Sylvie Willis
Top Fuel dragsters are the quickest-accelerating racing cars in the world, reaching speeds of up to 339 miles per hour. They are the fastest sanctioned category of drag racing. The first official drag strip for racing was opened in 1950 by C.J. Hart, but the history of drag racing goes back further, to the early days of motoring when illegal races took place on dry lake beds and two-lane strips of roadway. The sport has evolved since then, with different classes of vehicles and ever-increasing speeds. The top fuel dragster is a purpose-built machine, using a mix of 90% nitromethane and 10% alcohol to achieve its powerful performance.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who invented it? | It is unclear who invented top-fuel drag racing, but the sport evolved from illegal races on dry lake beds and two-lane strips of roadway. The first official drag strip was opened in 1950 by C.J. Hart. The NHRA, or National Hot Rod Association, was formed by fans who wanted to develop rules and regulations for the sport. |
| First top-fuel dragster | The first slingshot dragster was built by Mickey Thompson in 1954. The first purpose-built rear-engined dragster was the Smokin' White Owl, built by George "Ollie" Morris in 1954. |
| First top-fuel run | The first five-second top-fuel run was made by Mike Snively in 1972. |
| First female driver | Shirley Muldowney was the first female driver in the Top Fuel category and the first woman to obtain a Top Fuel license in 1973. |
| Fastest speed | Top-fuel dragsters are the quickest-accelerating racing cars in the world, reaching speeds of up to 339 mph (545 km/h). |
| Engine | Top-fuel dragsters use supercharged, nitro-burning engines, burning up to 15 gallons of nitromethane fuel during a single run. |
| Chassis | Top-fuel dragsters are constructed of chromoly steel tubing and carbon-fiber composite, weighing 2,330 pounds in race-ready trim. |
| Safety | Due to the dangerous nature of top-fuel drag racing, safety equipment is required, including full-face helmets, fire suits, fire extinguishers, and externally accessible fuel and ignition shut-offs. |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Wally Parks and the Road Runners Club
Wally Parks, born in 1913 in Goltry, Oklahoma, is often credited as the founder of organized drag racing. His family moved to Southern California in the early 1920s, where Parks developed an interest in cars. In the early 1930s, racing fans gathered at exhibitions on the dry lake beds of Southern California, where Parks raced a modified 1924 Chevrolet. In 1937, Parks joined the Road Runners Club, one of the nation's first hot-rod car clubs.
The Road Runners Club was formed in 1937 by Wally Parks, who was fascinated by performance vehicles after attending his first dry lake speed trials event in the 1930s. The club was based in Southern California, where the dry lakebeds were wide-open and available to hot rodders to drive as fast as they dared. Parks and other members of the Road Runners Club were instrumental in the formation of the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) in 1947, one of the nation's first hot-rod car clubs. Under Parks' leadership, the SCTA organized the first Speed Week at the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1949.
After serving in World War II as a military tank test driver for General Motors, Parks returned to his passion for hot rods and became the general manager of the SCTA, organizing races and car shows. In 1947, Parks, together with Bob Petersen and Bob Lindsay, established Hot Rod magazine in Los Angeles, with Parks serving as its first editor. Using Hot Rod magazine as a platform, Parks promoted legal drag racing to enthusiasts of speed and power, as well as to a mainstream audience.
In 1951, Wally Parks formed the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) and became its first president. The NHRA's first official race was held at the L.A. County Fairgrounds in Pomona in 1953, and two years later, in 1955, the first national event was run in Great Bend, Kansas. The NHRA worked to standardize drag racing, with cars in similar classifications racing a quarter-mile from a standing start. Parks was instrumental in moving drag racing from the backroads of America to professional racetracks, and his legacy continues to impact the sport today.
Cars: Fuel Consumption While Stationary, Explained
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Mickey Thompson's Panorama City Special
The Panorama City Special, designed by Mickey Thompson, is believed to be the first "slingshot" dragster. It debuted in 1955 at the first NHRA U.S. Nationals in Great Bend, Kansas. The car was sponsored by Fritz Burns, a real-estate magnate in Southern California’s San Fernando Valley who also owned the San Fernando Drag Strip and much of Panorama City.
The Panorama City Special featured a full body, including skirted rear wheels, and a cockpit windshield wrapping around and over the driver. The steel front wheels were covered by lakester-style wheel discs (Moon discs). The wheelbase was only 97 inches (2,500 mm). In its initial outing, the car hit a speed of 142 mph (229 km/h), while other competitors were reaching almost 150 mph (240 km/h). Later in 1955, it became the first single-engined fueller to exceed 150 mph, recording a speed of 151.26 mph (243.43 km/h).
The design of the Panorama City Special, with the driver sitting between or behind the rear tires, became known as the slingshot style. This design originated with the Panorama City Special and was a way of improving traction. The position of the driver, however, led to many injuries when catastrophic clutch failures occurred.
Mickey Thompson was a hot rodder who built the first slingshot in 1954. He also competed with the Panorama City Special at the 1955 Nationals in Great Bend, Kansas.
Using VP Racing Fuel in Your Car: Is It Safe?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The National Hot Rod Association
The NHRA sanctions races for a variety of vehicles, including Top Fuel dragsters, which are the quickest-accelerating racing cars in the world. Top Fuel dragsters can reach speeds of over 330 miles per hour and can go from 0 to 100 miles per hour in under a second. The first five-second Top Fuel run was made in 1972 by Mike Snively at the NHRA Springnationals.
