, they let my wife and I stand at the starting line between Kenny Bernstein in the Budweiser Top Fuel dragster, and Doug Kalitta in the MGM Grand dragster. It was THE MOST EXHILERATING experience of my ENTIRE life. It literally rattled my teeth in my skull. If you have never been to a race, I definitely recommend going. There are tracks all over the country and lots of national events. Why I left that job I'll never know...