Mercedes Mullins
Top Fuel and Funny Cars are two categories of drag racing cars in the NHRA, the largest auto-racing organization in the world. Top Fuel dragsters are often referred to as the kings of the sport due to their incredible speed and power. They can cover a dragstrip in less than 3.7 seconds at speeds exceeding 330 mph. Funny Cars, on the other hand, have a shorter wheelbase and a carbon-fiber body resembling production-based automobiles. They can achieve speeds of over 330 mph and run in the 3.8-second range. While Top Fuel cars are known for their graceful handling, Funny Cars are more challenging to drive and require lightning-fast reflexes due to their instability. Despite Funny Cars being slightly slower, they have their own unique characteristics and both classes remain at the top of nitro drag racing.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Speed | Can run in the 3.8-second range and are capable of speeds in excess of 330 mph |
| Engine | Supercharged and fuel-injected 500-inch |
| Transmission | Does not use a transmission but rather transmits power to the huge Goodyear rear slicks through a multistage clutch assembly that is activated by timers |
| Weight | Generally between 1,975 and 2,125 pounds |
| Wheelbase | Shorter than a dragster |
| Body | Carbon-fiber body that loosely resembles a production-based automobile |
| Difficulty | Difficult to drive due to the shorter wheelbase and front-engine design |
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What You'll Learn
Top Fuel vs. Funny Car
Top Fuel dragsters are considered the "kings of the sport" and are among the fastest-accelerating machines in the world. They are capable of speeds of more than 330 mph and can cover a drag strip in less than 3.7 seconds. These dragsters are powered by supercharged and fuel-injected 500-cubic-inch adaptations of the Chrysler Hemi engine and burn up to 15 gallons of nitromethane fuel per run. Top Fuel cars are constructed from chromoly steel tubing and carbon-fiber composite, weigh 2,330 pounds, and are 25 feet long.
Funny Cars, on the other hand, have a shorter wheelbase and a carbon-fiber body that resembles a production-based automobile. They can achieve similar speeds to Top Fuel dragsters, with a range of 3.8 seconds and speeds exceeding 330 mph. Funny Cars are powered by the same supercharged and fuel-injected 500-inch engines as Top Fuel vehicles, but they have a different design with a shorter wheelbase and a front-engine layout, making them more challenging to drive and requiring lightning-fast reflexes from the driver.
The two types of cars differ in their appearance, with Top Fuel dragsters having skinny front tires and large slick rear tires, while Funny Cars resemble "factory hot rods" due to their resemblance to production cars.
Despite the speed advantage typically held by Top Fuel dragsters, there have been instances where Funny Cars have proven faster. In 1998, John Force achieved a speed of 323.35 mph in a Funny Car, surpassing the speed of five-time Top Fuel champion Joe Amato.
Both Top Fuel and Funny Car classes are featured in the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) Drag Racing Series, showcasing the incredible technology and engineering behind these powerful machines.
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Top Fuel dragsters
Despite their name, Top Fuel dragsters do not always come out on top in terms of speed. In 1998, John Force flipped the script when he piloted a Funny Car to a speed of 323.35 mph, outperforming five-time Top Fuel champion Joe Amato. Force repeated this feat the following year, proving that, in the right hands, a Funny Car can be faster than a Top Fuel dragster.
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Funny Car quirks
One of the most distinctive quirks of Funny Cars is their shorter wheelbase compared to Top Fuel dragsters. This design feature makes Funny Cars more unstable and challenging to drive, requiring lightning-fast reflexes from the driver to keep the car pointed in the right direction. The shorter wheelbase also contributes to the unique appearance of Funny Cars, which are often called "factory hot rods" due to their resemblance to production-based automobiles.
Another quirk of Funny Cars is their front-engine design, which further adds to the driving difficulty. The combination of the shorter wheelbase and front-engine layout results in a completely different driving experience compared to Top Fuel dragsters, which are known for their graceful handling and fine steering adjustments.
Funny Cars also have a unique power transmission system. Like Top Fuel dragsters, they do not use a traditional transmission. Instead, they transmit power to the rear wheels through a multistage clutch assembly that is activated by timers. This contributes to the unpredictable nature of Funny Cars, as any cylinder malfunction at speeds above 250 mph can cause the car to veer dangerously towards the wall.
Despite their quirks and challenges, Funny Cars have a rich history in drag racing, with notable figures such as John Force and Brittany Force achieving impressive speeds and breaking speed records in the class.
