NHRA Drag Racing

[JustKelli]

Erica Enders dodged a bullet yesterday as her car burst into flames after tripping the timer at a record speed


Two-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Erica Enders barely escaped a fire in her Chevrolet Camaro at the back end of a qualifying run in the NHRA Pro Mod class at Summit Motorsports Park at Norwalk, Ohio, on Saturday.

Enders, who won the NHRA's Pro Stock title in 2014 and 2015,*crossed the line with the scoreboard showing a record-setting speed run of 261.22 mph as her car burst into flames.

"I had just made a pretty great run --*our best of the weekend and reset the speed world record," Enders said. "I hit my chutes and then went to the transmission to make sure it was in neutral and right at the stripe, I knew the motor had let go.

"It was a terrible sound. I'd done it before and I knew exactly what it was."

What Enders described next was nothing short of chilling.

"At that point, the cockpit started filling up with smoke," she said. "My thought process was I need to get the car stopped as quickly as I can and in the process of that to make sure I get my fire bottles. So I reached up to pull the fire pin and you don't realize how bad you suck at holding your breath until you need air."

Britney Force qualified #1 in top furl for today's finals. Full results in the next couple days

[JustKelli]

[JustKelli]

A top fuel dragster or railer can accelerate from 0 to 100 mph in as little as 0.8 seconds by comparison it takes a Porsche 2.4 seconds to do that and the driver can be subjected to as much as 5.5 g's. That is like 5 of you sitting on top of you lol

Let's take a look at that shall we, if you have ever been on an airplane commercial flight you are subjected to 1.2 g's as you are sucked back into your seat on takeoff

[JustKelli]

Week 13:

Defending event winners Matt Hagan and Steve Torrence continued their winning ways at New England Dragway, as both raced to victories on Sunday at the seventh annual NHRA New England Nationals.

Both wins came at the 13th of 24 events during the 2019 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season.

Hagan won for the third straight year at the track in Funny Car, going 4.014-seconds at 322.81 mph in the final round in his MOPAR Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat to beat Shawn Langdon’s 4.046 at 317.49. Hagan, a two-time world champion, picked up his second win of 2019 and 31st in his career.

Hagan knocked off Don Schumacher Racing teammates Jack Beckman and Ron Capps, and Bob Tasca III, who entered the race on the strength of back-to-back wins, to reach the final round, going a weekend-best 3.958 at 326.24 to start his day. He stayed consistent the rest of eliminations to beat Langdon, who reached his second career final round in Funny Car with round wins against Jim Campbell, points leader Robert Hight and Tim Wilkerson.

“We went down the track in qualifying and that created a lot of confidence in our team,” said Hagan, who also picked up his 350th career round win during eliminations. “Rolling into race day, I knew we had a great car and I was confident in it.

“We kept lane choice every pass and that was big. I’m really excited we were able to get another win and we needed this to be our turning point this season. We needed to gather up some momentum and I feel like we’re making the right steps to move forward coming out of this race.”

In Top Fuel, Torrence, the points leader and defending world champ, kept his dominant stretch going, rolling to his seventh win in the past eight races during the 2019 season with a run of 3.861 at 321.58 to beat Scott Palmer in the final round in his Capco Contractors dragster. Torrence, who is nominated for the Best Driver Award at Wednesday’s 2019 ESPY Awards, picked up his 34th career win by beating Austin Prock, Terry McMillen and Richie Crampton to reach his eighth straight and 50th overall final round.

Palmer advanced to his second career final round thanks to wins against Dan Mercier, Antron Brown and No. 1 qualifier Clay Millican, going 4.014 at 251.25 against Torrence. The victory also gives Torrence, who already clinched his spot in the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship this weekend, his 13th win in the last 19 races dating back to last year’s playoffs and 26th win since 2017.

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series' Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona marked the end of an era

2019 BMW M4 CS essentials: Just the fast, ma'am

“I really, really want Scott Palmer to win a race, but we want to win them all, too,” said Torrence, who qualified ninth and won from the seventh different qualifying position in 2019. “That was a great final round. That’s a really good group of guys and to see the progression we’ve both made, it’s pretty neat and really special for us.

“Without being cocky and just being confident, you carry the mindset of you want to go everywhere and win. With doing that, you don’t treat anywhere any differently. This is a fun place to come to and it’s a pretty neat part of the country.”

The Mello Yello Drag Racing Series continues July 19-21 with the 40th annual Dodge Mile-High NHRA Nationals presented by Pennzoil at Bandimere Speedway in Denver. It also marks the start of the NHRA’s famed three-race Western Swing. Eliminations of all three events will be shown live on the Fox*national broadcast network.

Results

Sunday's final results from the seventh annual NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway. The race is the 13th of 24 in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel -- Steve Torrence, 3.861 seconds, 321.58 mph* def. Scott Palmer, 4.014 seconds, 251.25 mph.

Funny Car -- Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 4.014, 322.81* def. Shawn Langdon, Toyota Camry, 4.046, 317.49.

Super Stock -- Byron Worner, Chevy Camaro, 10.453, 97.25* def. Richard Kay, Plymouth Valiant, 27.213, 42.31.

Stock Eliminator -- Dean Cook, Ford Mustang, 10.757, 124.02* def. Angelo DiTocco, Pontiac Firebird, 10.384, 127.63.

