There was a comedian from years ago, Chis Titus, he said if the USA ever wanted to put the fear of God in her enemies we should simply send a dvd recording of ESPN2 showing what Americans do for fun (monster trucks, drag racing, boat racing, bull riding, etc.) then it may help them realize what we would do when we’re serious and they probably wouldn’t be our enemies anymore.
Don't forget the Kiwis or the Icelanders or the Aussies or the ...................... Yes, I love the massive overpressure of the exhaust pulse, the eye watering fumes and the sanity breaking sounds of the top fuellers but I don't consider them to be the most extreme sports vehicles around.
NHRA is quite possibly the most American thing ever. Insane engines, huge tires, 300mph in a quarter mile. And when they launch you can feel it in your soul.
I've been to the Fremont Drag Strip in California a few times. Getting down close to the starting tree (lights) and the long rails let loose and punch the gas, your eyes and vision literally go cross eyed from the vibration.They suck the air out of your lungs launching down the track. And that's sitting in the stands. There is no other feeling like it. They closed in 1988.
The guy that was saying "Maybe you're about to go out and explode an engine and catch fire" is Ron Capps, and yes, he was the one driving that car when it grenaded, and yes, he's still alive and kicking. . .
He was the coolest driver. I asked him for an autograph in Englishtown, and he said " I actually have to go in my trailer and go over readouts with my crew, but I'll come back out in 15 minutes." He didn't lie and apologized for taking so long. He said he appreciated me and signed my shirt. He is a class act.
I've been to 3 NHRA events in person. The Castrol driver who said the ground shakes because of the power is not exaggerating, the ground does vibrate when the Top Fuel Dragsters and Funny Cars run. The last guy who spoke during the video was John Force. He's the winningest drag racer in history and one of the most colorful personalities in the sport as well. There are 3 main classes in NHRA. Top Fuel Dragsters and Funny Cars have identical engines but drive much different because of the cars wheelbases. The other class is Pro Stock, they look more similar to street cars. There are also a variety of "sportsman" classes that race during a race weekend. A lot of drivers in those classes race as a hobby.
and its a shame too cause theres records that john force has that NOBODY will EVER have a chance to beat, which completly ruins it for me cause they dont race the 1/4mile anymore thats when those records were made could you imagine where top fuel would be now without the restrictions
I'm not a drag racing fan, but the first time I saw an NHRA top fuel race in person, it was life changing. The cars "disappear" in front of you -- that's how fast they launch. The sound is loud, even with earplugs and hands over your ears, and yes, you feel the earth move.
When the nitro methane cars launch it feels like a small earthquake. Everything vibrates including the air and your insides. Unbelievably loud in person.
@@WaffleIronMan91 the first time I saw them was after a rain delay in qualifying. It was nighttime at Atlanta dragway where you are closer to the track than some of the newer ones and there were still storms off in the distance. I was leaning against a fence at the 1000 ft line when they came by and I thought I was being shocked because of everything vibrating. Air ground insides everything. It took me a few seconds and looking around to see that I was in fact okay. Two blurs , a hell of a noise and a little panic. Lol. Too bad that track is being closed as I am sure a replacement will have fans moved back.
I wouldn't say small earthquake. I've lived through some small quakes, they are nothing compared to two top fuel cars launching. It's like something is beating your entire body, all at once. Nothing can prepare you for it, especially if you're lucky enough to be at a track where you're nice and close.
If my memory is correct, the last NHRA fatality was in 2008 when Scott Kalitta was killed in Englishtown, New Jersey. That was the incident that led them to shorten the run from the traditional quarter mile to 1,000 feet.
and pretty much lead to their recent closing because NHRA stopped racing there not long after that. always used to go up and drift wiht my uncle with club loose
You will never understand the magnitude until you see it live for yourself. It’s a few seconds of absolute chaos. It feels like it’s sucking the soul out of you.
You need to get to Santa Pod on your side of the pond, and check them out in person. The shock wave that’ll hit you while you’re in the stands can’t be duplicated on video. You’ll love it!
We have a track about 45 min away and when NHRA is racing you can hear the dragsters throughout the weekend. It’s pretty awesome, my dad has been taking me and my siblings since we we’re little. My favorite night to go is Friday qualifying, because you got to see the fire blasting out of the pipes better. Also the track was faster when it was cooling down.
I use to live close enough to the Pomona drag strip to hear them run. And being there in person is really something else. Thanks for posting this Beesley.. :) Cheers..
Before I relocated to Texas in 2021, I lived a couple of blocks from Auto Club Speedway in Fontana. Could open the windows on race day and get surround sound. Unfortunately, I think the drag strip in Fontana closed down permanently in 2021. Some neighbors complained about the noise and sued the speedway in 2012. They reopened again in 2014, but was a struggle going forward.
I started as a young fan in the 1960's. There is absolutely nothing like being in the pits watching the crews overhaul the engines, transmissions, and clutches in 30 minutes to make the next race. Being in the stands next to the starting line you not only hear these massive beast engines, but you literally feel them rumble through your whole body. The noxious smells of burning rubber from the burnout; and fuel burning out the ends of the exhaust headers along with feeling that heat. And finally, that explosive launch of the vehicle like a launching rocket as it screams down the 1/4 mile track. Yes you see hear smell and feel every bit of it coursing through your body. A real thrill indeed.
Don't let all the "slow motion" clips in the video fool you, when Top Fuel and Funny Cars come off the line, they will out run an arrow from a powerful bow... 0 - 100 mph (161 Kmph) in less than a second. Also, the noise is more like a "shock wave"... Check out some "First time watching Top Fuel" videos, there's a bunch of them and some are GREAT.
Went to Pomona years ago and I walked through the stands and up to the K rail at the edge of the track. I heard them get on it at the line, as they went by I could feel the power pulses on my chest from the exhaust like a series of punches across my chest. It literally knocked me back a step as I was not expecting it. Insanely loud raw power. Even sitting in the stands they they rattle and shake. Like 67pear said a mini earthquake. And yes your insides too. LOL
I've been to the Fremont Drag Strip in California a few times. Getting down close to the starting tree (lights) and the long rails let loose and punch the gas, your eyes and vision literally go cross eyed from the vibration.They suck the air out of your lungs launching down the track. And that's sitting in the stands. There is no other feeling like it. They closed in 1988.
Mad props to what those drivers can do. I got my '06 Mustang (stock powertrain & suspension at the time) up to 100mph at a local drag strip. It's rather intimidating for a novice to manage the power & keep traction - not to mention make sure you don't mess up a shift. The pros are on a whole different planet. Definitely keep exploring this sport if interested.
@@obnxsdonky9394 Given the POS stock suspension, yeah, a little. Those control arms might have well been made of cardboard back then. What do you run, BTW?
