I brought my (ex) girlfriend to the drag strip a couple of years ago and made sure we went in the pits. It's one thing to watch top fuel, and a whole different sensory experience to watch them start up, nostrils burning, eyes watering, and chest pounding from 10,000+ hp just feet away. I forgot to tell her about the throttle cracks and she got the hell scared out of her when they did it
Thank you for this video. If the "Glade air freshener company" ever comes up with a fragrance called " Burnt rubber mixed with nitro methane" . I will buy a case immediately!
My two favorite parts of these videos are when the biggest guy on the crew walks towards the back of the car like he's getting ready to ride a dragon, and when there's a mob of people milling around that obviously have no idea what's coming.
The fuel these things run on is soooo volutile and explosively dangerous, they have to start them on alcohol then switch over to the "NITROMETHANE" while it's running! And when they rev them up! The end of the world sounds like it's coming! Truly beautiful!
That Nitro must burn very volatile but maybe not as efficient as gas or alcohol, not sure how that works. I know a good portion of that stuff is blown out the exhaust and ignites.
Actually it's a very slow burning fuel . . .but when you compress it it's well beyond comprehension unless you've witnessed these things opened up unleashing round 11,000 hp each 🤘🤘🤘
Here's a snippet from wiki. While nitromethane has a much lower energy density than either gasoline or methanol an engine burning nitromethane can produce up to 2.4 times as much power as an engine burning gasoline. This is made possible by the fact that, in addition to fuel, an engine needs oxygen in order to generate force: 14.7 kg (32 lb) of air (21% oxygen) is required to burn one kilogram (2.2 lb) of gasoline, compared to only 1.7 kg (3.7 lb) of air for one kilogram of nitromethane, which, unlike gasoline, already has oxygen in its molecular composition. For a given amount of air consumed, this means that an engine can burn 7.6 times more nitromethane than gasoline. Nitromethane also has a high latent heat of vaporization, meaning that it will absorb substantial engine heat as it vaporizes, providing an invaluable cooling mechanism. You're welcome.
I know the feeling of the tears and burning of the eyes, I haven't been to see the big boys since the late 80s and early 90's. I used to go every year to the Cajun nationals in erwinville in Louisiana, they stopped having them, I miss them so bad, now they're so much quicker, I remember my eyes burning and having tiny fragments of rubber hit my face after the burnouts.
I have been to drags, and they are loud. In 83 I went to Indy. They brought out 4 cars from the past events and put them at the entrance of pit road. I was at the top of turn four stands much farther than in the stands at a drag race. When they started the cars at Indy it was ear splitting loud with my fingers in my ears. They had planned to drive them around the track but couldn't because of the sound volume.
I just got back from an alcohol race in Kearney Nebraska today, I dont remember much of NHRA from my childhood but now I'm stoked to see these MONSTERS in person!
It's a drag racing right of passage. If you do it just once and live to be 120 years old,you just get it and nod to yourself when ever you see somebody else experiencing it.
Standing next to these at Avon Park Raceway is something I will never forgot , simply amazing sound and physical experience. How they rattle and vibrate your chest is a weird feeling lol 😊
I went as far as sending an email to yankee candle (I have 4 girls and mama judge all you want about knowing yankee candle) about getting race fuel (torqo), meth/top fuel, dirt track, and fresh cut grass. Responded with "we are working on fresh cut grass". Nothing about the other ideas.... guess I am not the target customer base.....
So much fuel is hitting the cylinders and being compressed that it essentially becomes a solid before ignition. The engine is operating on the brink of hydraulic lockup! When they do lockup the force blows the heads right off the block. They’re literally only good for a few thousand rpm before it’s time to rebuild. One run and done ✅
I’ll be glad when they find a cure for this stupid crovid 19 20 21, stuff, then we can go back to the tracks in force, nice start ups , it is funny to watch the tough guys , cry and step back out of the fuel smoke, real tough guys not that tough in the top fuel smoke, fumes, thanks BigAl California.
Great video man. We're at 12:39. Lex Joon team. I'm the tall skinny guy on the right doing the starter and standing next to the motor. Bristol is a beautiful track. What day did you shoot this? Saturday or Sunday?
@@WoTZIT123 I simply emailed Lex and asked him if I could come out and give it a try. Bristol was only my 4th weekend with the team. We put Leah Prichett on the trailer Sunday round 1! It was awesome. We then lost to Dom Lagana round 2.
@@WoTZIT123 I emailed the driver/owner/tuner of the car I was interested in and asked to give it a try. I was willing to pay my own way and not asking for a handout. I wanted to earn it. I'm looking forward to starting back at it at Gainseville in March 2020.
@@ohnoitisnt Yes, when the funds are available, but on another team. I'm now with Leverich racing. Our first race is the Gators in less than 2 weeks. I will be wearing my video glasses so I will post more videos soon. You'll be notified of new videos if you subscribe. Do you attend any national events?
Honestly the the tune ups in the pits are better than the races just my opinion though. Unless you were right there with the pit crew right behind the car when they launch. That would be the ultimate high!
Nitromethane is the fuel they use. That fuel is naturally extremely Smokey. It's literally nitro smoke mixed with nitric acid. When Nitromethane burns off it releases nitric acid. But too answer your question the gas is just naturally like that.
@@theaccelerator4908 , Okay. I've been to multiple races. Yes the nitro burns your eyes and lungs. It's nitric acid in gas form as it's been boiled in the cylinder. Nitric acid is formed because of the humidity in the air and unwanted water that has scavenged its way into the fuel mostly in the methanol.
I mean you could dyno one of those engines if you have the money too. But it would be hard too since every time they go under full load. The spark plugs melt, certain engine parts have to be rebuilt. So it’s also just super expensive to take a top fuel motor and just put It on a dunk
watchyMCFCwatchy it’s the nitro crackle. I don’t know the full science behind it. But I know your hearin what we call the nitro crackle. Look it up on some other videos
It's all cam timing. Huge valve lift & valve overlap. Low static compression around 6.5 to 1. With the blower forcing air into the engine can double that number.
It’s becoming less common here in the UK, is it something to do with how the transmission and clutches have developed, or do we just not have the sponsorship to blow a gallon of fuel in one squirt !?
Oh the mic , give this no justice, if you ever get a chance to go to a drag meet, you will see the difference, in person is way better, get on a team and go the the tracks with the top fuel ⛽️ team , ok , kool thanks y’all BigAl California.
They don’t use different fuel bro, they turn the engine on the starter to get oil and fuel pressure, then they turn on the magnetos and she fires up, that is your “switch” to nitro, it’s all nitro all the time
They actually spray in with a little bottle a little bit of meth before they switch over. That’s why you see them pour in that fuel with a little bottle. That’s meth to get the engine going then they quickly switch too full nitro
The first 5 minutes were used with my camcorder. But the rest was on my phone. Idk why the sound came out weird using my phone. Normally its really good
Mike Smith Yeah I just got a new microphone a couple of days ago. Sadly I haven’t been able to use it because of the virus going around. I am going to a NHRA event in may hopefully.
