Top Fuel Dragster ??

Jordan(OH) wrote: Freebie only races to beat the train

Evidently Never Raced Freegas.

Thad in AR. wrote: I used to change the oil on my dirt cars every other week. 7quarts. I also changed back and right front tires every week or every other at the least. I bought Hoosier 970’s by the pickup load. Imagine all the tires used up in a NASCAR weekend. I think I read once that cup averages 400 Goodyears a week???

 

Sub 4’s can be done, and what? 310-325??? I don’t follow it either.

Back in the late 1970's I was in the Marines and was stationed near the old Orange County International Raceway (now defunct) in southern California. My buddies and I regularly attended the drag races there and at that time it was easy to get into the pits to watch the race crews.

There were mostly Keith Black  and Donovan hemi engines being used at that time; those engines have the entire bottom end designed as one piece, what would be the oil pan has the main bearing caps built into it as a large, sturdy framework.

When they drained the oil out it was a nasty, yellowish, stinky mess from the nitro-methane contamination after just one pass down the strip.

Using air tools they could pull the "oil pan" in less than a minute; back then they didn't always pull the pistons and heads every run but I believe they may do that nowadays, I haven't really kept up with the craft in recent years.

ET's were in the low 6's then with the fastest cars breaking into the high 5's. I understand they are quite a bit quicker than that now.

That's what I thought too.

What is harrassy????

Wayne180d wrote: I thought I read somewhere those top fuel dragsters burn like 12 to 15 gallons of fuel in their 1/4-mile run.

LouSWPA wrote: Thad in AR. wrote: I used to change the oil on my dirt cars every other week. 7quarts. I also changed back and right front tires every week or every other at the least. I bought Hoosier 970’s by the pickup load. Imagine all the tires used up in a NASCAR weekend. I think I read once that cup averages 400 Goodyears a week??? I would have guessed more than that, but that's what it would have been, a guess. that would be 9.3 tires per car, or 2.3 changes per car per race. I know they don't always take four, and there are always some who drop our early, but still seems low to me. but I was wrong once before......well, i thought I was wrong, turns out I was mistaken!

Lou I just did a quick search.
Cup is allowed 15 sets of tires per team for the Daytona 500.
That would be 2400 for that weekend just the cup teams.👀

Thad in AR. wrote: I used to change the oil on my dirt cars every other week. 7quarts. I also changed back and right front tires every week or every other at the least. I bought Hoosier 970’s by the pickup load. Imagine all the tires used up in a NASCAR weekend. I think I read once that cup averages 400 Goodyears a week??? I would have guessed more than that, but that's what it would have been, a guess. that would be 9.3 tires per car, or 2.3 changes per car per race. I know they don't always take four, and there are always some who drop our early, but still seems low to me. but I was wrong once before......well, i thought I was wrong, turns out I was mistaken!

DMiller wrote: TBH These engines are configured quite different from other engines. Yes dry sump but only 12 Qts on average. No cooling system as do not need where the massive flow of air and alcohol does act to cool them Engine only has two rings, oil control and a compression changed every tear down which leads to oil itself. Most use a basic 70 wt oil, clearances in the engine are not designed for longevity but duration of race. Oil becomes so alcohol diluted during a run it has to be discarded, as the injection system floods the cylinders with the fuel much of which gets past the rings. They are far from economical as consume some four to five gallons of Nitromethane Methanol fuel for a quarter mile.

There used to be a IHRA sanctioned track on part of the old air base at Scribner NE. Once a year, the top fuel dragsters would be there. Always amazed my how when those cars would go by, my fountain pop would fizz over the top, just from the vibrations.

Never been to a top fuel drag event.  But, I can remember the first tractor pull I went to at Bowling Green, OH and the Ohio State Fair!  Similar awakening to having "seen" it on TV I'm sure.  Even the time 43 cars came by me at 200mph as I was walking by the fence!  Some things the ol' TV doesn't do justice for sure!