I grew up on NHRA races all my life. I love drags and one of my favorites to watch was always the jet cars, talk about a fire monster! I do love all of the NHRA races and got to see many of the legends throughout my life! Love the reactions!
They run top fuel dragster and funny car at Santa Pod, which, unless I'm mistaken, is in England. In order to truly appreciate the raw, ground shaking power of those 11,000 horsepower motors you need to be there in person.
Top Fuel is something that has to be experienced to understand. It's awe inspiring. Last 2 deaths in the top tiers of NHRA racing were Eric Medlen and Scott Kolitta. John Force almost got it too a year or so after them when his cars chassis was ripped in half exposing him to the track. Its a hell of a sport and there are a ton of classes. ProMod, SuperComp, Prostock, Super Stock, X275, Outlaw Drag Radial, Outlaw Pro Street, Outlaw 10.5, AFuel Funnycar (Alcohol powered funnycars), there was an attempt at 'Super fuel' cars where they used 100% nitro but n/a, etc etc, etc.
Force accredited the safety improvements developed and implemented in the wake of Eric and Scott's deaths for saving his life. He actually spearheaded the program and invested a huge chunk of his own money to finance the program. I would say that it was money well invested.
Where I live in Charlotte we have the a drag strip near by called the Zmax dragway. It’s definitely my favorite to go to, because instead of two lanes, it has four! And what’s better than two monsters racing each other? Well 4 monsters of course!
Being blown away by the sight of a funny car or top fuel dragster leaving the line at full throttle Is impressive! But until one has actually physically been near those things when they launch, you cannot truly experience the intensity of the sound generated!
Great reaction! You mentioned parachutes, in top fuel if they don't let off the throttle before deploying the chutes it will detach your retinas. There are several classes of racing.
Seeing your reaction is awesome, you really need to experience it in person, there's nothing like it,you need to go to a drag race and feel the ground shaking, watch the crew's rebuild the car's between rounds and go to a NASCAR race and feel 40 800 HP car's come flying past you at 200 mph! Welcome to America 🇺🇸
That explosion is common with nitromethane. Usually happens because of a damaged intake valve causing ignition of the fuel in the supercharger. If that was exciting for you there are loads of videos of crashes and explosions.
Came for the NASCAR reactions, stayed for the NHRA reactions! I spent the last 4 summers out at my local dragstrip and we never had anything quite this powerful, but a few times a year we got treated by jet dragsters, which are their own type of beast. Instead of an engine driving the wheels, they're just one of the long dragsters with a jet engine strapped to it, thrusting the car up to 300+ in just a few seconds. Not quite sure if it's worth reacting to, but there's a good video out there by Driver61 called "Jet Dragsters: The Insane 320MPH Dragsters" that explains what they are, how they work and such compared to a normal dragster. There's a couple on-board clips in there that are actually from a different channel my brother, his friend, and I run called Drag Racing Weekly, we have quite a few good on-board GoPro videos of jet dragsters along with regular videos from outside the car if you wanna check those out too :) Also just for reference, in Driver61's video when talking about the engines coming from aircraft, he uses clips of a F-16 fighter jet, when most of the jet dragsters actually use jet turbines from helicopters, and some jet dragsters use a certain model of engine that can be found on old military light attack or training jet planes as well as helicopters. A small detail but the short answer is no, these things aren't actually powered by modern fighter jet engines. I'm an aviation nerd so anything related at all really excites me and I go off
NHRA drag racing is arguably the most intense experience EVER! As a fan sitting in the stands, you feel the power of the engines against your chest, like someone is sitting on it! As a driver, your heart rate goes from around 90 bpm to 180! Amazing! When I was growing up, I got to drive a funny car and I can honestly say that NOTHING will beat it!
To see this on the screen is one thing, to see it in real life is a totally different beast. It's so amazing. The first time you see a car run a quarter mile in under 4 secs you are pinching yourself to make sure you're awake. Lst time i went to one of these meets in Melbourne (Australia in the early 1990's) the crowd was at 90,000.
I always loved the NHRA but haven't been for many years. I used to go with my older brother every weekend to Pittsburgh International Raceway which has since closed and we would always get a pit pass. My favorite female driver and probably one of the first woman in this sport was Shirley Muldowny.
Loved it. I'm like #27 Bees. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇨🇦🇨🇦🇬🇧🇬🇧 I used to live just a few mile from this track in Pomona California. On race day you could hear these beasts from miles away. If you were at track you actually feel the vibration hit ur body. You can absolutely feel the power. It's like being next a airplane🛫🛫🛫🛫 as it takes off. Definitely try and and see this at least once if you get the opportunity.😆😆😆 An experience you cannot get with any other sport. 🚀🚀🚀
Just revisiting this video again. I’ve been to my first two NHRA drag races of my life this year. The first was one of two 4-wide races in Concord, NC (the other of which being in Vegas), and just this past weekend, I went to the one in Brainerd, MN. If/when you and Millie make it to the states, you need to get to one of these! Words simply cannot do justice to experiencing this in person! The ground shakes, the grandstands shake, your headphones shake…it’s like being inside a 3.6-4 second sonic boom! Just for the love of God, bring hearing protection! Don’t let a few idiots try to peer pressure you into not wearing any, because you WILL go deaf if you don’t.
The sound that comes from the funny cars and top fuel has to be experienced in person. The sound is unreal. The best way I can describe it is you hear it on the inside of your ears. In the pits when you’re near an idling engine that is goosed a couple times, the sound waves will push you back. It’s awesome!
We go to a couple of these races every year. Other than a rocket launch there's nothing like it. The power, the smell, the speed. When those cars hit the "loud pedal" as we call it shakes your whole body can feel it to your core and it's great.
Watching them on TV does them no justice. The impact off the starting line is enough to make you jump out of your socks. The ground and the stands shake under you. Better have ear protection as well. 180 decibels will ruin your hearing for life.
I saw this once when I was 18 down in San Antonio Texas. When it was over they brought out a jet car. When it lit off the thrust blew down the wooden fence in the back. You could see the people back there running for cover.
I've been a fan of NHRA racing for 45 years. I've been to dozens of races over the years and watched these cars go from 200 MPH to over 300 MPH and 7,000 to 11,000 horsepower, in the fuel classes. I've seen a number of blower and engine explosions and sadly back in 2008 saw a driver get killed when his engine blew. When the Top Fuel cars hit the track the ground shakes, your body shakes and it's the ultimate rush.
Many years ago, when I was in my 20's I used to go every Friday and Saturday night to Raceway Park to watch the legends the man at the beginning spoke of, Big Daddy Don Garlits, Connie kalitta and so many others. I'm 75 now and it brings back fond memories.
Just now finding this vid. We as Americans should start a gofundme to get this man to one NHRA drag race. It's something you'll never forget. The intensity will stay with you for the rest of your life.
