[masraum]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Yup, I've been following their progress, as the father of an SAE program alumni at the University of Washington (wish this were available back in my time). These kids are doing fantastic work. I really love this stuff.

All of that said, however, this talk about "records"... hmmm... A Top Fuel car goes zero to 100 MPH, not KM/H, in .80 seconds. Zero to 60 MPH in about .40 seconds. In other words, in about the length of its own wheelbase, a Top Fuel car exceeds 60 MPH.

So I have a foot in both camps. A son who did the whole SAE program, and I wrenched on a funny car in the early '90's. I'm rooting for both. Love what these kids are doing, but they are not even approaching the real "records". It's like no one involved is even aware of American drag racing.

Yep, a bit different way to the goal, and impressive in different ways. What's the current theory that top fuel rails are running 10,000hp or is it more. Then there's the huge wrinkle wall slicks on the super sticky drag strip starting line.

Originally Posted by Superman

There are things I have trouble wrapping my mind around. Don't believe me? Just ask anyone on PARF.

0-100 mph in 0.8 seconds? Hard to believe tires can get that much traction against a surface that is parallel to the line of acceleration. But then....I still think engines are held together by Magical Powers. Most passenger cars redline at just above 100 revolutions per second. Motorcycles can double that. 100 explosions per second. How?

It's crazy, the facts about dragsters are insane.

Granted, the surface of a drag strip isn't exactly the same as the street in front of your house.


This video has some cool facts about dragsters.