- Location
- Bountiful, land of rocks
Worth your time. At 23 min they are talking about pistons/rods and the abuse those take. They go through the blower, clutches, fuel and co$t$ of running one of these beasts
Top Fuel Dragster: Distracted on my way to the garage this morning
- Thread starter mbryson
- Start date
Worth your time. At 23 min they are talking about pistons/rods and the abuse those take. They go through the blower, clutches, fuel and co$t$ of running one of these beasts
Thursty
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Green River
Top Fuel is something else! 😎
I like to share facts with my “non-car guy” friends. Pretty mind blowing.
www.hotcars.com
I like to share facts with my “non-car guy” friends. Pretty mind blowing.
25 Facts About Drag Racing That We Never Knew Until Now
A lot of these purpose-built cars accelerate even faster than a fighter jet.
www.hotcars.com
- Location
- Bountiful, land of rocks
More Info delivered by a Brit
Thursty
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Green River
This video always gets a laugh.
lhracing
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Layton, UT
I am not sure how many of you have been in the pits when they are warming up a fuel car but it is fun the watch the crowd. Between the burning of your eyes and nose, then the explosive noise when the wrap they throttle, people just scatter.
Last edited:
- Location
- Bountiful, land of rocks
It's something to see/feel when they burn out and then when they launch. The launch is a whole other experience.
We were just about to run at Bonneville, maybe two from the line, and we got shut down for some higher class cars. Watched John Force set a track record from the staging lanes. Awesome experience
We were just about to run at Bonneville, maybe two from the line, and we got shut down for some higher class cars. Watched John Force set a track record from the staging lanes. Awesome experience
Last edited:
02SE
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Millcreek, UT
I've worked on TF/D's for years. It's a been a great experience.
Here's one team I worked on a few years ago, which is no longer running, so no issues in posting a few pics and video. On this team I was mostly doing the top end (cylinder heads, some blower work, rods and pistons, etc).
This car was brand new at the time. At it's first National event. The crew had never worked together before, but all of us had worked on other TF/D teams previously.
Cory Mac helped out with some pre-US Nationals testing.
Here's a pic of me (in black) explaining the insanity of a TF/D to a friend in the pit at the US Nationals. In between rounds, I was responsible for the disassembly and reassembly of the right side of the motor, as seen in the pic. And servicing all the cylinder heads used that day, after the runs were done for the day.
Here's a pic at the step, I'm between the rear wing stanchions in the pic.
A video of the run which got us in the show.
One more pic of the car at the step, at the GatorNationals. I'm in the sunglasses visible above the Injector.
FWIW, I have yet to see a video or list of TF/D 'facts', which are entirely accurate. Not because the people on the teams don't know, but because they don't want to give away any hard-won data.
Here's one team I worked on a few years ago, which is no longer running, so no issues in posting a few pics and video. On this team I was mostly doing the top end (cylinder heads, some blower work, rods and pistons, etc).
This car was brand new at the time. At it's first National event. The crew had never worked together before, but all of us had worked on other TF/D teams previously.
Cory Mac helped out with some pre-US Nationals testing.
Here's a pic of me (in black) explaining the insanity of a TF/D to a friend in the pit at the US Nationals. In between rounds, I was responsible for the disassembly and reassembly of the right side of the motor, as seen in the pic. And servicing all the cylinder heads used that day, after the runs were done for the day.
Here's a pic at the step, I'm between the rear wing stanchions in the pic.
A video of the run which got us in the show.
One more pic of the car at the step, at the GatorNationals. I'm in the sunglasses visible above the Injector.
FWIW, I have yet to see a video or list of TF/D 'facts', which are entirely accurate. Not because the people on the teams don't know, but because they don't want to give away any hard-won data.
Last edited:
xjtony
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Grantsville, Ut
Last year at the Rocky Mountain nationals at Thunder Mountain we watched a full rebuild on one of the big Hemis. My son didn't believe that they completely rebuild them in under an hour. It's pretty impressive to watch a team work like that. By the time the engine was buttoned back up all the tools were put away and the pit was clean. Very cool to watch a team work like that together.