We went to the NHRA drags years ago. I was definitely impressed. It was worth the trip. Been to a lot of NASCAR and INDY races, some local stuff too. It's great to make a weekend of it. Drink, camp out, drink, BBQ, watch some racing, drink more.
I saw these in person at a dragway that wasn’t designed for Top Fuel dragsters or funny cars. It was really designed for your average hobby cars running mid 10 second quarter miles. This meant that the stands were really close to the track. When they hosted Top Fuel, we were dangerously close to the track and cars. The exhaust from those dragsters made our eyes sting and tear up as well as making it a bit difficult to breathe. When they take off, you have to hold your ears, or it feels like someone is compressing your head. I tried the first run without putting my hands over my ears, and I regretted it. The rumble is insane, you feel it in your chest and it feels so incredibly powerful. By the end of the day, we were all covered head to toe in bits of rubber that came from all the burnouts they did to heat up the tires. It was an amazing, painful and very uncomfortable day, but it was well worth it to see those things rocket down the track at about 280mph (this was a while ago, they’ve gotten faster) and like a 4 second quarter mile.
I was at the Spring Nationals one year in Hebron, OH. A Top Fuel Dragster blew an engine less than 100 feet off the start line. It coasted the entire 1/4 mile from there and still went through the speed trap at 79 mph (127 kph)! When top fuel and Funny cars go by you, it like like someone repeatedly punching you in the chest.
Going every year the NHRA is in my area is a MUST. There are 2 major things that you cannot comprehend from a TV screen. THIS IS NUMBER 1! The next is a NASCAR race at Talladega. Both are insane but NHRA is by far the craziest and most body thumping thing you will EVER experience. Words cannot describe it .......
My uncle turned a 1974 AMC Hornet into a drag racer. He used to take it to Englishtown NJ where you could drag race on the track as an amateur. People would laugh at the car… until they lost to it!
I was at Raceway Park the day after the Scott Kalitta passed away in 2008. The reason they shortened the the tracks. Hearts we're extremely extremely heavy that day, couldn't imagine what it was like to have actually been there. His schuttes didn't deploy and the sand traps at the end of the runway didn't either. He hit the retaining wall at over 300mph. Car exploded immediately.
I grew up 5 minutes from Englishtown Raceway Park in NJ where the NHRA ran. There is truly nothing like being trackside when 11,000 HP takes off, it sends a shockwave through your chest like you never imagined
my dad raced in the nhra in the 80s 90s, all racing is great but nhra is by far the most extreme , there are several classes in the nhra my dad was in the pro stock class which a level under the funny cars/dragsters, speeds still 200+ atleast back then havnt followed nhra recently used to be 1\4 mile track now its 1000ft. watching these funny cars and dragsters at night is the best experience u will ever have you can feel the power in your guts. When i use to go with my dad as a kid they use to have actual jet engine cars they would do at night literally a jet on wheels. for sure do more nhra videos
When you are there and a top fuel dragster jumps off the line the sound is so intense (especially by the tree - the lights) that you feel it more than hear it. All of your innards are rattled, literally rattled.
There are few experience’s that can match when two top fuel dragster’s launch from the line , the ground physically shakes , 100 ft away you are hit in the chest at the same time it feels like all the air has been sucked out of your lungs. You remember it for life !!!
Oh goodness I love Drag Racing we go every year to the Races in Ennis Texas about 2 hours from where we live in Texas . I love standing at the Gaurdwalls and hear and feel the rush of heat when the cars start ..... no other rush in the world feeling the heat and wind off the car as it takes off from the Tree
If you ever get the chance, you have to see it live. I don't know if they ever tour Europe, but I promise you it is an experience worth a bit of travel. I grew up watching it on TV, been a fan my entire life. But it wasn't until I got to go to my first race that I really appreciated it. The sound makes your bones rattle.
I’ve been to loads of NHRA races, World of Outlaws races, NASCAR races, and I can say for sure, NHRA is the outlier of the three. You can FEEL the engines when they fire off the line, it’s a great time.
Having been to the drags at Sears Point. You can feel the engine from the top of the stands in a private box, inside a room behind the window. You actually feel it in your chest.
The biggest NHRA race is held at Indianapolis Raceway Park (my hometown) on Labor Day weekend (first weekend in Sept.), approx 150,000- 200,000 people attend, there are several classes of dragsters, Top Fuel (long skinny cars) usually the fastest, Funny Car (bodies look like stock cars) Pro Stock (modified stock cars) Pro Stock Motorcycle, Top Gas (long skinny cars running on gasoline) Top Alcohol (long skinny cars running on alcohol) ...
My father ran funny cars and dragsters in CO in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Probably his best known car was the Hells Cargo which ran at both the winter and summer nationals. Spent a lot of my youth in the pits at the drag strip. It was a great way to grow up!
I have been able to stand between 2 Nitro Fuel dragsters on the start line. On the launch , nothing will prepare you for the sensory over load you will experience !
I've been watching drag racing in the UK since the mid 1970s - drag racers are the best people going. What other major motorsport lets you wander around the pits, chat to the teams and watch them rebuild cars. When I retired I started road tripping in the US where drag racing is major. I'm also into NASCAR and have driven a NASCAR around a few tracks including 16 laps of Daytona. Save up and go to Talladega, a whole weekend of awesomeness, pick-ups on Saturday, cars on Sunday. I loved it, wonderful people in Alabama!
I went a NHRA even when I was a kid. There was nothing like it. The smells, the sound. The feeling. When those things take off...the roar literally vibrates through you.
I used to own a 1967 Camaro that had a 749 cubic inch (12.28 liter) engine that developed 3,945 horsepower. It did a 5.17 second 1/4 mile (400m) at 267mph (430 kph).
I’ve had the opportunity to be on the starting line at a NHRA drag competition the noise is un describable and feels like the cars blow through you when they launch
The first time I saw Fuel Dragsters was in the early 60's when anything over 200 and less than 8 seconds was an INCREDIBLE run, watching them smoke the tires through the quarter was a sight to behold. Back then, the speeds they are turning today were WAY BEYOND anything you could imagine.
The guy in the green his name is John Force and he and his daughters are a dynasty when it comes to NHRA racing!!!!!!!! They are champions and know how to race with the best of them
Check out "The Most Insane Dragster Ever" (about the Jade Warrior), "How 10,000 BHP Can Snap a Dragster" (about the forces that can lead Top Fuel dragsters to snap in half), "JET Dragsters: The Insane 320MPH Dragsters" (about jet-powered dragsters that used to be used in competition, but now are just seen in exposition runs), and "How Dragster Tyres Accelerate to 335MPH in 3.6 Seconds" (about the immense grip the rear tires on dragsters get [hence why you see them fold at 2:29]), all by Scott Mansell (no relation to Nigel Mansell) at Driver61. 3:23 This is John Force, the most successful drag racer in NHRA history. He holds the record for most consecutive championships in the NHRA, and I think in all of motorsports, at 10 in a row. He also has three daughter who have been active over the past decade and a half (Brittany Force, Ashley Force Hood, and Courtney Force-Rahal). Brittany Force is the second woman to win an NHRA championship (which she did in 2017), after Shirley Muldowney in 1977, 1980, and 1982. 4:34 Yes, there are four classes: Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle.
