Fuel dragster show on Speed.

[donsrods]

Did anyone catch the show on Speed last night about fuel dragsters? For a change it was a car show without drama, no BS, and was actually intelligently done and fun to watch.

They went into great depths on how the frames are made, how the systems work, and how the crews maintain them between races. For example, they completely rebuild the motor and driveline between races, usually in half an hour! I can't change a carburetor in half an hour.

The support trailers are amazing with all kinds of spare parts and tools, and the crews are some very talented technicians. They also showed the fuel line that runs from the tank to the injector pump and it is 3 inches in diameter and the pump will flow 90 gallons per minute. They burn about 13 gallons of nitro on a run. It costs between $ 10,000 and $14,000 to make each pass.

I normally am not a real fan of current drag racing, but it sure was interesting to watch. Now if TV starts having those kinds of smart programs it might be worth watching again.

Don

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

I missed it, but I'm sure they'll run it again. Do you recall the name of the program?

I'm with ya on current drag racing, but like you say, no drama, no BS TV is hard to find.

 

[donsrods]

It was on Speedmakers and the title was Top Fuel Dragsters.

Don

 

[bob w]

The performance is utterly amazing. No doubt about it. Thing that bothers me is the engines only last 5 seconds. I've thought about how the powers that be could change the rules to eliminate that circumstance. There is just something fundamentally wrong with the current practice.

Even the nostalgia fuel cars have to rebuild after every run.

Just too much money required to race a fuel car.

Thanks for the heads up, Don. I'll look for the show.

 

[maverickmk]

If it's the show I'm thinking of I've seen it before. It is awesome.

 

[donsrods]

The show was a real eye opener of how serious these guys are that race Top Fuel. The cars make 8000 hp and the slicks cost $ 1000 each, and last one run. They take 8 sets of slicks with them for the typical meet, which means the tires alone are $ 16,000 per race day. The driver gets about 5 gs of force during the run and 7 gs of reverse force when the shoot pops.

The engines hold 16 quarts of oil and although the engines are all based on the early hemi design they are all custom made new blocks and heads. It takes them 4 minutes to strip the engine to a bare block.

I guess I won't be going fuel dragster racing any time soon.

Don

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

Thanks Don, I'll watch for a rerun.

The performance is utterly amazing. No doubt about it. Thing that bothers me is the engines only last 5 seconds. I've thought about how the powers that be could change the rules to eliminate that circumstance. There is just something fundamentally wrong with the current practice.

Even the nostalgia fuel cars have to rebuild after every run.

Corporate money killed fuel racing, and NHRA is right there with their hand out. They could easily change the rules to keep things sane, but it'll never happen. Last time I was in Brainerd, (1998) we poked around Force's pit a little. His guys had the back door of one his trailers open, and I counted 14 complete bullets before they closed it. That's why an engine is used up in 5 seconds. Those guys run on the ragged edge and don't care how much scrap they make.

Nostalgia racing is out of control, too. Look at who the players are. Austin, Plueger, Leong, etc., etc. No place for the little guy in that field either, it's become a playground for the guys who got rich in the big league.

I wish there was a set of rules and a place for the average Joe with limited money. It wouldn't be hard. For example, have a one engine rule. If you break it, you're out. Tear it down if you want to, repair it if you can, but if that block is done, so are you. Speaking from experience, you CAN make multiple runs on a fuel hemi without destroying it. Tune it within reason, and it'll live. Call me a dreamer, but with the right set of rules, you could see 32 car fields again. Fast losers become alternates for the broken. If the fans can't see at least 4 rounds of fuel racing, there's something wrong.

Remember when NHRA ran fuel at divisional races? That's where the little guy could play.

Sorry for taking off on a rant, but the subject gets under my skin, I could go on and on...

 

[bob w]

Limit wheelbase to quite a bit less than 300", tire size, blower size and overdrive, single fuel pump and magneto.

A friend of mine ran a match race funny car with roughly the above set up. Never blew up a motor. Wore out some parts but only used two blocks in 5 years.

I remember when the big names like Garlits would show up for a local match race with one engine in the car and a spare short block strapped on the trailer. They would run at 3 -4 strips in a week. If they broke a motor they would be in a shop in whatever town they were in building a new one all night. No racks of engines in a semi. But those were iron blocks and iron heads. And the cars were slower than current Pro Stocks.

The current crop of nostalgia Top Fuel cars are really state of the art front engine cars and don't resemble the old fuelers. With the small spec slick they run, they slip the clutch so much there is clouds of black dust trailing the car. And they melt the pistons in the traps on every run.

In spite of all this complaining I'll be watching the March Meet from Famoso on Bangshift.com.

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

You've got it all nailed down Bob. "Nostalgia" funnycars are much the same. State of the art cars thinly cloaked with "old" bodies.

I guess what I wish for is nostalgia fuel racing with some older technology, and let it be fun like match racing was. It just kills me that the independent racer doesn't have a place in the sport anymore. I remember seeing Al Segrini in the lanes at the '98 Winternats. Single mag, single pump, Donovan power I believe. Then I looked around at the rest of the iron, and thought this is the death of the sport as we know it. Segrini wasn't alone. If memory serves me, there were 33 Fuel F/C's in the pits. More than half were small independents. Lots of good racers and a few got in the show. Unheard of today.

Take those same independents and give them rules like you suggest. Sure they'll burn some pistons, but they'll get 'em down the track and won't break the bank.

Ok. I'll shut up now. I'll be watching the March Meet too, and wishing I was there. (I wouldn't mind going today, it's 30 below here).