ChestonScout
opinions are like Jeeps..
- Location
- Clinton, Ut
Ummm. Dream job right there! Always loved corey Mac
02SE
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Millcreek, UT
It a lot of fun, and A LOT more work, time, and travel.
Cory was originally slated to drive that car, but took another offer. He then recommended Brady to drive that car. Cory even helped wrench on the car during testing, and took it down the track for it's initial shakedown passes. Cory's a great guy.
02SE
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Millcreek, UT
Here's a livestream of the testing going on in Chandler, Az.
02SE
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Millcreek, UT
I don't know if anyone watched the livestream today, but the CompetitionPlusTV guys said that be live streaming tomorrow (2/12/22) as well.
02SE
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Millcreek, UT
We're at Bandimere this weekend. I believe the finals will be broadcast tomorrow (7/17/22) on Fox 13 at 2:00 pm MST.
Bandimere presents unique challenges. It's usually hot, so traction is an issue. The altitude effects not only the tune up, but the lack of air density effects the available downforce, further complicating the issue.
02SE
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Millcreek, UT
I don't know if there's any interest, but the final Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere is this weekend. It's hot. It was 97°F today, and likely getting hotter through the weekend.
The finals are supposedly being broadcast on Fox 13 from 2-5pm on Sunday.
The finals are supposedly being broadcast on Fox 13 from 2-5pm on Sunday.
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
I bet it's going to be an absolute zoo, with Bandimere closing down. I thought about going, but we're flying back from Italy into Denver and won't have any rest... or time. 🥴
ChestonScout
opinions are like Jeeps..
- Location
- Clinton, Ut
Such an awesome track. We went and watched the races 16 years ago or so. It was hot but so much fun
Sad to see it go
Sad to see it go
Thursty
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Green River
Sad to see another drag strip go away. It seemed like Bandimere was fairly well used, hosting Rocky Mountain Raceweek events and such.
- Location
- Bountiful, land of rocks
Insurance for an event like that CAN'T be cheap at all. Then you add the facilities and potential liability for spectators and anyone else that sets foot on the property.
I'm kind of amazed our lawyers haven't f*cked that up for all of us yet? Some lawyers will sue ANYONE/ANY ORG for anything. At some point we won't be able to hold public assemblies of any kind due to liability or perceived liability? A bit tinfoil hat but maybe not that much?
I'm kind of amazed our lawyers haven't f*cked that up for all of us yet? Some lawyers will sue ANYONE/ANY ORG for anything. At some point we won't be able to hold public assemblies of any kind due to liability or perceived liability? A bit tinfoil hat but maybe not that much?
- Location
- Draper, UT
Stolen from elsewhere:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ACCELERATION PUT INTO PERSPECTIVE
* One Top Fuel dragster 500 cubic-inch Hemi engine makes more horsepower
than the first 4 rows of the Daytona 500.
* Under full throttle, a dragster engine consumes 11.2 gallons of nitro
methane per second; a fully loaded 747 consumes jet fuel at the same rate with 25% less energy being produced.
* A stock Dodge Hemi V8 engine cannot produce enough power to merely 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 ignition. Cylinders run on the verge of hydraulic lock at full throttle.
* At the stoichiometric 1.7:1 air/fuel mixture for nitro methane the flame front temperature 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.
* Dual magnetos supply 44 amps to each spark plug. This is the output of an arc welder in each cylinder.
* 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 the fuel flow.
* If spark momentarily fails early in the run, unburned nitro builds up in the affected cylinders and then explodes with sufficient force to blow cylinder heads off the block in pieces or split the block in half.
* Dragsters reach over 300 MPH before you have completed reading this sentence.
* In order to exceed 300 MPH in 4.5 seconds, dragsters must accelerate an average of over 4 G's. In order to reach 200 MPH well before half-track, the launch acceleration approaches 8 G's.
* Top Fuel engines turn approximately 540 revolutions from light to light!