I'm the director of Emergency Services at Raceway Park, E'town. The cars are extremely safe the last fatality was at my track. The cars accelerate to 100 mph in less then 1 second with 4 to 5 G's pushing the driver back. On the other hand when they pull the chutes they get almost the same G load in reverse ! It slams them into the belts. They wear nomex underwear, a 5 layer firesuit plus gloves, helmet etc.
The fuel used, burns the ends off all 16 spark plugs so by time the run is over, the engine is "dieseling", using the heat and compression to keep the motor running.
You may not be aware, a top fuel dragster or funny car can be heard up to 8 miles away from the drag strip. I have stood next to the starting line .. it is truly mind bending, the noise and the pressure you feel.
My grandpa drove a drag car it was a 1969 cornet forget size of engine thing is a beast called orange elephant he has sense passed on earlier this year he lived a breathed the sport
My auto tech class invited by the US Army to the Carlisle PA drag track. It was amazing. Even better was sitting with my shop teacher and drinking a beer.
You can watch all kinds of videos of funny cars and top fuel dragsters with the headphones cranked up. That doesn't cut it. You have to be in the stands at the start line at least once in your lifetime. The sound vibration is so violent that the seating area shakes, you feel it through your body, the nitromethane smells evil and the odor of burnt tires is unforgettable. We took a deaf kid to the drags and he had to cover his ears because he got the sensation that angry wasps were flying inside his head.
Definitely keep checking out drag racing. My home track Summit Motorsports Park holds the annual Night Under Fire, bringing in these Funny Cars, Top Fuel Dragsters everything down to wheel standers that run a 1/4 mile on the back wheels. I'll tell you now, Theres nothing in the world like standing at the starting line smelling the nitro methane making your eyes and nose water, and then them taking off like a rocketship and feeling the vibration for miles around. Nothing like it
Until you experience an NHRA event in person, you'll never truly appreciate the power of these mechanical monsters. When they launch from the starting line, the sound will literally cause your bones to resonate! There's simply nothing like it on the planet.
Most drag races begin with a standing (stationary) start and are just 1/4 mile long (1,320 ft (400 m)). Races last between 3.9 and 17 seconds, with finishing speeds ranging from 80 to over 330 mph (530 km/h), depending upon the type of vehicle being used.
Have to admit.......great video. Wasn't really expecting to find someone "across the pond" doing a video about Top Fuel, but I guess you can just about anything and everything on TH-cam. But Top Fuel really has to be put into perspective, and I saw a video on here awhile back that pretty much does just that. Imagine if you will that you're sitting at the starting line, and just as the tree turns green a car hits even with you going 200mph(320kph for all the metric folks). And in about 700 feet, you have already caught that car that was going 200mph and passed it. THAT........is Top Fuel.
If you ever have the chance you HAVE to go to a NHRA event. There are no words to describe it. You literally feel it go through your body when they hit the throttle and leave the line.
Two of these cars coming off the line create a 2.0 earthquake on the Richter scale. I've been going to drag races since the late sixties it never gets old.
This is a must experience in person event, a great reason to visit Vegas! You don't know until you know! 10,000 - 11,000 Horse power, Nitro Methane Fuel. 0-330+ MPH in 1000 feet. The NHRA has many classes! Love the exposure to our sport!
Thunder valley dragway at Bristol has Street races. Anyone can bring anything and race. It is so much fun, never know what you are going to see. It has cut down so much on people having wrecks out on the roads drag racing.
To explain to our British spectator: The "funny cars" and the "rails" are the most powerful and extreme but there are many classes other than these beasts which are multi-million dollar business. The old "D-class" rail features six cylinder, naturally aspirated engines where 100 mph is rarely cleared. There are Pro-street cars which can be driven on the street. These vehicles are $10's of thousands. I had a friend that went from sprint cars to drag boats...
There was a comedian from years ago, Chis Titus, he said if the USA ever wanted to put the fear of God in her enemies we should simply send a dvd recording of ESPN2 showing what Americans do for fun (monster trucks, drag racing, boat racing, bull riding, etc.) then it may help them realize what we would do when we’re serious and they probably wouldn’t be our enemies anymore.
instablaster...
Add in some vids of Americans doing insane death defying things and pulling them off.
Couldn’t said it better myself
Don't forget the Kiwis or the Icelanders or the Aussies or the ......................
Yes, I love the massive overpressure of the exhaust pulse, the eye watering fumes and the sanity breaking sounds of the top fuellers but I don't consider them to be the most extreme sports vehicles around.
They sure as hell should think long and hard before invading. They won’t have to pass out guns to us. We’re all good! Lol
NHRA is quite possibly the most American thing ever. Insane engines, huge tires, 300mph in a quarter mile. And when they launch you can feel it in your soul.
It literally is American! It evolved from prohibition and running illicit booze through the backwoods to avoid the taxman!
330mph in 1000 feet. Top fuel hasn't run a 1/4 mile in a decade
I've been to the Fremont Drag Strip in California a few times. Getting down close to the starting tree (lights) and the long rails let loose and punch the gas, your eyes and vision literally go cross eyed from the vibration.They suck the air out of your lungs launching down the track. And that's sitting in the stands. There is no other feeling like it. They closed in 1988.
Norwalk is where I've watched my top fuel, and street mods run.
@@danchristopher7957 You got the gist. Also, a Quarter Mile is only 1300 feet.
The guy that was saying "Maybe you're about to go out and explode an engine and catch fire" is Ron Capps, and yes, he was the one driving that car when it grenaded, and yes, he's still alive and kicking. . .
He was the coolest driver. I asked him for an autograph in Englishtown, and he said " I actually have to go in my trailer and go over readouts with my crew, but I'll come back out in 15 minutes." He didn't lie and apologized for taking so long. He said he appreciated me and signed my shirt. He is a class act.
@@ronhanisco8697: He's also been known to step into a Fuel Altered at Famoso in Bakersfield, so that should add to the coolness. . . . .
I've been to 3 NHRA events in person. The Castrol driver who said the ground shakes because of the power is not exaggerating, the ground does vibrate when the Top Fuel Dragsters and Funny Cars run. The last guy who spoke during the video was John Force. He's the winningest drag racer in history and one of the most colorful personalities in the sport as well.
There are 3 main classes in NHRA. Top Fuel Dragsters and Funny Cars have identical engines but drive much different because of the cars wheelbases. The other class is Pro Stock, they look more similar to street cars. There are also a variety of "sportsman" classes that race during a race weekend. A lot of drivers in those classes race as a hobby.
