OK, this appeared in my feed because I commented on some British guy's reaction to NHRA. I'm English btw, but live in the US, and seen a few very good days at Indy, so I KNOW what that first experience is of seeing/hearing/feeling your first launch of top fuel. Top alcohol will rattle your bones, but top fuel is a surreal experience. I have to applaud those ladies. I jumped 3 foot off the stands !
And you smell it too. I don’t care how much you watch it on television you can’t get the full scope of actually how fast they’re going until you’re there watching. The fastest accelerating vehicle on the planet.
@@catey62 And you SHOULD have them in Australia - for maximum enjoyment. But it is a lot of fun when people from everywhere get together. Do you do what I used to do 30 years ago? When I pulled up next to a cop at a stop light I would roll down my window and ask, "When the light turns green do you want to race for pink slips? (ownership certificates). The cops would generally give me a look and then we'd both start laughing. I don't do that any longer. I'm 84 and I don't think the cops have the sense of humor they had back them.
I was a teenager first time I went to a drug race, I'm 71 years old now it was a small track about 30 miles from where I lived and it was only an eighth of a mile. But I'll never forget my chest felt like it was moving in and out with the pressure
@@kenforu1531 I used to watch John Force at the Late Great O.C.I.R. One of two things happened. Either he blew the body off or he crashed into the wall sometimes both. But I thought if he could ever get it figured out he might be good at it. Then he teamed up with Austin Coil and we all know how that turned out.
They still pop blowers, but with all the ballistic shielding, it's not as spectacular as it used to be. I remember a photo, many years ago, from Indy. The blower was higher than the crossover bridge! A TV camera man, on scaffolding, was killed by a blower, also at Indy. Back in the early 80's we were at the AHRA Nationals at Alamo Dragway. A blower barely missed us. Thank God for all the safety equipment these things have now!
as an older guy, I find it amazing that people attend "live" events and then spend half their time watching it via their phone camera/video ??? WTF... just enjoy being there
The reaction IS the event. It's different every time. That's the spectacle. Watching people wrap their mind around a little 500ci engine and dinosaur blowing doing all this.
I'm guessing the one thing not being mentioned is the physical shock way their whole body just felt? And surprise, I've never seen one either, but I can understand their shock and surprise
That is what 12,000 (24,000 for 2 cars) horsepower does coming off the starting line. I've been going to see the kings of the sport for over 20 years. Always much better seeing it live than on t.v.
Not to be the party pooper, but none of those three were using hearing protection. the earplugs need to go in the ear hole, not simply touch it. this is a common thing and I saw it in the military often. it can cause a confidence that will lead to permanent hearing damage and tinnitus as the person thinks they are protected, but they are not.
This is weak. Everyone i have taken to track for the first time stands at the starting line fence with no ear plugs for the first pair. All were completely freaked out including friends who were hardcore nascar fans telling me how loud it was and i laughed and told them i will show you loud none of them believed me until they went to race it took them a while to process what heard/felt/saw/smell total sensory overload. My wife was speechless for five min thought she got the wind knocked out. These ladies sitting up in the stands with ear plugs? nah
I love watching the newbies at the NHRA events. I used to work at Sears Point Raceway, so im quite familiar. The best place to sit is at the thousand foot mark, where all of the engines power is being applied directly to the ground! It's so loud that your eyeballs will rattle in your head!
I take all first timers to the fence at the starting line -no ear plugs for the full sensory overload. Nascar fans are worst/best telling me how loud they are until they see this and freak out.