Super Comp -- Kenneth Moses, Dragster, 8.894, 182.01* def. Kyle Bigley, Dragster, 8.875, 166.64.

Super Gas -- Iggie Boicesco, Chevy Corvette, 9.900, 163.10* def. John MacLean, Corvette, 9.888, 161.85.

Super Street -- Brian Sawyer, Chevy Camaro, 10.902, 141.37* def. Darren Wood, Pontiac Firebird, 10.944, 147.76.

Top Dragster presented by RacingRVs.com -- Kenneth Moses, Dragster, 6.547, 205.47* def. Nick Meloni, Dragster, 6.684, 198.50.

Top Sportsman presented by RacingRVs.com -- Dave Miller, Chevy S-10, 6.937, 189.95* def. Richard Lachapelle, Chevy Beretta, 7.709, 178.24.

Top Fuel Harley -- Tii Tharpe, JTR, 6.393, 214.69* def. Rickey House, Harley, 6.424, 219.61.

Mountain Motor Pro Stock -- John DeFlorian Jr, Chevy Camaro, 6.297, 224.28* def. Johnny Pluchino, Ford Mustang, Foul - Red Light.

Pro Stock Snowmobile -- John Parenteau, Arctic Cat, 8.472, 154.90* def. Tiina Duncanson, Ski-Doo, 8.779, 151.31.

Round-by-round recap

Final round-by-round results from the seventh annual NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway, the 13th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series:

TOP FUEL

ROUND ONE -- Dom Lagana, 3.862, 305.98 def. Brittany Force, Foul - Red Light; Steve Torrence, 3.756, 328.62 def. Austin Prock, 3.843, 323.19; Clay Millican, 3.914, 247.84 was unopposed; Terry McMillen, 3.867, 322.50 def. Doug Kalitta, 7.563, 104.88; Antron Brown, 4.018, 281.42 def. Cameron Ferre, 4.406, 187.26; Scott Palmer, 3.894, 320.13 def. Dan Mercier, Broke; Richie Crampton, 3.827, 320.20 def. Audrey Worm, 4.020, 296.11;

QUARTERFINALS -- Palmer, 4.252, 214.31 def. Brown, 6.843, 101.10; Millican, 3.813, 324.20 def. Lagana, 3.886, 321.81; Crampton, 4.176, 219.01 was unopposed; Torrence, 3.883, 323.81 def. McMillen, 4.328, 217.25;

SEMIFINALS -- Torrence, 3.832, 323.35 def. Crampton, 4.062, 292.20; Palmer, 3.905, 299.13 def. Millican, 9.020, 79.49;

FINAL -- Torrence, 3.861, 321.58 def. Palmer, 4.014, 251.25.

FUNNY CAR

ROUND ONE -- J.R. Todd, Toyota Camry, 4.540, 188.10 was unopposed; Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 4.006, 320.20 def. Jeff Diehl, Camry, 4.568, 206.01; Robert Hight, Chevy Camaro, 4.037, 281.36 def. Terry Haddock, Mustang, 4.239, 268.76; Ron Capps, Dodge Charger, 3.980, 315.19 def. Mike Smith, Dodge Stratus, 7.299, 84.21; Shawn Langdon, Camry, 4.036, 316.75 def. Jim Campbell, Charger, 4.062, 305.98; Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.958, 326.24 def. Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.016, 322.04; Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 4.511, 257.28 def. John Force, Camaro, 4.540, 244.56; Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.259, 233.72 def. Tommy Johnson Jr., Charger, 4.559, 186.38;

QUARTERFINALS -- Tasca III, 4.023, 319.22 def. Pedregon, 4.045, 319.45; Hagan, 3.991, 325.22 def. Capps, 4.101, 262.64; Langdon, 3.999, 320.51 def. Hight, 4.103, 271.24; Wilkerson, 4.242, 233.88 def. Todd, 4.274, 229.12;

SEMIFINALS -- Langdon, 4.006, 320.36 def. Wilkerson, 4.053, 315.56; Hagan, 4.000, 324.05 def. Tasca III, 4.478, 219.12;

FINAL -- Hagan, 4.014, 322.81 def. Langdon, 4.046, 317.49.

Updated points standings

EPPING, N.H. -- Point standings (top 10) following the seventh annual NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway, the 13th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series -

Top Fuel

1.* Steve Torrence, 1,278; 2.* Doug Kalitta, 799; 3.* Antron Brown, 781; 4.* Brittany Force, 777; 5.* Mike Salinas, 732; 6.* Clay Millican, 730; 7.* Leah Pritchett, 651; 8.* Richie Crampton, 612; 9.* Terry McMillen, 576; 10.* Scott Palmer, 563.

Funny Car

1.* Robert Hight, 1,079; 2.* John Force, 903; 3.* Tommy Johnson Jr., 891; 4.* Ron Capps, 870; 5. Jack Beckman, 851; 6.* J.R. Todd, 825; 7. (tie) Matt Hagan, 770; Bob Tasca III, 770; 9.* Tim Wilkerson, 691; 10. Shawn Langdon, 675.

[JustKelli]

The mile high NHRA event goes next week in Colorado and the mechanics will earn their keep as these fire breathers gasp for air at 5869 ft above sea level.

Results as they come in.