Not only that that but two of his daughters also race and they both have won championships.
and its a shame too cause theres records that john force has that NOBODY will EVER have a chance to beat, which completly ruins it for me cause they dont race the 1/4mile anymore thats when those records were made could you imagine where top fuel would be now without the restrictions
I'm not a drag racing fan, but the first time I saw an NHRA top fuel race in person, it was life changing. The cars "disappear" in front of you -- that's how fast they launch. The sound is loud, even with earplugs and hands over your ears, and yes, you feel the earth move.
Funny hearing John Force called the Castro driver
That family is a "Force" to be reckoned with.
When the nitro methane cars launch it feels like a small earthquake. Everything vibrates including the air and your insides. Unbelievably loud in person.
No joke, when they run Top Fuelers in Pomona, they set off the local seismographs. . . . .
The sound and pressure is loud enough to say that you can hear them with your lungs.
@@WaffleIronMan91 the first time I saw them was after a rain delay in qualifying. It was nighttime at Atlanta dragway where you are closer to the track than some of the newer ones and there were still storms off in the distance. I was leaning against a fence at the 1000 ft line when they came by and I thought I was being shocked because of everything vibrating. Air ground insides everything. It took me a few seconds and looking around to see that I was in fact okay. Two blurs , a hell of a noise and a little panic. Lol. Too bad that track is being closed as I am sure a replacement will have fans moved back.
I wouldn't say small earthquake. I've lived through some small quakes, they are nothing compared to two top fuel cars launching. It's like something is beating your entire body, all at once. Nothing can prepare you for it, especially if you're lucky enough to be at a track where you're nice and close.
@@damnimcooltom1 I’ve heard a 1.2 but have nothing to compare it to. I just know everything shook.
If my memory is correct, the last NHRA fatality was in 2008 when Scott Kalitta was killed in Englishtown, New Jersey. That was the incident that led them to shorten the run from the traditional quarter mile to 1,000 feet.
Shame about one but amazing its been 13 years!
and pretty much lead to their recent closing because NHRA stopped racing there not long after that. always used to go up and drift wiht my uncle with club loose
Kalitta Air has a 747-400, Tail number N741CK, named “Scott Kalitta”, named in honor of Scott.
It slowed the top speed down to around 300 mph and lowered the engine rpm,but now the top speed has gone back up to 330 and higher.
I learned to drag race at Englishtown I loved that track. Broke my heart when they closed it.
You will never understand the magnitude until you see it live for yourself. It’s a few seconds of absolute chaos. It feels like it’s sucking the soul out of you.
Look at the explosions and wrecks in this sport. They're incredible
You need to get to Santa Pod on your side of the pond, and check them out in person.
The shock wave that’ll hit you while you’re in the stands can’t be duplicated on video.
You’ll love it!
One of the few times that you can feel sound.
Never seen one in flesh before, but I can imagine it's similar to the feeling of a fighter jet going off?
Yes you can literally feel the sound of the engine vibrating the surrounding area.
@@vangledosh they also have jet engines cars to. Called rocket cars. Can go about 350 in a quarter mile..or whatever the conversion is for Europe
Somehow monster tucks seem louder sometimes though
@@vangledosh you quite literally feel it in your gut when they launch, it's something you can only truly understand if you feel it in person
We have a track about 45 min away and when NHRA is racing you can hear the dragsters throughout the weekend. It’s pretty awesome, my dad has been taking me and my siblings since we we’re little. My favorite night to go is Friday qualifying, because you got to see the fire blasting out of the pipes better. Also the track was faster when it was cooling down.
I use to live close enough to the Pomona drag strip to hear them run. And being there in person is really something else. Thanks for posting this Beesley.. :)
Cheers..
Thank you for the insight and watching mate! Really appreciate it!
Before I relocated to Texas in 2021, I lived a couple of blocks from Auto Club Speedway in Fontana. Could open the windows on race day and get surround sound. Unfortunately, I think the drag strip in Fontana closed down permanently in 2021. Some neighbors complained about the noise and sued the speedway in 2012. They reopened again in 2014, but was a struggle going forward.
@@Not_Eminems_Mom That's like suing the Air Force for their noisy planes.
I started as a young fan in the 1960's. There is absolutely nothing like being in the pits watching the crews overhaul the engines, transmissions, and clutches in 30 minutes to make the next race. Being in the stands next to the starting line you not only hear these massive beast engines, but you literally feel them rumble through your whole body. The noxious smells of burning rubber from the burnout; and fuel burning out the ends of the exhaust headers along with feeling that heat. And finally, that explosive launch of the vehicle like a launching rocket as it screams down the 1/4 mile track. Yes you see hear smell and feel every bit of it coursing through your body. A real thrill indeed.
Don't let all the "slow motion" clips in the video fool you, when Top Fuel and Funny Cars come off the line, they will out run an arrow from a powerful bow... 0 - 100 mph (161 Kmph) in less than a second. Also, the noise is more like a "shock wave"... Check out some "First time watching Top Fuel" videos, there's a bunch of them and some are GREAT.
I love those slow-mo starts of the top fuel cars. The frames flexing with all that torque, really awesome machines.
Went to Pomona years ago and I walked through the stands and up to the K rail at the edge of the track. I heard them get on it at the line, as they went by I could feel the power pulses on my chest from the exhaust like a series of punches across my chest. It literally knocked me back a step as I was not expecting it. Insanely loud raw power. Even sitting in the stands they they rattle and shake. Like 67pear said a mini earthquake. And yes your insides too. LOL
Think of how many horses just one cylinder is popping off x 8
I've been to the Fremont Drag Strip in California a few times. Getting down close to the starting tree (lights) and the long rails let loose and punch the gas, your eyes and vision literally go cross eyed from the vibration.They suck the air out of your lungs launching down the track. And that's sitting in the stands. There is no other feeling like it. They closed in 1988.
Mad props to what those drivers can do. I got my '06 Mustang (stock powertrain & suspension at the time) up to 100mph at a local drag strip. It's rather intimidating for a novice to manage the power & keep traction - not to mention make sure you don't mess up a shift. The pros are on a whole different planet.
Definitely keep exploring this sport if interested.
Nice! I bet that was an experiance! 100% going to look more into this!
lol 100 mph in a mustang is intimidating. okay bud
@@obnxsdonky9394 Given the POS stock suspension, yeah, a little. Those control arms might have well been made of cardboard back then. What do you run, BTW?
I grew up on NHRA races all my life. I love drags and one of my favorites to watch was always the jet cars, talk about a fire monster! I do love all of the NHRA races and got to see many of the legends throughout my life! Love the reactions!
They run top fuel dragster and funny car at Santa Pod, which, unless I'm mistaken, is in England. In order to truly appreciate the raw, ground shaking power of those 11,000 horsepower motors you need to be there in person.
