I won't swear on all the facts here, but it's a good read. :-)
A lesson in acceleration: ------------------------------------
First, some useful info:
One Top Fuel dragster 500 cubic inch Hemi engine makes more horsepower than the first 4 rows at the Daytona 500.
Under full throttle, a Top Fuel dragster engine consumes 1½ 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 426 Hemi V8 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 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. Cutting the fuel flow can only shut down the engine.
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.
In order to exceed 300 mph in 4.5 seconds dragsters must accelerate at 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 redline is actually quite high at 9500 rpm.
The Bottom Line; 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. The current Top Fuel dragster elapsed time record is 4.441 seconds for the quarter mile (10/05/03, Tony Schumacher). The top speed record is 333.00 mph (533 km/h) as measured over the last 66' of the run (09/28/03 Doug Kalitta).
Putting all of this into perspective:
You are riding the average US$250,000 Honda MotoGP bike. Over a mile up the road, a Top Fuel dragster is staged and ready to launch down a quarter mile strip as you pass. You have the advantage of a flying start. You run the RC211V hard up through the gears and blast across the starting line and past the dragster at an honest 200 mph (293 ft/sec). The 'tree' goes green for both of you at that moment. The dragster launches and starts after you.
You keep your wrist cranked hard, but you hear an incredibly brutal whine that sears your eardrums and within 3 seconds the dragster catches and 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 200mph and not only caught, but nearly blasted you off the road when he passed you within a mere 1320 foot long race course.
Reminds me of the time Karl took me round the Island in "The Beast". Soooooo much Acceleration - we hit the exit of turn 12 at 170 kph (as you do) then Karl puts the foot down and BOOOOM !!! - hello 240 in no time at all. I distinctly remember trying to lift my hand up to the dash at that time, and could barely get it off my knee. Good Stuff !!!!!!!
Friday, July 29, 2005 - 08:14 pm, by: Ian Johnston
Nothing beats the sound, smell, and ground pounding of a top fuel dragster. Awesome at night. Those things pump out about 7,500HP on nitro. Some of that power would be handy in my V8.
Friday, July 29, 2005 - 09:29 pm, by: Ian Johnston
Just checked on NHRA site. Earlier this year, Tony Schumacher ran 2 runs at 334.57mph, and 336.15mph. Both at under 4.5 seconds. Thats moving! Those blokes must have large jocks to fit the other 2 large body parts they must have!
I love them thats for sure, I'm a drag racing photographer and journalist so let me assure you getting to stand next to the track or just behind one of these things on full noise is awesome, it's like the concussion of an explosion when they launch except lasting for about a second!
The NHRA keeps trying to slow down the cars, they have to run 85% nitro now and also run less downforce than before. They still keep going quicker though!
David Vaughan Tinkerer Soarer GT Limited (4.0L V8) and is300 (3.0L il6)
I seem to remember in the early 70's the boffins said there was no way technology could ever get a drag car past the 7 second barrier and 200mph. Also a long time prior to that someone said the human mind would not be able to cope with speeds above 60mph.
Monday, August 01, 2005 - 09:19 pm, by: Paul Newman
Had the chanche to see the jet cars at Calder a few years ago they were MIND BLOWING!! They had to clear the veiwing area behind the staging area cause of the flames!!! TT Eater?
Thursday, August 04, 2005 - 10:43 pm, by: Ben Socratous
Mmmmmmmmm, draaaaagsterssssss! I went to A.I.R last year to do some photography for a mates car club when they went out for a drag day. I was allowed to stay on the track for the whole day and had the pleasure(?!?) of standing in between 2 7500hp cars while they were lighting the tyres up. That was an expereince that I won't forget to soon
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TT Eater?