[JustKelli]

NHRA Mello Yello Series Mile-High Nationals: Final results, updated standings

Tommy Johnson Jr., Steve Torrence, Greg Anderson and Andrew Hines all take home Wallys at Denver

NHRA Wire Service

Steve Torrence, the runaway points leader in the NHRA Mello Yello Series Top Fuel class, added to his lead with another win on Sunday.

Tommy Johnson Jr.’s first final round in his NHRA professional career came at Bandimere Speedway in 1991, but it took until Sunday at the 40th annual Dodge Mile-High NHRA Nationals presented by Pennzoil for the Funny Car veteran to grab his first victory at the facility.

Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were also winners in their respective categories at the 14th of 24 races, and the first of three races on the famed Western Swing, during the 2019 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season.

Johnson raced to his second victory of 2019 and 19th in his career in the process, going 4.102-seconds at 308.50 mph in his Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat to beat Bob Tasca’s 4.158 at 302.14 in the final round. Johnson, who is second in points, had advanced to the finals in four different categories at Bandimere Speedway, including Funny Car and Top Fuel, but he came through on Sunday against Tasca. He reached the finals with wins against Jeff Diehl, Jack Beckman and Cruz Pedregon.

At 70, NHRA legend John Force still has eyes on win No. 150 and 17th championship

Tasca, who has reached the final round at three of the past four events, knocked off Jim Campbell, Ron Capps and No. 1 qualifier and points leader Robert Hight to earn his 15th career finals berth.

“We made a great run last night --*my quickest and fastest ever on the mountain -*and it gave the guys confidence,” Johnson said. “I knew going into today we had a good race car and my guys did a great job. We’re a much better team now and we’ve grown so much as a team, so it’s good to get it done.”

Torrence maintained his dominant pace in Top Fuel, picking up his eighth win in the past nine races after going 4.044 at 270.21 in the final round in his Capco Contractors dragster to beat Clay Millican’s 4.126 at 267.64. Torrence, the defending world champ and points leader, won for the second time in Denver and 35th time in his career, rolling to his ninth straight final round in the process. To get there, Torrence, who qualified No. 1 in Denver and has already clinched his spot in the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship, beat Richie Crampton and Brittany Force.

Millican knocked off Doug Kalitta, defending event champ Leah Pritchett and Jordan Vandergriff to advance to his fourth final this season and 19th in his career.

“I don’t believe I’ve realized what we’ve been able to accomplish over the last couple of years, and when you’re in these moments you need to relish them and enjoy them because they don’t last forever,” said Torrence, who tied Don Garlits on the NHRA’s all-time wins list. “We’ve been able to maintain that consistency and the team we’ve assembled, we’ve been able to have these guys together for six years continuously. They’ve made the right calls and decisions, and they’ve given the crew chief the right car time and time again.”

Pro Stock veteran Anderson won for the second straight year in Denver, picking up his first victory of the season and 92nd in his career after going 6.950 at 196.96 in his Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro to beat Matt Hartford’s 6.965 at 196.96. It marks Anderson’s first victory since this race a season ago and also fourth career win in Denver, as he picked up round wins against Fernando Cuadra, No. 1 qualifier Richard Freeman and Deric Kramer to reach the finals.

Hartford advanced to his fourth career final round and third this season with victories against Alex Laughlin, Val Smeland and Jeg Coughlin Jr.

“It’s been a year since I’ve been able to win a race, and the class is just tough,” Anderson said. “It says a lot about the class and what it’s about, so I’m proud. The race car was great, just like it was a year ago out here. Obviously, my Summit Chevy loves this racetrack and loves racing at a mile high. It feels wonderful to get the job done and everybody did a great job. They were flawless today.”

Points leader Hines continued to roll in Pro Stock Motorcycle, picking up his sixth win in eight races this year by going 7.174 at 186.67 in the final round on his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson FXDR to beat teammate Eddie Krawiec’s 7.222 at 186.38. Hines, who extended his points lead, put together an impressive result in the debut race of the new FXDR, beating Cory Reed, Hector Arana and defending world champ Matt Smith en route to the win.

Krawiec reached the final round with victories against Karen Stoffer, Jerry Savoie and defending event winner Hector Arana Jr., but there seems to be no stopping Hines in 2019 after he earned his class-best fifth win in Denver and 54th career victory. Hines, the winningest driver in the class, also became the first rider in Pro Stock Motorcycle to reach 500 career round wins on Sunday.

The numbers

Finals

Sunday's final results from the 40th annual Dodge Mile-High NHRA Nationals presented by Pennzoil at Bandimere Speedway. The race is the 14th of 24 in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel*-- Steve Torrence, 4.044 seconds, 270.21 mph* def. Clay Millican, 4.126 seconds, 267.64 mph.

Funny Car*-- Tommy Johnson Jr., Dodge Charger, 4.102, 308.50* def. Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 4.158, 302.14.

Pro Stock*-- Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.950, 196.96* def. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.965, 196.96.

Pro Stock Motorcycle*-- Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 7.174, 186.67* def. Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 7.222, 186.38.

Super Stock*-- Justin Jenkins, Chevy Cobalt, 10.369, 117.87* def. Brenda Grubbs, Chevy Camaro, 10.119, 123.94.

Stock Eliminator*-- Gary Riley, Pontiac, 13.243, 96.80* def. Dwaine Davis, Pontiac Firebird, 12.244, 107.21.

Super Comp*-- Mitch Mustard, Dragster, 9.550, 167.07* def. Dale Maher, Dragster, 9.528, 71.29.