Top Fuel is something that has to be experienced to understand. It's awe inspiring.
Last 2 deaths in the top tiers of NHRA racing were Eric Medlen and Scott Kolitta. John Force almost got it too a year or so after them when his cars chassis was ripped in half exposing him to the track.
Its a hell of a sport and there are a ton of classes. ProMod, SuperComp, Prostock, Super Stock, X275, Outlaw Drag Radial, Outlaw Pro Street, Outlaw 10.5, AFuel Funnycar (Alcohol powered funnycars), there was an attempt at 'Super fuel' cars where they used 100% nitro but n/a, etc etc, etc.
Force accredited the safety improvements developed and implemented in the wake of Eric and Scott's deaths for saving his life. He actually spearheaded the program and invested a huge chunk of his own money to finance the program. I would say that it was money well invested.
Where I live in Charlotte we have the a drag strip near by called the Zmax dragway. It’s definitely my favorite to go to, because instead of two lanes, it has four! And what’s better than two monsters racing each other? Well 4 monsters of course!
I live near the drag strip and "we can hear them from our house".
Being blown away by the sight of a funny car or top fuel dragster leaving the line at full throttle Is impressive! But until one has actually physically been near those things when they launch, you cannot truly experience the intensity of the sound generated!
Great reaction! You mentioned parachutes, in top fuel if they don't let off the throttle before deploying the chutes it will detach your retinas. There are several classes of racing.
Oh wow! Cheers for the insight!
you have to see an explosion/crash video of NHRA
100% going to check it out!
Seeing your reaction is awesome, you really need to experience it in person, there's nothing like it,you need to go to a drag race and feel the ground shaking, watch the crew's rebuild the car's between rounds and go to a NASCAR race and feel 40 800 HP car's come flying past you at 200 mph! Welcome to America 🇺🇸
That explosion is common with nitromethane. Usually happens because of a damaged intake valve causing ignition of the fuel in the supercharger. If that was exciting for you there are loads of videos of crashes and explosions.
Came for the NASCAR reactions, stayed for the NHRA reactions! I spent the last 4 summers out at my local dragstrip and we never had anything quite this powerful, but a few times a year we got treated by jet dragsters, which are their own type of beast. Instead of an engine driving the wheels, they're just one of the long dragsters with a jet engine strapped to it, thrusting the car up to 300+ in just a few seconds.
Not quite sure if it's worth reacting to, but there's a good video out there by Driver61 called "Jet Dragsters: The Insane 320MPH Dragsters" that explains what they are, how they work and such compared to a normal dragster. There's a couple on-board clips in there that are actually from a different channel my brother, his friend, and I run called Drag Racing Weekly, we have quite a few good on-board GoPro videos of jet dragsters along with regular videos from outside the car if you wanna check those out too :)
Also just for reference, in Driver61's video when talking about the engines coming from aircraft, he uses clips of a F-16 fighter jet, when most of the jet dragsters actually use jet turbines from helicopters, and some jet dragsters use a certain model of engine that can be found on old military light attack or training jet planes as well as helicopters.
A small detail but the short answer is no, these things aren't actually powered by modern fighter jet engines. I'm an aviation nerd so anything related at all really excites me and I go off
NHRA drag racing is arguably the most intense experience EVER! As a fan sitting in the stands, you feel the power of the engines against your chest, like someone is sitting on it! As a driver, your heart rate goes from around 90 bpm to 180! Amazing! When I was growing up, I got to drive a funny car and I can honestly say that NOTHING will beat it!
To see this on the screen is one thing, to see it in real life is a totally different beast. It's so amazing. The first time you see a car run a quarter mile in under 4 secs you are pinching yourself to make sure you're awake. Lst time i went to one of these meets in Melbourne (Australia in the early 1990's) the crowd was at 90,000.
I always loved the NHRA but haven't been for many years. I used to go with my older brother every weekend to Pittsburgh International Raceway which has since closed and we would always get a pit pass. My favorite female driver and probably one of the first woman in this sport was Shirley Muldowny.
TV doesn't to it justice about how it feels to have these cars go by you and you can feel the sound hit your chest. Soooo amazing!
The only sound I've ever heard that was louder than a pair of Nitro cars was on the flight deck launching F4 Phantoms
Loved it. I'm like #27 Bees. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇨🇦🇨🇦🇬🇧🇬🇧
I used to live just a few mile from this track in Pomona California. On race day you could hear these beasts from miles away. If you were at track you actually feel the vibration hit ur body. You can absolutely feel the power. It's like being next a airplane🛫🛫🛫🛫 as it takes off. Definitely try and and see this at least once if you get the opportunity.😆😆😆 An experience you cannot get with any other sport. 🚀🚀🚀
Legend! Awesome mate hopefully one day ill manage to get to something like this!
Just revisiting this video again. I’ve been to my first two NHRA drag races of my life this year. The first was one of two 4-wide races in Concord, NC (the other of which being in Vegas), and just this past weekend, I went to the one in Brainerd, MN. If/when you and Millie make it to the states, you need to get to one of these! Words simply cannot do justice to experiencing this in person! The ground shakes, the grandstands shake, your headphones shake…it’s like being inside a 3.6-4 second sonic boom! Just for the love of God, bring hearing protection! Don’t let a few idiots try to peer pressure you into not wearing any, because you WILL go deaf if you don’t.
The sound that comes from the funny cars and top fuel has to be experienced in person. The sound is unreal. The best way I can describe it is you hear it on the inside of your ears. In the pits when you’re near an idling engine that is goosed a couple times, the sound waves will push you back. It’s awesome!
We go to a couple of these races every year. Other than a rocket launch there's nothing like it. The power, the smell, the speed. When those cars hit the "loud pedal" as we call it shakes your whole body can feel it to your core and it's great.
Seeing this racing here is NOTHING compared to seeing it live. The sound of 2 of these cars leaving the line together is unforgettable.
Watching them on TV does them no justice. The impact off the starting line is enough to make you jump out of your socks. The ground and the stands shake under you. Better have ear protection as well. 180 decibels will ruin your hearing for life.
I saw this once when I was 18 down in San Antonio Texas. When it was over they brought out a jet car. When it lit off the thrust blew down the wooden fence in the back. You could see the people back there running for cover.
I've been a fan of NHRA racing for 45 years. I've been to dozens of races over the years and watched these cars go from 200 MPH to over 300 MPH and 7,000 to 11,000 horsepower, in the fuel classes. I've seen a number of blower and engine explosions and sadly back in 2008 saw a driver get killed when his engine blew. When the Top Fuel cars hit the track the ground shakes, your body shakes and it's the ultimate rush.
Many years ago, when I was in my 20's I used to go every Friday and Saturday night to Raceway Park to watch the legends the man at the beginning spoke of, Big Daddy Don Garlits, Connie kalitta and so many others. I'm 75 now and it brings back fond memories.