* Including the burnout, the engine must only survive 900 revolutions under load.
* The redline is actually quite high at 9500 RPM.
* THE BOTTOM LINE: Assuming all the equipment is paid off, the crew
worked for free, & for once, NOTHING BLOWS UP, each run costs an estimated
$1,000 per second.
The current Top Fuel dragster elapsed time record is 4.428 seconds for the
quarter-mile (11/12/06, Tony Schumacher). The top speed record is 336.15
MPH (541 km/h) as measured over the last 66' of the run (05/25/05, Tony Schumacher).
Putting this all into perspective:
You are driving the average $140,000 Lingenfelter twin-turbo powered
Corvette Z06. Over a mile up the road, a Top Fuel dragster is staged &
ready to launch down a quarter-mile strip as you pass. You have the
advantage of a flying start. You run the 'Vette hard up through the gears
and blast across the starting line & pass the dragster at an honest 200 MPH.
The 'tree' goes green for both of you at that moment.
The dragster launches & starts after you. You keep your foot down hard, but
you hear an incredibly brutal whine that sears your eardrums & within 3
seconds the dragster catches & passes you. He beats you to the finish line,
a quarter-mile away from where you just passed him. Think about it - from a
standing start, the dragster had spotted you 200 MPH & not only caught, but
nearly blasted you off the road when he passed you within a mere 1320 foot
long race!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ACCELERATION PUT INTO PERSPECTIVE
* One Top Fuel dragster 500 cubic-inch Hemi engine makes more horsepower
than the first 4 rows of the Daytona 500.
* Under full throttle, a dragster engine consumes 11.2 gallons of nitro
methane per second; a fully loaded 747 consumes jet fuel at the same rate with 25% less energy being produced.
* A stock Dodge Hemi V8 engine cannot produce enough power to merely 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 ignition. Cylinders run on the verge of hydraulic lock at full throttle.
* At the stoichiometric 1.7:1 air/fuel mixture for nitro methane the flame front temperature 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.
* Dual magnetos supply 44 amps to each spark plug. This is the output of an arc welder in each cylinder.
* 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 the fuel flow.
* If spark momentarily fails early in the run, unburned nitro builds up in the affected cylinders and then explodes with sufficient force to blow cylinder heads off the block in pieces or split the block in half.
* Dragsters reach over 300 MPH before you have completed reading this sentence.
* In order to exceed 300 MPH in 4.5 seconds, dragsters must accelerate an average of over 4 G's. In order to reach 200 MPH well before half-track, the launch acceleration approaches 8 G's.
* Top Fuel engines turn approximately 540 revolutions from light to light!
* Including the burnout, the engine must only survive 900 revolutions under load.
* The redline is actually quite high at 9500 RPM.
* THE BOTTOM LINE: Assuming all the equipment is paid off, the crew
worked for free, & for once, NOTHING BLOWS UP, each run costs an estimated
$1,000 per second.
The current Top Fuel dragster elapsed time record is 4.428 seconds for the
quarter-mile (11/12/06, Tony Schumacher). The top speed record is 336.15
MPH (541 km/h) as measured over the last 66' of the run (05/25/05, Tony Schumacher).
Putting this all into perspective:
You are driving the average $140,000 Lingenfelter twin-turbo powered
Corvette Z06. Over a mile up the road, a Top Fuel dragster is staged &
ready to launch down a quarter-mile strip as you pass. You have the
advantage of a flying start. You run the 'Vette hard up through the gears
and blast across the starting line & pass the dragster at an honest 200 MPH.
The 'tree' goes green for both of you at that moment.
The dragster launches & starts after you. You keep your foot down hard, but
you hear an incredibly brutal whine that sears your eardrums & within 3
seconds the dragster catches & passes you. He beats you to the finish line,
a quarter-mile away from where you just passed him. Think about it - from a
standing start, the dragster had spotted you 200 MPH & not only caught, but
nearly blasted you off the road when he passed you within a mere 1320 foot
long race!