Super Gas*-- Todd Nielsen, Pontiac Firebird, 10.511, 155.10* def. Kevin Moore, Chevrolet, 10.520, 150.87.

Top Sportsman presented by RacingRVs.com*-- Greg Lair, Chevy Camaro, 6.999, 201.52* def. Monte Weaver, Chevy Corvette, 6.675, 204.45.

Top Dragster presented by RacingRVs.com*-- Tony Stark, Dragster, 6.802, 180.19* def. Adam Chioda, Dragster, 7.809, 161.02.

Round-by-round results

Final round-by-round results from the 40th annual Dodge Mile-High NHRA Nationals presented by Pennzoil at Bandimere Speedway, the 14th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag

Racing Series:

TOP FUEL:

ROUND ONE -- Jordan Vandergriff, 3.830, 315.34 def. Terry McMillen, 4.113, 285.71; Clay Millican, 3.781, 325.06 def. Doug Kalitta, 3.909, 316.30; Brittany Force, 3.877, 276.58 def. Mike Salinas, 3.952, 318.09; Scott Palmer, 3.999, 307.51 def. Cameron Ferre, 4.244, 240.04; Steve Torrence, 3.787, 328.06 was unopposed; Leah Pritchett, 3.877, 310.98 def. Terry Totten, 4.052, 296.05; Antron Brown, 3.867, 321.27 def. Greg Carrillo, 3.920, 275.62; Richie Crampton, 3.858, 314.02 def. Austin Prock, 4.856, 163.41;

QUARTERFINALS -- Force, 3.861, 316.23 def. Palmer, 3.885, 319.14; Vandergriff, 3.837, 321.12 def. Brown, 3.910, 318.54; Millican, 3.861, 320.13 def. Pritchett, 3.988, 260.71; Torrence, 3.970, 307.79 def. Crampton, 4.373, 218.27;

SEMIFINALS -- Torrence, 3.821, 324.67 def. Force, 4.334, 203.16; Millican, 3.845, 314.61 def. Vandergriff, 9.823, 85.39;

FINAL -- Torrence, 4.044, 270.21 def. Millican, 4.126, 267.64.

FUNNY CAR:

ROUND ONE -- Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 4.055, 314.39 def. Jim Campbell, Dodge Charger, 4.226, 300.33; Robert Hight, Chevy Camaro, 4.055, 317.72 was unopposed; Tommy Johnson Jr., Charger, 4.156, 268.54 def. Jeff Diehl, Toyota Camry, 8.776, 97.67; Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 4.016, 315.78 def. Terry Haddock, Mustang, 4.418, 275.06; Ron Capps, Charger, 4.078, 309.91 def. Todd Simpson, Charger, 4.356, 269.94; John Force, Camaro, 4.276, 312.57 def. J.R. Todd, Camry, 4.334, 236.42; Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.084, 316.23 def. Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.177, 239.27; Shawn Langdon, Camry,

4.072, 312.93 def. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.334, 229.66;

QUARTERFINALS -- Tasca III, 4.097, 313.29 def. Capps, 5.597, 130.49; Pedregon, 4.099, 314.24 def. Force, 4.132, 310.70; Hight, 4.018, 322.04 def. Langdon, 4.160, 294.82; Johnson Jr., 4.059, 316.01 def. Beckman, 4.092, 316.30;

SEMIFINALS -- Johnson Jr., 4.056, 311.49 def. Pedregon, 4.944, 166.72; Tasca III, 4.114, 312.93 def. Hight, 4.160, 248.20;

FINAL -- Johnson Jr., 4.102, 308.50 def. Tasca III, 4.158, 302.14.

PRO STOCK:

ROUND ONE -- Erica Enders, Chevy Camaro, 11.602, 77.25 def. Kenny Delco, Camaro, Broke - No Show; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.960, 197.54 def. Fernando Cuadra, Camaro, 6.986, 196.59; Val Smeland, Camaro, 7.362, 194.16 def. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 7.031, 195.65; Jason Line, Camaro, 6.978, 197.19 def. Steve Matusek, Ford Mustang, 14.466, 58.95; Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.946, 196.93 def. Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.989, 197.10; Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.958, 196.30 def. Alex Laughlin, Camaro, Foul - Red Light; Richard Freeman, Camaro, 7.011, 196.62 def. Joey Grose, Camaro, 7.108, 194.46; Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.972, 197.10 def. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Camaro, 6.999, 197.08;

QUARTERFINALS -- Coughlin, 6.963, 197.02 def. Enders, 7.025, 197.25; Anderson, 6.939, 196.19 def. Freeman, 7.039, 196.24; Hartford, 6.955, 196.04 def. Smeland, 7.005, 195.93; Kramer, 6.945, 196.93 def. Line, 6.971, 195.11;

SEMIFINALS -- Hartford, 6.977, 196.10 def. Coughlin, 6.974, 197.39; Anderson, 6.954, 197.68 def. Kramer, 6.949, 197.42;

FINAL -- Anderson, 6.950, 196.96 def. Hartford, 6.965, 196.96.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

