cool post thanks

 

 

Good read. I liked it.

 

Speaking of airplanes, when I take off in our Learjet, the G-force is very evident and impressive. Yesterday, I started the timer at full throttle at brake release. I rotated at 115kts (132 MPH) and it took 22 seconds. The takeoff roll was 2900 ft of runway. That is more than twice a 1/4 mile! So, go tell everybody that your car will outrun a Learjet, because it is true! However, 10 minutes later I had a groundspeed of 650 MPH! Good stuff

 

Hmmm... so dragsters have twice as many fuel tanks as my C5 to go a quarter-mile?

I would consider trading my C5 for a dragster, but my problem is that there is no place to go within a quarter mile of where I live? Even a trip to the movie theater is a couple miles away and I don't know if anyone would be impressed in the ticket line when I finally get there dragging my dragster by its parachute for the last 1-3/4 miles?

 

Top fuel cars are certainly impressive to witness. I also thought the fuel burn numbers seemed high, but cool post overall.

 

 

Add this to the list of things you must do before you go.

Mark my word folks, there is no other experience in the world like standing in the stands when these monsters shoot down the track. There is absolutely NOTHING like it

 

 

AlexSmith What light are they talking about in this instance?

"* Top Fuel engines turn approximately 540 revolutions from light to light!"

The staging light at the starting line and the photoelectric finish line light. These are used to calculate the ET.

 

Bet that is one heck of a ride down the track.

 

Wow where do I sign up?

 

If I leared anything from the import crowd, it's the size of the spoilers and all those sticker that make the dragsters that fast.

Great Post!

 

I have been to Gatornationals the last 4 or 5 out of 5/6 years and have never been disappointed. I brought my 16 year old son this year along with flying my brother down from Wisconsin and he still has the smile on his face. He is always talking about next year, next year. This is something that every person that loves horsepower HAS to experience.

Bring earplugs

 

loved this thread

 

Just makes you say wow :cool post

 

Just DAYUM........How do the drivers keep from passing out?

 

Just a guess. Green to last trap light.

If they were turning redline (9500RPM) from light to light in 4.5 secs, that would only be a little over 700 revolutions to get there. And they're not turning redline the entire 1/4 mile.

 

Some more facts:

… that an NHRA Top Fuel dragster leaves the starting line with a force nearly five times that of gravity, the same force of the space shuttle when it leaves the launching pad at Cape Canaveral?

… that an NHRA Funny Car is slowed by a reverse force more than seven times that of gravity when both parachutes deploy simultaneously?

… that NHRA Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars consume between four and five gallons of fuel during a quarter-mile run, which is equivalent to between 16 and 20 gallons per mile?

… that NHRA Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars use between 10 and 12 gallons of fuel for a complete pass, including the burnout, backup to the starting line, and quarter-mile run?

… that NHRA Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars travel the length of more than four football fields in less than five seconds?

… that NHRA Top Fuel dragsters can exceed 280 mph in just 660 feet?

… that from a standing start, NHRA Top Fuel dragsters accelerate faster than a jumbo jet, a fighter jet, and a Formula One race car?

… that a fuel pump for an NHRA Top Fuel dragster and Funny Car delivers 65 gallons of fuel per minute, equivalent to eight bathroom showers running at the same time?

… that the fuel-line pressure for NHRA Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars is between 400 and 500 pounds, about 20 times greater than the pressure on passenger-car fuel pumps?

… that depending on size and angle, the large rear wing on an NHRA Top Fuel dragster develops between 4,000 and 8,000 pounds of downforce?

… that the 17-inch rear tires used on NHRA Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars wear out after four to six runs, or about two miles? Some brands of passenger-car tires are guaranteed for 80,000 miles.

… that it takes just 15/100ths of a second for all 8,000 horsepower of an NHRA Top Fuel dragster engine to reach the rear wheels?

… that it's desirable for an NHRA Top Fuel dragster to race with its front wheels inches off the ground for about the first 200 feet of the run? This ensures proper weight transfer to the rear wheels, a crucial part of a good launch and quick run.

Also

After halfway down the track,
the engine is dieseling from compression,
plus the exhaust valves glow at 1,400 deg F.

The engine can only be shut down
by cutting the fuel flow.

If a 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 ! ! !

In order to exceed 300 mph in 4.5 seconds,
dragsters must accelerate an average of over 4G's.

In order to reach 200 mph (well before half-track),
the launch acceleration approaches 8G's.

Dragsters reach over 300 miles per hour
before you have completed reading this sentence.

Top fuel engines turn approximately
540 revolutions from light to light!

Including the burnout,
the engine must ONLY SURVIVE
900 revolutions under load.

The red-line is actually quite high at 9,500 rpm.

Assuming all the equipment is paid off,
the crew worked FOR FREE,
and for once NOTHING BLOWS UP,
each run costs an estimated
$1,000.00 PER SECOND ! ! ! !

*0 to 100 MPH in 0.8 seconds
(the first 60 feet of the run)

*0 to 200 MPH in 2.2 seconds
(the first 350 feet of the run)

*6 g-forces at the starting line
(nothing accelerates faster on land)

*6 negative g-forces upon deployment
of twin 'chutes at 300 MPH

 

Thanks for sharing.. very