The NHRA has introduced rules to improve safety in the sport, particularly due to the dangers of Top Fuel drag racing. Top Fuel dragsters generate around 150 dB of sound at full throttle, which can cause physical pain or permanent damage, and spectators are advised to wear ear protection. The cars also require a lot of safety equipment, including full-body fire suits, fire extinguishers, and externally accessible fuel and ignition shut-offs.
The NHRA has also influenced the design of dragsters over time. Originally, dragsters had front-mounted engines, but this led to many fatalities due to clutch failures. The NHRA outlawed front-engined dragsters in 1972, and since then, rear-engined designs have become the standard.
Cars and Fossil Fuels: What's the Emission Connection?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Top Fuel dragster design and construction
Top Fuel dragsters are the quickest accelerating racing cars in the world, reaching speeds of up to 338.94 miles per hour (545.5 km/h) and finishing 1,000-foot (304.8 m) runs in 3.641 seconds. They can accelerate from 0 to 100 mph in 0.8 seconds, subjecting the driver to an average acceleration of about 4.0 g0 (39 m/s2) and a peak of over 5.6 g0 (55 m/s2).
The design of dragsters has evolved over time, from the front-engined rail of the earliest days of drag racing, to the "'slingshot" of the 1960s, and the "modern" type common in the 1970s. The first slingshot was built by Mickey Thompson in 1954, and the first purpose-built rear-engined dragster, the Smokin' White Owl, was built by George "Ollie" Morris in the same year. The Smokin' White Owl was also the first car to use a Chevrolet V8 engine.
In the 1950s and 1960s, twin-engined and quad-engined designs raced, but today, dragsters are most commonly single-engined. The engines are most often derived from automobiles, with some early examples using surplus aircraft engines. Today, they may also be electric.
Dragsters can be categorised based on the fuel they use: gasoline, methanol, and nitromethane. Nitromethane was introduced in 1957 and was notorious for being volatile, propelling cars to unprecedented speeds. The slow burn rate of nitromethane means that some unignited fuel can escape from the exhaust pipe and ignite on contact with atmospheric oxygen, burning with a yellow flame.
The basic layout of a Top Fuel dragster is similar to the 1964 Dodge Hemi 426 V8, with 16 pushrod-activated valves, two spark plugs for each cylinder, and a total displacement of 500 cubic inches. The exact horsepower of a Top Fuel dragster is unknown, but estimates are in the 8,000 neighbourhood. The engine generates around 150 dB of sound at full throttle, which can cause physical pain or even permanent damage.
The tyres of a Top Fuel dragster are specially constructed to transfer rotational energy to forward speed. The bias-ply tyres change diameter over a run, with a starting diameter of 36 inches, expanding to a final diameter of 44 inches. The special blend of tread rubber adheres to the adhesive applied to the track, creating a grip akin to driving on flypaper.
Old Fuel's Impact: Why Your Car May Be Smoking
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Top Fuel dragster safety equipment
Top Fuel drag racing is a category of racing that involves the quickest-accelerating racing cars in the world. The cars can go from a standstill to 100 mph in as little as 0.8 seconds and can reach speeds of up to 339 miles per hour. Due to the extreme speeds and associated risks, Top Fuel dragsters require a host of safety equipment to protect the driver, staff, and spectators.
The safety equipment for Top Fuel dragsters includes full-face helmets with fitted Head and Neck Support (HANS) devices. These helmets are designed to provide comprehensive head protection and reduce the risk of head and neck injuries in the event of a crash. Additionally, the drivers wear a full-body fire suit made of fire-resistant materials, such as Nomex. This suit includes a face mask, gloves, socks, shoes, and outer sock-like boots, ensuring that the driver is protected from head to toe.
The dragsters are also equipped with multi-point, quick-release safety restraint harnesses. These harnesses have multiple attachment points and can be quickly released in case of an emergency. On-board fire extinguishers are crucial, as nitromethane fuel can ignite and cause fires. To mitigate the impact of any explosions or failures, synthetic "bullet-proof" blankets made of Kevlar or similar materials are wrapped around the superchargers and clutch assemblies. These blankets help contain broken parts and minimize the risk of injury from flying debris.
Another essential safety feature is the damage-resistant fuel tank, lines, and fittings. These components are designed to withstand impact and extreme conditions, reducing the risk of fuel leaks and explosions. Externally accessible fuel and ignition shut-offs are also strategically placed to be accessible to rescue staff in case of an emergency. Finally, braking parachutes assist in slowing down the dragsters after a run, and the cars are equipped with various other safety features to ensure the highest level of protection.
Fixing a Fuel-Smelling Car: What's the Cost?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Top fuel drag cars were invented by a few fans of drag racing who wanted to develop rules and regulations for the sport. This eventually led to the creation of the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association).
The NHRA is the largest motorsports sanctioning body in the world with 80,000 members. It was formed in 1955 and has since held regional and national events, as well as set rules for safety.
Top fuel drag cars are machines purpose-built for drag racing. They are the quickest-accelerating racing cars in the world and can reach speeds of up to 339 miles per hour.