ROUND ONE -- Hector Arana, 7.228, 186.25 def. Eiji Kawakami, Foul - Red Light; Scotty Pollacheck, 7.301, 182.08 def. Angelle Sampey, Harley-Davidson, 7.250, 183.72; Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 7.218, 185.31 def. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 7.278, 182.35; Hector Arana Jr, 7.225, 185.00 def. Ryan Oehler, 7.319, 184.88; Angie Smith, 7.224, 185.05 def. Joey Gladstone, Foul - Red Light; Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 7.179, 185.95 def. Cory Reed, 7.385, 180.84; Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 7.205, 183.47 def. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 17.740, 36.29; Matt Smith, 7.180, 186.95 def. Jim Underdahl, Suzuki, Foul - Red Light;

QUARTERFINALS -- Arana Jr, 7.400, 183.69 def. A. Smith, Foul - Red Light; Krawiec, 7.220, 186.51 def. Savoie, 7.258, 183.69; M. Smith, 7.207, 186.00 def. Pollacheck, 7.325, 181.86; Hines, 7.179, 185.72 def. Arana, Foul - Red Light;

SEMIFINALS -- Krawiec, 7.235, 185.10 def. Arana Jr, Foul - Red Light; Hines, 7.183, 185.79 def. M. Smith, 7.238, 184.80;

FINAL -- Hines, 7.174, 186.67 def. Krawiec, 7.222, 186.38.

Updated points standings

Point standings (top 10) following the 40th annual Dodge Mile-High NHRA Nationals presented by Pennzoil at Bandimere Speedway, the 14th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series -

Top Fuel

1.* Steve Torrence, 1,407; 2.* Brittany Force, 852; 3.* Antron Brown, 839; 4.* Doug Kalitta, 831; 5.* Clay Millican, 813; 6.* Mike Salinas, 763; 7.* Leah Pritchett, 714; 8.* Richie Crampton, 666; 9.* Scott Palmer, 613; 10.* Terry McMillen, 607.

Funny Car

1.* Robert Hight, 1,159; 2.* Tommy Johnson Jr., 1,010; 3.* John Force, 958; 4.* Ron Capps, 927; 5. Jack Beckman, 904; 6.* Bob Tasca III, 865; 7.* J.R. Todd, 857; 8.* Matt Hagan, 794; 9.* Shawn Langdon, 727; 10.* Tim Wilkerson, 724.

Pro Stock

1.* Bo Butner, 704; 2.* Greg Anderson, 561; 3.* Alex Laughlin, 554; 4.* Matt Hartford, 538; 5. Jason Line, 503; 6.* Deric Kramer, 499; 7.* Jeg Coughlin, 484; 8.* Erica Enders, 480; 9.* Chris McGaha, 424; 10.* Rodger Brogdon, 320.

Pro Stock Motorcycle

1.* Andrew Hines, 847; 2.* Eddie Krawiec, 734; 3.* Hector Arana Jr, 625; 4.* Matt Smith, 608; 5. Karen Stoffer, 413; 6.* Angie Smith, 385; 7.* Ryan Oehler, 355; 8.* Angelle Sampey, 346; 9.* Hector Arana, 328; 10.* Joey Gladstone, 304.

[JustKelli]

Week 15

July 28, 2019 09:12 PM

NHRA Sonoma Nationals: Final results, updated standings

Robert Hight, Greg Anderson, Billy Torrence and Andrew Hines pick up Wallys

Robert Hight finished off a standout weekend by racing to his 50th career Funny Car win on Sunday.

Robert Hight*finished off a standout weekend by racing to his 50th career Funny Car win on Sunday at the*NHRA*Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma (California) Raceway.

Billy Torrence*(Top Fuel), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were also winners in their respective categories at the 15th of 24 events during the 2019 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season.

Hight, the current points leader, qualified No. 1 in his Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro SS and earned his fifth win in 2019 by going 3.973-seconds at 325.45 mph in the final round against Matt Hagan’s 4.030 at 316.60. With the victory, Hight’s second straight at Sonoma, the two-time world champion became just the third driver in Funny Car history to reach 50 career wins.

To get there, he knocked off Blake Alexander and Tommy Johnson Jr., while Hagan picked up his 58th final-round berth with round wins against J.R. Todd, Jack Beckman and John Force. Hight and Johnson also clinched spots in the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship.

“The first national event I ever attended was right here, and I never honestly dreamed I would get to drive a Funny Car,” said Hight, who now has three wins in Sonoma. “I still have to pinch myself. It’s hard to believe I’m at 50 (wins). Matt Hagan had the best car out there in the second and third round, and we had to step up in the final. We didn’t want to get outrun, and we really pushed in the final and got the win.”

Top Fuel’s Billy*Torrence scored his second win this season and third in his career thanks to his final-round run of 3.804 at 320.20 in his Capco Contractors dragster to beat No. 1 qualifier Clay Millican’s 3.842 at 321.65. To reach the final round, Billy*Torrence beat Steve Faria, Austin Prock and his son, points leader and defending world champ Steve Torrence. It ended Steve*Torrence’s impressive string of nine straight final rounds in 2019, while Millican beat Brittany Force and Antron Brown to earn his 16th career finals appearance.

“We had a good car going into race day and we were just steady,” Billy*Torrence said. “We had a really tough race against Steve, and we knew Clay had a good car. It took it all (to beat him). We have a good car and we’re capable of winning everywhere we go. I couldn’t do this without Steve’s team and it takes all of those guys. They make certain I have a very well-prepared car every time I show up, and they make me look good.”

NHRA

Top Fuel’s Billy Torrence scored his second win this season and third in his career thanks to his final-round run of 3.804 at 320.20.