Eddie Hill, the fist man to go 300MPH.
Just now finding this vid. We as Americans should start a gofundme to get this man to one NHRA drag race. It's something you'll never forget. The intensity will stay with you for the rest of your life.
We went to the NHRA drags years ago. I was definitely impressed. It was worth the trip. Been to a lot of NASCAR and INDY races, some local stuff too. It's great to make a weekend of it. Drink, camp out, drink, BBQ, watch some racing, drink more.
I saw these in person at a dragway that wasn’t designed for Top Fuel dragsters or funny cars. It was really designed for your average hobby cars running mid 10 second quarter miles. This meant that the stands were really close to the track. When they hosted Top Fuel, we were dangerously close to the track and cars.
The exhaust from those dragsters made our eyes sting and tear up as well as making it a bit difficult to breathe. When they take off, you have to hold your ears, or it feels like someone is compressing your head. I tried the first run without putting my hands over my ears, and I regretted it. The rumble is insane, you feel it in your chest and it feels so incredibly powerful. By the end of the day, we were all covered head to toe in bits of rubber that came from all the burnouts they did to heat up the tires. It was an amazing, painful and very uncomfortable day, but it was well worth it to see those things rocket down the track at about 280mph (this was a while ago, they’ve gotten faster) and like a 4 second quarter mile.
I was at the Spring Nationals one year in Hebron, OH. A Top Fuel Dragster blew an engine less than 100 feet off the start line. It coasted the entire 1/4 mile from there and still went through the speed trap at 79 mph (127 kph)! When top fuel and Funny cars go by you, it like like someone repeatedly punching you in the chest.
Going every year the NHRA is in my area is a MUST. There are 2 major things that you cannot comprehend from a TV screen. THIS IS NUMBER 1! The next is a NASCAR race at Talladega. Both are insane but NHRA is by far the craziest and most body thumping thing you will EVER experience. Words cannot describe it .......
My uncle turned a 1974 AMC Hornet into a drag racer. He used to take it to Englishtown NJ where you could drag race on the track as an amateur. People would laugh at the car… until they lost to it!
I was at Raceway Park the day after the Scott Kalitta passed away in 2008. The reason they shortened the the tracks. Hearts we're extremely extremely heavy that day, couldn't imagine what it was like to have actually been there. His schuttes didn't deploy and the sand traps at the end of the runway didn't either. He hit the retaining wall at over 300mph. Car exploded immediately.
I grew up 5 minutes from Englishtown Raceway Park in NJ where the NHRA ran. There is truly nothing like being trackside when 11,000 HP takes off, it sends a shockwave through your chest like you never imagined
my dad raced in the nhra in the 80s 90s, all racing is great but nhra is by far the most extreme , there are several classes in the nhra my dad was in the pro stock class which a level under the funny cars/dragsters, speeds still 200+ atleast back then havnt followed nhra recently used to be 1\4 mile track now its 1000ft. watching these funny cars and dragsters at night is the best experience u will ever have you can feel the power in your guts. When i use to go with my dad as a kid they use to have actual jet engine cars they would do at night literally a jet on wheels. for sure do more nhra videos
Night racing is best for top fuel; it's like a rocket launch.
When you are there and a top fuel dragster jumps off the line the sound is so intense (especially by the tree - the lights) that you feel it more than hear it. All of your innards are rattled, literally rattled.
There are few experience’s that can match when two top fuel dragster’s launch from the line , the ground physically shakes , 100 ft away you are hit in the chest at the same time it feels like all the air has been sucked out of your lungs. You remember it for life !!!
Oh goodness I love Drag Racing we go every year to the Races in Ennis Texas about 2 hours from where we live in Texas . I love standing at the Gaurdwalls and hear and feel the rush of heat when the cars start ..... no other rush in the world feeling the heat and wind off the car as it takes off from the Tree
If you ever get the chance, you have to see it live. I don't know if they ever tour Europe, but I promise you it is an experience worth a bit of travel. I grew up watching it on TV, been a fan my entire life. But it wasn't until I got to go to my first race that I really appreciated it. The sound makes your bones rattle.
I’ve been to loads of NHRA races, World of Outlaws races, NASCAR races, and I can say for sure, NHRA is the outlier of the three. You can FEEL the engines when they fire off the line, it’s a great time.
Having been to the drags at Sears Point. You can feel the engine from the top of the stands in a private box, inside a room behind the window. You actually feel it in your chest.
The biggest NHRA race is held at Indianapolis Raceway Park (my hometown) on Labor Day weekend (first weekend in Sept.), approx 150,000- 200,000 people attend, there are several classes of dragsters, Top Fuel (long skinny cars) usually the fastest, Funny Car (bodies look like stock cars) Pro Stock (modified stock cars) Pro Stock Motorcycle, Top Gas (long skinny cars running on gasoline) Top Alcohol (long skinny cars running on alcohol) ...
Back in the 50's we would go to the drag strip every Saturday. Funny cars and rails were so much fun to watch
The official dragsters are the long nosed vehicles. You used to see a lot of races with them in the 90s. I missed it dearly. XD
My father ran funny cars and dragsters in CO in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Probably his best known car was the Hells Cargo which ran at both the winter and summer nationals. Spent a lot of my youth in the pits at the drag strip. It was a great way to grow up!
The craziest part isn’t the sound or the speed but the fact that they are so powerful, your vision gets fuzzy when they drive past
I have been able to stand between 2 Nitro Fuel dragsters on the start line.
On the launch , nothing will prepare you for the sensory over load you will experience !
I've been watching drag racing in the UK since the mid 1970s - drag racers are the best people going. What other major motorsport lets you wander around the pits, chat to the teams and watch them rebuild cars.
When I retired I started road tripping in the US where drag racing is major. I'm also into NASCAR and have driven a NASCAR around a few tracks including 16 laps of Daytona.
Save up and go to Talladega, a whole weekend of awesomeness, pick-ups on Saturday, cars on Sunday. I loved it, wonderful people in Alabama!
When those things launch, it literally feels like it punches you in the chest
I went a NHRA even when I was a kid. There was nothing like it. The smells, the sound. The feeling. When those things take off...the roar literally vibrates through you.
I used to own a 1967 Camaro that had a 749 cubic inch (12.28 liter) engine that developed 3,945 horsepower. It did a 5.17 second 1/4 mile (400m) at 267mph (430 kph).
I’ve had the opportunity to be on the starting line at a NHRA drag competition the noise is un describable and feels like the cars blow through you when they launch
The U.K. has a dragstrip called Santa Pod.
When you see these live, it shakes you so hard that your vision is blurry because you’re vibrating so much.
