Speed

pickle.of.doom · 12-10-2008, 11:46 AM

ACCELERATION PUT INTO PERSPECTIVE

* One Top Fuel dragster outfitted with a 500 cubic-inch Dodge Hemi engine
makes more horsepower (8,000 HP) than the first 4 rows at NASCAR's Daytona
500....( Aaarrgh !! )

* Under full throttle, a dragster engine will consume 11.2 gallons of nitro
methane per second; a fully loaded Boeing 747 consumes jet fuel at the same
rate but with 25% less energy being produced.

* A stock Dodge Hemi V8 engine cannot produce enough power to merely drive
the dragster's supercharger. (awwwww man, come on... ??!! )

* 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 lockup at full throttle.

* At the stoichiometric 1.7:1 air/fuel mixture for nitro methane the flame
front temperature measures 7050 degrees F.

* Nitro methane burns yellow. The spectacular white flame seen above the
stack s at night is raw burning hydrogen, dissociated from atmospheric water
vapor by the searing exhaust gases.

* Dual magnetos supply 44 amps to each spark plug. Which is typically the
output of an electric arc welder in each cylinder.

* Spark plug electrodes are totally consumed during a pass. After 1/2 way
thru the run, the engine is 'dieseling' from compression and the glow of the
exhaust valves at 1400 degrees F. The engine can only be
shut down by cutting the fuel flow....

* If spark momentarily fails early in the run, unburned nitro builds up in
the affected cylinders and then explodes with enough sufficient force to blow
the cylinder heads off the block in pieces or split the block in half !!

* Dragsters reach over 300 MPH +... before you have completed reading this
sentence.

* In order to exceed 300 MPH in 4.5 seconds, a dragster must accelerate an
average of over 4 G's. In order to reach 200 MPH well before reaching
half-track , at launch the acceleration approaches 8 G's.

* Top Fuel engines turn approximately 540 revolutions from light to light !

* Including the burnout, the engine must only survive 900 revolutions under
load. ( aiiiii chihuahua !! )

* The redline is actually quite high at 9500 RPM.

* THE BOTTOM LINE: Assuming all the equipment is paid for, the pit crew is
working for free, & NOTHING BLOWS UP, each run will cost an estimated $1,000
per second.

0 to 100 MPH in .8 seconds (the first 60 feet of the run)
0 to 200 MPH in 2.2 seconds (the first 350 feet of the run)
6 g-forces at the starting line (nothing accelerates faster on land)
6 negative g-forces upon deployment of twin 'chutes at 300 MPH
An NHRA Top Fuel Dragster accelerates quicker than any other land vehicle on
earth . . quicker than a jet fighter plane . . . quicker than the space
shuttle....or snapping your fingers !!

The current Top Fuel dragster elapsed time record i s 4.420 seconds for the
quarter-mile (2004, Doug Kalitta). The top speed record is 337.58 MPH as
measured over the last 66' of the run (2005, Tony Schumacher).

Let's now put this all into perspective:

Imagine this...........You are driving a new $140,000 Lingenfelter
twin-turbo powered Corvette Z-06. Over a mile up the road, a Top Fuel
dragster is staged & r eady to 'launch' down a quarter-mile strip as you
pass. You have the advantage of a flying start. You run the 'Vette
hard, on up through the gears and blast across the starting line & pass the
dragster at an honest 200 MPH.... The 'tree' goes green for both of
you at that exact moment.

The dragster departs & starts after you. You keep your foot buried hard to
the floor, and suddenly you hear an incredibly brutally screaming whine that
seares and pummels your eardrums & within a mere 3 seconds the dragster
effortlessly catches & passes you.

He beats you to the finish li ne, 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 it not only caught, but nearly blasted you off
the planet when he passed you within a mere 1320 foot long race !!!!

That my friends.....is acceleration !!!

Dnyce · 12-20-2008, 06:48 AM

and after that one pass, in a mere 45mins, they tear it completely apart and put it back together with enough time to start it up, and set the brakes, set up the clutch, tune it, and tow it back to the staging lanes for the next round...

Porkchop · 12-20-2008, 07:11 PM

God I love the NHRA.... I've gone every year since I was 6....

Sixxxxer · 12-20-2008, 07:16 PM

To bad its not a True 1320 Anymore.

But I've read that before...Quite the Analogy to say the least.

BobTheBiker · 12-20-2008, 08:43 PM

that to me is TRUE performance defined right there. few everyday people ever reach such an INSANE level. hell 99% of people are extremely fortunate to pull 3's in the 1/4 at something like 150ish or so.

Dnyce · 12-20-2008, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sixxxxer

To bad its not a True 1320 Anymore.

But I've read that before...Quite the Analogy to say the least.

i think they'll go back to 1320 sometime this year for the fuel classes, that was just a temp fix really.

Chris S · 12-21-2008, 12:35 AM

How long is it now? I didn't realize they changed it?

Dnyce · 12-21-2008, 04:12 PM

the two fuel classes run to 1000ft, everything else is unchanged. was a safety thing, they did it after kalitta died. tho its really doubtful an extra 320 ft would have saved his life, its very true that some of those tracks need to upgrade their facilities to better accomodate such speeds.

so basically the show they put on looks the same, just the numbers are alil off.

