Watching today and had a thought. How much sound do you think the top fuelers hear going down the track. There out in front of the engine going that fast away from the sound right. Just a crazy thought I've always wondered.
Watching today and had a thought. How much sound do you think the top fuelers hear going down the track. There out in front of the engine going that fast away from the sound right. Just a crazy thought I've always wondered.
Don’t know about the noise. But I have heard when the chute comes out it is a lot of g sss. I really hope John Force comes back this year.
Give it time, there are probably many former world record holders here.
No idea on what they hear, but it's an awesome sight, sound and feel at the starting line or anywhere down track when they make a pass. Everyone should experience it at least once.
It has got to be loud. When they used to do exhibition runs around here the track was 8 miles as the crow flies from my house and I could hear them run.
I agree, it’s something everyone needs to experience at least once.
The Route 66 Raceway in Joliet,IL is 30 miles from me.
At times I have been able to hear the fuel dragsters when the weather is just right for it.
They are travelling slower than the speed of sound and they are not moving away from the engine. Pretty sure it is loud and I imaging just the wind noise is pretty loud but they then again they are in a bubble/void.
Originally Posted by jbsoonerfan
If you've never been to an NHRA Top Fuel event, I recommend going at least once. The power and noise is incredible! Bring ear plugs. Sit about half track, too. You'll feel the power pounding on your chest.
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2005 Lund Rebel SS 1650 w/25 HP Merc 4-stroke
USAF 1985 - 2006 NKAWTG!
This is so true. You really dont know what its like unless you have been there. Heck just sitting in the stands when they are firing up the big boys in the pits is amazing.
Don't know how factual all of this is but its a fun read.
-One Top Fuel dragster 500 cubic inch Hemi engine makes more horsepower than the first 4 rows at the Daytona 500. They have over half again as much horsepower in one cylinder as a Dodge Viper has in all ten. No one has ever successfully run one long enough on a dyno to get a horsepower reading. Current estimates are right around 6,000 horsepower.
-Under full throttle, a dragster engine consumes 1-1/2 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 Hemi V8 engine cannot produce enough power to drive the dragster supercharger. The fuel pump alone requires more horsepower to turn than the average street car produces.
-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.
-The 1.7:1 air/fuel mixture for nitro methane produces a 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, disassociated from atmospheric water vapour 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 the run, the engine is dieseling from compression plus the glow of exhaust valves at 1400 degrees F. The engine can only be shut down by running the car out of fuel. There is no way to cut off the fuel; the engine stops only when it blows or the tank runs dry.
-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 an average of over 4G's. In order to reach 200 mph well before half-track, the launch acceleration approaches 8G's. To put this in perspective; a top fuel dragster, parked next to a Super Hornet on the steam catapult on the deck of an aircraft carrier, would be in the water and sinking before the Super Hornet was halfway down the deck.
-Dragsters reach over 300 miles per hour before you have completed reading this sentence.
-Top Fuel Engines only turn approximately 540 revolutions from light to light!
-Including the burnout, the engine must only survive 900 revolutions under load. They only survive about 80% of the time.
-Redline at 9500 rpm.
-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 engine is entirely rebuilt every run, or every 900 revolutions. New pistons and rings, new rods, new rod bearings. Sometimes a new crank. The crew does this in about two hours between rounds.
-The current Top Fuel dragster elapsed time record is 4.441 seconds for the quarter mile. The top speed record is 333.00 mph (533 km/h) as measured over the last 66' of the run.
-Putting all of this into perspective: You are driving the average $140,000 Lingenfelter "twin-turbo" powered Corvette Z06. 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 Vette hard up through the gears and blast across the starting line and past the dragster at an honest 200 mph. The 'tree' goes green for both of you at that moment. The dragster launches and starts after you. You keep your foot down 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 200 mph and not only caught, but nearly blasted you off the road when he passed you within a mere 1320 foot long race course.
Every child should be taught this in school.
...Less than 4 seconds worth
Garlits quit racing due to the acceleration and deceleration g-forces on his retinas. Top Fuelers much quicker now, must feel like it's pulling you out of your skin.
Good Thread a lot of interesting information Thanks
It's crazy loud.. I've done the ride along in a two seater at 267 mph.
I had a big block Chevy in a dragster that ran 4.90 long ago in the eighth mile. Under power you could hear it but it wasn't loud. Probably louder on the driver at the starting line than it is on the other end. I have sat at halftrack at a NHRA event and the feeling you get is eerie feeling when they make a pass. You can just feel the power as they make a pass.
Make sure you go to the pits and stand next to a funny car while they’re testing it. Your nose and eyes will love it! Lol
Alot of Great information here, but a little dated. A Top Fuel motor produces approximately 11,000 horsepower...NO, not a typo. They're only running to 1000 feet not the full quarter mile. The Top Fuel record is 3.623 seconds @ 338 mph...believe it or not, the FunnyCar record, by Robert Hight is 339mph...they are both awesome and amazing to watch...and the fuel consumption is just a hair under 2 Gallons per second!!! Ohhh, and the fuel costs $1450 for 40 Gallons...they're trying to bring that cost down!! Lol lol
Last edited by 20DC BULLET; 01-09-2021 at 07:55 PM.
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