The first time I saw Fuel Dragsters was in the early 60's when anything over 200 and less than 8 seconds was an INCREDIBLE run, watching them smoke the tires through the quarter was a sight to behold. Back then, the speeds they are turning today were WAY BEYOND anything you could imagine.
The guy in the green his name is John Force and he and his daughters are a dynasty when it comes to NHRA racing!!!!!!!! They are champions and know how to race with the best of them
Check out "The Most Insane Dragster Ever" (about the Jade Warrior), "How 10,000 BHP Can Snap a Dragster" (about the forces that can lead Top Fuel dragsters to snap in half), "JET Dragsters: The Insane 320MPH Dragsters" (about jet-powered dragsters that used to be used in competition, but now are just seen in exposition runs), and "How Dragster Tyres Accelerate to 335MPH in 3.6 Seconds" (about the immense grip the rear tires on dragsters get [hence why you see them fold at 2:29]), all by Scott Mansell (no relation to Nigel Mansell) at Driver61.
3:23 This is John Force, the most successful drag racer in NHRA history. He holds the record for most consecutive championships in the NHRA, and I think in all of motorsports, at 10 in a row. He also has three daughter who have been active over the past decade and a half (Brittany Force, Ashley Force Hood, and Courtney Force-Rahal). Brittany Force is the second woman to win an NHRA championship (which she did in 2017), after Shirley Muldowney in 1977, 1980, and 1982.
4:34 Yes, there are four classes: Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle.
there are many different classes like daily drivers, motorcycles, to dragsters. you should check out the wrecks
It's rare anybody gets hurt, but it does happen. You have to be there to experience the ground shaking under your feet! It's amazing!!!!!
I'm the director of Emergency Services at Raceway Park, E'town. The cars are extremely safe the last fatality was at my track. The cars accelerate to 100 mph in less then 1 second with 4 to 5 G's pushing the driver back. On the other hand when they pull the chutes they get almost the same G load in reverse ! It slams them into the belts. They wear nomex underwear, a 5 layer firesuit plus gloves, helmet etc.
This is something you have to be in the crowd to believe just how fast those cars are. The roar of the engine shakes your chest
The fuel used, burns the ends off all 16 spark plugs so by time the run is over, the engine is "dieseling", using the heat and compression to keep the motor running.
There’s nothing like being at a drag strip and and experiencing the sound, the smells, the excitement and the sights.
I live 8 miles from an NHRA dragstrip. Top Fuel vibrates stuff inside my house when they run.
My Ex was totally into drag racing. It is VERY loud and intense. You can feel the vibration to your very core.
First!! Love the videos and you should watch the World Of Outlaws sprint car racing!!
Yeah thats been suggested and deffo going to check it out :)
Dude bet that would be awesome. I race at Williamsgrove and that’s a track the Outlaws race at.
You may not be aware, a top fuel dragster or funny car can be heard up to 8 miles away from the drag strip. I have stood next to the starting line .. it is truly mind bending, the noise and the pressure you feel.
My grandpa drove a drag car it was a 1969 cornet forget size of engine thing is a beast called orange elephant he has sense passed on earlier this year he lived a breathed the sport
My auto tech class invited by the US Army to the Carlisle PA drag track. It was amazing. Even better was sitting with my shop teacher and drinking a beer.
If you've never seen it in person there's nothing like it , I live 2 miles from Bandimere in denver and can hear every run of the big boys , fantastic
I live 20 miles from the closes straight track and when they run Top Fuel I can easily hear every run!!!!! :)
You can watch all kinds of videos of funny cars and top fuel dragsters with the headphones cranked up. That doesn't cut it. You have to be in the stands at the start line at least once in your lifetime. The sound vibration is so violent that the seating area shakes, you feel it through your body, the nitromethane smells evil and the odor of burnt tires is unforgettable. We took a deaf kid to the drags and he had to cover his ears because he got the sensation that angry wasps were flying inside his head.
Get down to santa pod when the pandemic/restrictions are over. Near Northampton.
Definitely keep checking out drag racing. My home track Summit Motorsports Park holds the annual Night Under Fire, bringing in these Funny Cars, Top Fuel Dragsters everything down to wheel standers that run a 1/4 mile on the back wheels. I'll tell you now, Theres nothing in the world like standing at the starting line smelling the nitro methane making your eyes and nose water, and then them taking off like a rocketship and feeling the vibration for miles around. Nothing like it
100% going to! Aweskme insight cheers mate!
@@TheBeesleys99 They have top fuel dragsters at Santa Pod. I know that you guys have had that track for years, and they do run top fuel there.
Until you experience an NHRA event in person, you'll never truly appreciate the power of these mechanical monsters. When they launch from the starting line, the sound will literally cause your bones to resonate! There's simply nothing like it on the planet.
Most drag races begin with a standing (stationary) start and are just 1/4 mile long (1,320 ft (400 m)). Races last between 3.9 and 17 seconds, with finishing speeds ranging from 80 to over 330 mph (530 km/h), depending upon the type of vehicle being used.
Circa Google.
Have to admit.......great video. Wasn't really expecting to find someone "across the pond" doing a video about Top Fuel, but I guess you can just about anything and everything on TH-cam. But Top Fuel really has to be put into perspective, and I saw a video on here awhile back that pretty much does just that.
Imagine if you will that you're sitting at the starting line, and just as the tree turns green a car hits even with you going 200mph(320kph for all the metric folks). And in about 700 feet, you have already caught that car that was going 200mph and passed it. THAT........is Top Fuel.
seeing it in a video doesnt do it justice. You have to go see it in person its soo damn awesome.
If you ever have the chance you HAVE to go to a NHRA event. There are no words to describe it. You literally feel it go through your body when they hit the throttle and leave the line.
Two of these cars coming off the line create a 2.0 earthquake on the Richter scale. I've been going to drag races since the late sixties it never gets old.
i live 15 miles from sonoma raceway i can hear them everytime they run. but the best way to watch this is in person.
I read somewhere that with the fastest class, that by the time the rear tires cross the start line, it's already doing 100 mph!
It is one thing to see a video of this happening, but this is an experience you have to FEEL to fully appreciate.
This is a must experience in person event, a great reason to visit Vegas! You don't know until you know! 10,000 - 11,000 Horse power, Nitro Methane Fuel. 0-330+ MPH in 1000 feet. The NHRA has many classes! Love the exposure to our sport!
Thunder valley dragway at Bristol has Street races. Anyone can bring anything and race. It is so much fun, never know what you are going to see. It has cut down so much on people having wrecks out on the roads drag racing.
To explain to our British spectator: The "funny cars" and the "rails" are the most powerful and extreme but there are many classes other than these beasts which are multi-million dollar business. The old "D-class" rail features six cylinder, naturally aspirated engines where 100 mph is rarely cleared. There are Pro-street cars which can be driven on the street. These vehicles are $10's of thousands. I had a friend that went from sprint cars to drag boats...