12-10-2008, 11:46 AM	#1
pickle.of.doom el diablo de verde Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Howell, MI Moto: VTR, CBR, DRZSM Posts: 1,046	Speed ACCELERATION PUT INTO PERSPECTIVE * One Top Fuel dragster outfitted with a 500 cubic-inch Dodge Hemi engine makes more horsepower (8,000 HP) than the first 4 rows at NASCAR's Daytona 500....( Aaarrgh !! ) * Under full throttle, a dragster engine will consume 11.2 gallons of nitro methane per second; a fully loaded Boeing 747 consumes jet fuel at the same rate but with 25% less energy being produced. * A stock Dodge Hemi V8 engine cannot produce enough power to merely drive the dragster's supercharger. (awwwww man, come on... ??!! ) * 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 lockup at full throttle. * At the stoichiometric 1.7:1 air/fuel mixture for nitro methane the flame front temperature measures 7050 degrees F. * Nitro methane burns yellow. The spectacular white flame seen above the stack s at night is raw burning hydrogen, dissociated from atmospheric water vapor by the searing exhaust gases. * Dual magnetos supply 44 amps to each spark plug. Which is typically the output of an electric arc welder in each cylinder. * Spark plug electrodes are totally consumed during a pass. After 1/2 way thru the run, the engine is 'dieseling' from compression and the glow of the exhaust valves at 1400 degrees F. The engine can only be shut down by cutting the fuel flow.... * If spark momentarily fails early in the run, unburned nitro builds up in the affected cylinders and then explodes with enough sufficient force to blow the cylinder heads off the block in pieces or split the block in half !! * Dragsters reach over 300 MPH +... before you have completed reading this sentence. * In order to exceed 300 MPH in 4.5 seconds, a dragster must accelerate an average of over 4 G's. In order to reach 200 MPH well before reaching half-track , at launch the acceleration approaches 8 G's. * Top Fuel engines turn approximately 540 revolutions from light to light ! * Including the burnout, the engine must only survive 900 revolutions under load. ( aiiiii chihuahua !! ) * The redline is actually quite high at 9500 RPM. * THE BOTTOM LINE: Assuming all the equipment is paid for, the pit crew is working for free, & NOTHING BLOWS UP, each run will cost an estimated $1,000 per second. 0 to 100 MPH in .8 seconds (the first 60 feet of the run) 0 to 200 MPH in 2.2 seconds (the first 350 feet of the run) 6 g-forces at the starting line (nothing accelerates faster on land) 6 negative g-forces upon deployment of twin 'chutes at 300 MPH An NHRA Top Fuel Dragster accelerates quicker than any other land vehicle on earth . . quicker than a jet fighter plane . . . quicker than the space shuttle....or snapping your fingers !! The current Top Fuel dragster elapsed time record i s 4.420 seconds for the quarter-mile (2004, Doug Kalitta). The top speed record is 337.58 MPH as measured over the last 66' of the run (2005, Tony Schumacher). Let's now put this all into perspective: Imagine this...........You are driving a new $140,000 Lingenfelter twin-turbo powered Corvette Z-06. Over a mile up the road, a Top Fuel dragster is staged & r eady to 'launch' down a quarter-mile strip as you pass. You have the advantage of a flying start. You run the 'Vette hard, on up through the gears and blast across the starting line & pass the dragster at an honest 200 MPH.... The 'tree' goes green for both of you at that exact moment. The dragster departs & starts after you. You keep your foot buried hard to the floor, and suddenly you hear an incredibly brutally screaming whine that seares and pummels your eardrums & within a mere 3 seconds the dragster effortlessly catches & passes you. He beats you to the finish li ne, 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 it not only caught, but nearly blasted you off the planet when he passed you within a mere 1320 foot long race !!!! That my friends.....is acceleration !!! __________________ WOS Forums

12-20-2008, 07:11 PM	#3
Porkchop 125GP Champion Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Worthington, OH Moto: Empty Garage Posts: 3,418	God I love the NHRA.... I've gone every year since I was 6.... __________________ *Coming soon? 2010 Ducati Monster 696 - Sold 1984 Honda VF500F - Sold 1999 Yamaha R6 - Sold

12-20-2008, 07:16 PM	#4
Sixxxxer Like Gixxxxer But Not Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Dirty Jersey Moto: 2008 ZX6R Posts: 4,891	To bad its not a True 1320 Anymore. But I've read that before...Quite the Analogy to say the least. __________________ [FRSH] Candy Plasma Blue

12-20-2008, 06:48 AM	#2
Dnyce flyin high Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: cali Moto: 10speed huffy w/cards in the spokes Posts: 2,318	and after that one pass, in a mere 45mins, they tear it *completely* apart and put it back together with enough time to start it up, and set the brakes, set up the clutch, tune it, and tow it back to the staging lanes for the next round...

12-20-2008, 08:43 PM	#5
BobTheBiker too much time on my hands Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: the northern district of god damn Moto: 01 ZX6R, looking for more now. Posts: 1,802	that to me is TRUE performance defined right there. few everyday people ever reach such an INSANE level. hell 99% of people are extremely fortunate to pull 3's in the 1/4 at something like 150ish or so.

12-21-2008, 12:35 AM	#7
Chris S Kneedragger Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Austin, TX Moto: '07 KTM Super Duke (for sale), '07 KTM 300 XC-W Posts: 171	How long is it now? I didn't realize they changed it?

12-21-2008, 04:12 PM	#8
Dnyce flyin high Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: cali Moto: 10speed huffy w/cards in the spokes Posts: 2,318	the two fuel classes run to 1000ft, everything else is unchanged. was a safety thing, they did it after kalitta died. tho its really doubtful an extra 320 ft would have saved his life, its very true that some of those tracks need to upgrade their facilities to better accomodate such speeds. so basically the show they put on looks the same, just the numbers are alil off.