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Top Fuel speed records
Top Fuel dragsters are among the fastest-accelerating machines in the world. Powered by a supercharged and fuel-injected 500-cubic-inch adaptation of the famed Chrysler Hemi engine, these dragsters can burn up to 15 gallons of nitromethane fuel during a single run. They are constructed of chromoly steel tubing and carbon-fibre composite, are 25 feet long, and weigh 2,330 pounds in race-ready trim. Top Fuel dragsters are capable of speeds of over 330 mph, with the current national record being held by Brittany Force, who achieved a speed of 338.48 mph at the NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway. Force and her crew chief, David Grubnic, now own the 10 fastest speeds in NHRA Top Fuel history, with eight of her top fastest passes ranked between 12th and 20th.
Top Fuel dragsters are often referred to as the "kings of the sport" due to their incredible speed and performance. However, some people may find them less exciting than Funny Cars, which have a shorter wheelbase and a carbon-fibre body that loosely resembles a production-based automobile. This makes Funny Cars harder to drive and more unstable, requiring lightning-fast reflexes from their drivers. Despite this, both types of cars can achieve similar top speeds, with Funny Cars capable of speeds of over 330 mph.
The speed and performance of Top Fuel dragsters are a result of their powerful engines and lightweight construction. The supercharged and fuel-injected engines can produce up to 11,000 horsepower, allowing the cars to accelerate rapidly and reach high speeds in a short amount of time. The chromoly steel tubing and carbon-fibre composite construction provide the necessary strength and rigidity while keeping the weight of the car low.
While Top Fuel dragsters hold the current speed record, it is worth noting that Funny Cars have achieved faster speeds in the past. During the laid-back-header period in 2017, several Funny Car drivers ran faster than the current Top Fuel record. Additionally, Ron Capps' performance in Reading in 2019 also surpassed the Top Fuel record. Despite these achievements, Top Fuel dragsters continue to push the boundaries of speed and performance, with Brittany Force leading the way.
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Funny Car history
The history of funny cars in drag racing goes back to the mid-1960s. The term "funny" refers to the unusual wheelbases that some drag racers began to use during this period. These designs were intended to improve the vehicle's performance by shifting the centre of gravity to the rear of the chassis.
The first funny cars were significantly shorter than the traditional Top Fuel dragsters, and their proportions were considered quite funny at the time. In 1964, a pair of Dodge Charger exhibition vehicles, known as S/FXers, are believed to be some of the earliest examples of funny cars. They were powered by supercharged 480-cid Max Wedge engines and driven by Jimmy Nix and Jim Johnson.
In 1965, funny cars began to proliferate, with seven entries at the AHRA Winternationals featuring the radical altered wheelbases. By 1966, the NHRA hosted the Funny Car class as an official eliminator at the World Finals. However, it wasn't until 1969 that the NHRA created an official Funny Car class in Top Fuel, and the class truly took off.
During the 1970s, famous drivers such as Shirley Muldowney, Connie Kalitta, Ed "The Ace" McCulloch, and Don Prudhomme played a significant role in building the division's popularity. In 1970, Leroy Goldstein, known as "The Israeli Rocket", set a new record with a 6.99 pass at Capitol Raceway, becoming the first Funny Car to go under seven seconds.
In the 1980s, legends like Kenny Bernstein and John Force emerged, with Force dominating the scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During the 1990s, funny cars continued to push the boundaries, approaching speeds of 300 mph. New drivers, such as Tony and Cruz Pedregon and Ron Capps, joined the ranks alongside the enduring John Force.
Today, funny cars can rival or even surpass Top Fuel dragsters in performance. They are capable of speeds exceeding 330 mph and have turned in sub-four-second passes on shortened tracks. Fielding a Funny Car team comes with a hefty price tag, costing millions of dollars.
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Frequently asked questions
A Top Fuel Funny Car is a type of drag racing car. They are similar to Top Fuel dragsters but with a shorter wheelbase and a carbon-fiber body that loosely resembles a production-based automobile.
Top Fuel Funny Cars are capable of speeds in excess of 330 mph.
Top Fuel Funny Cars are powered by supercharged and fuel-injected 500-inch engines.
Top Fuel Funny Cars are constructed from chromoly steel tubing and carbon-fiber composite. They weigh around 2,330 pounds.