Pro Stock’s Anderson kept his hope alive to sweep the Western Swing after winning his second straight race this season and 93rd of his career after going 6.602 at 208.71 to beat No. 1 qualifier Alex Laughlin in his Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro in the final round. Anderson, who is the only driver in Pro Stock history to sweep the Western Swing, will have a chance to follow his 2004 sweep next weekend in Seattle.

He reached the final round with victories against Kenny Delco, Jeg Coughlin Jr. and teammate Jason Line, while Laughlin beat Val Smeland, Erica Enders and points leader Bo Butner to reach his sixth career final round. Butner also earned his spot in the Countdown to the Championship.

“It’s been a long time since I won two races in a row and it’s more of a mind game than anything, and you’ve got a find a way to get that right,” said Anderson, who has a class-best six victories at Sonoma. “This is going to do a lot for me. Sonoma has always been one of my very favorite tracks on the circuit. I love the tracks where the cars run fast. As two races have shaken out, I’m the only guy standing with a chance to (sweep the Swing), and I’ll go into Seattle with a smile on my face, eager to race and see if the cards can fall the right way again.”

Pro Stock Motorcycle points leader Andrew Hines made it a double-win weekend by earning his seventh victory of 2019 and 55th in his career with a 6.790 at 198.00 on his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson FXDR in the final round to beat Matt Smith’s 6.822 at 197.36. It follows Hines’ win in the Mickey Thompson Pro Bike Battle on Saturday, and gives the winningest rider in class history the Pro Stock Motorcycle version of the Western Swing sweep. Hines won last weekend in Denver and the class doesn’t race next weekend in Seattle. The seven victories are also a career-best in a single season for Hines.

He beat Kelly Clontz, Scotty Pollacheck and Jerry Savoie en route to the final round, while defending world champ Smith beat Jianna Salinas, Ryan Oehler and Hector Arana to advance to his 53rd final round. Eddie Krawiec, Smith and Hector Arana Jr. all clinched berths in the Countdown to the Championship this weekend.

“It’s absolutely mind-boggling what we’ve been able to achieve this year,” said Hines, a three-time winner in Sonoma. “The confidence with my motorcycle and my team, and the level of performance and professionalism the guys bring to the starting line every single time, it’s unsurpassed right now. I can sit on that starting line with confidence and it’s just unreal. I feel I’m probably riding the best in my career and I just want it that much more.”

The Mello Yello Drag Racing Series continues Aug. 2-4 with the Magic Dry Organic Absorbent NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Washington. It is the final race of the NHRA Western Swing.

NHRA

Robert Hight, the current points leader, qualified No. 1 in his Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro SS and earned his fifth win in 2019 by going 3.973 seconds at 325.45 mph.

Final finish order (1-16) at the 32nd annual NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway. The race is the 15th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

TOP FUEL:

1. Billy Torrence; 2. Clay Millican; 3. Steve Torrence; 4. Antron Brown; 5. Brittany Force; 6. Doug Kalitta; 7. Austin Prock; 8. Richie Crampton; 9. Mike Salinas; 10. Leah Pritchett; 11. Terry McMillen; 12. Cameron Ferre; 13. Scott Palmer; 14. Steve Faria; 15. Steven Chrisman.

FUNNY CAR:

1. Robert Hight; 2. Matt Hagan; 3. Tommy Johnson Jr.; 4. John Force; 5. Jack Beckman; 6. Blake Alexander; 7. Bob Tasca III; 8. Shawn Langdon; 9. Cruz Pedregon; 10. Tim Wilkerson; 11. J.R. Todd; 12. Ron Capps; 13. Jeff Diehl; 14. Jim Campbell; 15. Terry Haddock.

PRO STOCK:

1. Greg Anderson; 2. Alex Laughlin; 3. Jason Line; 4. Bo Butner; 5. Deric Kramer; 6. Erica Enders; 7. Chris McGaha; 8. Jeg Coughlin; 9. Richard Freeman; 10. Kenny Delco; 11. Steve Graham; 12. Val Smeland; 13. Fernando Cuadra; 14. Steve Matusek; 15. Fernando Cuadra Jr.; 16. Matt Hartford.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

1. Andrew Hines; 2. Matt Smith; 3. Jerry Savoie; 4. Hector Arana; 5. Scotty Pollacheck; 6. Katie Sullivan; 7. Angelle Sampey; 8. Ryan Oehler; 9. Karen Stoffer; 10. Eddie Krawiec; 11. Joey Gladstone; 12. Angie Smith; 13. Cory Reed; 14. Hector Arana Jr; 15. Kelly Clontz; 16. Jianna Salinas.

SONOMA, Calif. -- Sunday's final results from the 32nd annual NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway. The race is the 15th of 24 in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel -- Billy Torrence, 3.804 seconds, 320.20 mph def. Clay Millican, 3.842 seconds, 321.65 mph.

Funny Car -- Robert Hight, Chevy Camaro, 3.973, 325.45 def. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 4.030, 316.60.

Pro Stock -- Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.602, 208.71 def. Alex Laughlin, Camaro, 7.203, 175.68.

Pro Stock Motorcycle -- Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.790, 198.00 def. Matt Smith, EBR, 6.822, 197.36.

Super Stock -- Kyle Rizzoli, Chevy Camaro, 9.592, 134.47 def. Jon Irving, Plymouth Duster, 10.416, 123.44.

Stock Eliminator -- Mark Kirby, Plymouth Duster, 10.971, 118.96 def. Jeff Jerome, Plymouth Savoy, Foul - Red Light.

Super Comp -- Justin Morgan, Dragster, 8.918, 173.56 def. Kevin Motter, Dragster, 8.898, 174.03.

Super Gas -- Bo Butner, Chevy Corvette, 9.949, 160.50 def. Linzi Meserve, Plymouth Barracuda, 9.963, 158.76.

Super Street -- Ryan Herem, Chevy Camaro, 10.909, 142.37 def. Mark Simonian, Pontiac Firebird, 10.882, 143.12.

Top Sportsman presented by RacingRVs.com -- Steve Galileo, Chevy Corvette, 6.959, 189.50 def. Richard Okerman, Chevy Beretta, 7.126, 192.38.

Top Dragster presented by RacingRVs.com -- George Prather, Dragster, 6.567, 204.23 def. Phil Unruh, Dragster, 7.590, 123.27.

NHRA

Greg Anderson kept his hope alive to sweep the Western Swing after winning his second straight race this season and 93rd of his career after going 6.602 at 208.71.

SONOMA, Calif. -- Final round-by-round results from the 32nd annual NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway, the 15th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series:

TOP FUEL:

ROUND ONE -- Austin Prock, 3.744, 327.66 def. Leah Pritchett, 3.774, 324.44; Doug Kalitta, 3.795, 324.83 def. Scott Palmer, 6.455, 93.38; Clay Millican, 3.725, 328.94 was unopposed; Billy Torrence, 3.758, 325.53 def. Steve Faria, 6.618, 89.58; Steve Torrence, 3.802, 324.36 def. Steven Chrisman, 9.016, 65.91; Antron Brown, 3.863, 312.35 def. Cameron Ferre, 3.992, 254.47; Richie Crampton, 3.798, 319.52 def. Terry McMillen, 3.855, 308.99; Brittany Force, 3.718, 335.15 def. Mike Salinas, 3.740, 327.74;

QUARTERFINALS -- S. Torrence, 3.825, 321.19 def. Crampton, 5.115, 138.41; B. Torrence, 3.838, 307.09 def. Prock, 4.667, 177.67; Brown, 4.064, 304.74 def. Kalitta, 4.637, 191.29; Millican, 3.838, 315.05 def. Force, 4.072, 270.10;

SEMIFINALS -- Millican, 3.858, 320.74 def. Brown, 3.931, 306.95; B. Torrence, 3.779, 324.75 def. S. Torrence, 3.822, 311.92;

FINAL -- B. Torrence, 3.804, 320.20 def. Millican, 3.842, 321.65.

FUNNY CAR:

ROUND ONE -- Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 3.944, 325.85 def. Jim Campbell, Dodge Charger, 4.559, 187.29; Robert Hight, Chevy Camaro, 3.925, 327.35 was unopposed; Shawn Langdon, Toyota Camry, 3.952, 315.71 def. Terry Haddock, Mustang, 6.548, 102.27; Jack Beckman, Charger, 3.996, 320.74 def. Jeff Diehl, Camry, 4.529, 195.45; John Force, Camaro, 3.917, 327.11 def. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.216, 228.89; Tommy Johnson Jr., Charger, 4.084, 273.72 def. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, Foul - Red Light; Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.958, 324.59 def. J.R. Todd, Camry, 4.441, 197.97; Blake Alexander, Mustang, 4.010, 314.75 def. Ron Capps, Charger, 4.466, 197.22;

QUARTERFINALS -- Johnson Jr., 4.031, 318.47 def. Tasca III, 5.622, 129.85; Hight, 4.007, 323.35 def. Alexander, 4.055, 303.98; Force, 4.111, 312.13 def. Langdon, 5.664, 128.65; Hagan, 3.924, 325.37 def. Beckman, 3.995, 321.81;

SEMIFINALS -- Hight, 4.011, 323.19 def. Johnson Jr., 4.046, 318.54; Hagan, 3.962, 322.42 def. Force, Broke;

FINAL -- Hight, 3.973, 325.45 def. Hagan, 4.030, 316.60.

PRO STOCK:

ROUND ONE -- Erica Enders, Chevy Camaro, 6.579, 210.54 def. Fernando Cuadra, Camaro, 6.611, 209.46; Jason Line, Camaro, 6.570, 210.08 def. Richard Freeman, Camaro, 6.585, 210.01; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.570, 209.52 def. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.594, 209.69; Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.577, 209.75 def. Matt Hartford, Camaro, Foul - Centerline; Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.552, 210.57 def. Steve Graham, Camaro, 6.594, 208.17; Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.561, 210.47 def. Steve Matusek, Ford Mustang, 6.611, 209.49; Alex Laughlin, Camaro, 6.553, 209.92 def. Val Smeland, Camaro, 6.610, 209.43; Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.559, 209.98 def. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Camaro, Foul - Red Light;

QUARTERFINALS -- Butner, 6.593, 210.05 def. McGaha, 6.745, 180.28; Anderson, 6.568, 211.10 def. Coughlin, Broke; Line, 6.574, 209.85 def. Kramer, 6.578, 210.41; Laughlin, 6.578, 209.10 def. Enders, 6.651, 208.14;

SEMIFINALS -- Laughlin, 6.614, 209.95 def. Butner, Foul - Red Light; Anderson, 6.625, 209.52 def. Line, 6.593, 208.71;

FINAL -- Anderson, 6.602, 208.71 def. Laughlin, 7.203, 175.68.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

ROUND ONE -- Katie Sullivan, Suzuki, 6.927, 194.21 def. Hector Arana Jr, Foul - Red Light; Ryan Oehler, 6.892, 196.22 def. Cory Reed, Foul - Red Light; Hector Arana, 6.868, 197.02 def. Angie Smith, 6.914, 194.04; Scotty Pollacheck, 11.395, 72.34 def. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, Foul - Red Light; Angelle Sampey, Harley-Davidson, 6.886, 194.44 def. Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.874, 197.02; Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.807, 197.62 def. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 7.060, 191.38; Matt Smith, 6.878, 196.47 def. Jianna Salinas, Suzuki, 7.096, 191.48; Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 6.827, 197.39 def. Joey Gladstone, 6.898, 192.74;

QUARTERFINALS -- M. Smith, 9.900, 88.18 def. Oehler, Broke; Arana, 6.882, 198.12 def. Sampey, Foul - Red Light; Savoie, 6.794, 198.96 def. Sullivan, 6.938, 194.72; Hines, 6.801, 198.67 def. Pollacheck, 6.896, 196.36;

SEMIFINALS -- M. Smith, 6.880, 198.06 def. Arana, 6.976, 196.93; Hines, 6.805, 198.23 def. Savoie, 6.807, 197.88;

FINAL -- Hines, 6.790, 198.00 def. M. Smith, 6.822, 197.36.

NHRA

The Mello Yello Drag Racing Series continues Aug. 2-4 with the Magic Dry Organic Absorbent NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Washington.

SONOMA, Calif. -- Point standings (top 10) following the 32nd annual NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway, the 15th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series -

Top Fuel

1. Steve Torrence, 1,486*; 2. (tie) Antron Brown, 914; Clay Millican, 914; 4. Brittany Force, 894; 5. Doug Kalitta, 887; 6. Mike Salinas, 802; 7. Leah Pritchett, 749; 8. Richie Crampton, 719; 9. (tie) Terry McMillen, 641; Austin Prock, 641.

Funny Car

1. Robert Hight, 1,283*; 2. Tommy Johnson Jr., 1,084*; 3. John Force, 1,035; 4. Jack Beckman, 964; 5. Ron Capps, 962; 6. Bob Tasca III, 924; 7. J.R. Todd, 889; 8. Matt Hagan, 888; 9. Shawn Langdon, 786; 10. Tim Wilkerson, 757.

Pro Stock

1. Bo Butner, 781*; 2. Greg Anderson, 675; 3. Alex Laughlin, 658; 4. Jason Line, 582; 5. Matt Hartford, 567; 6. Deric Kramer, 558; 7. Jeg Coughlin, 544; 8. Erica Enders, 535; 9. Chris McGaha, 477; 10. Rodger Brogdon, 320.

Pro Stock Motorcycle

1. Andrew Hines, 967*; 2. Eddie Krawiec, 770*; 3. Matt Smith, 712*; 4. Hector Arana Jr, 658*; 5. Karen Stoffer, 452; 6. Angie Smith, 419; 7. Ryan Oehler, 408; 8. Hector Arana, 400; 9. Angelle Sampey, 397; 10. Jerry Savoie, 379.

* Clinched berth in NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship

*

[JustKelli]

How a Top Fuel Dragster Works

BY*CHERISE THREEWITT



The GEICO Top Fuel dragster performs a smoky burnout with driver Richie Crampton at the wheel.

(PHOTO BY MARK J. REBILAS/GEIGER MEDIA GLOBAL)

The basics of drag racing are indeed rather elementary. Everyone lines up and goes on the same signal, accelerating to a spot some distance away on a straight course, and whoever gets there first wins. That's consistent across all four National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Mello Yello drag racing series: Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle. The starting light, popularly known as the Christmas tree, flashes a series of amber lights to let the drivers get ready. At the end, there's a green light to go, but if anyone takes off too early, that's a foul and that also gets a red light. The distance varies depending on the specific series. Top Fuel cars and Funny Cars sprint to a distance of 1,000 feet (304.8 meters) to determine the victor.

There's a lot more to a race than just watching it, though. The*National Hot Rod Association (NHRA)*divides its race cars into categories, based on criteria such as engine type, the car's weight, acceptable modifications to the car, aerodynamics and fuel type. The fuel type is primarily what we'll be focusing on, since it's the main factor that differentiates Top Fuel dragsters. They're some of the fastest vehicles on the planet. In fact, just one of the eight cylinders in a Top Fuel engine makes as much horsepower as a NASCAR Sprint Cup car [source:*McGee]. But Funny Cars are mechanically similar to Top Fuel cars, so to some extent, it's worth taking a look at both types.

Top Fuel cars get their power from custom engines that are 500 cubic inches and boast superchargers, making them capable of around 8,000-horsepower. Though some estimates go as high as 10,000-horsepower -- and there's a good reason for any discrepancies [source:*Mazlumian]. Top Fuel engines can't be measured by a dynamometer, the machine that evaluates a car's*horsepower and torque. So, Top Fuel power numbers are calculated by mathematical equations, which can leave some room for debate. These engines can't burn regular gasoline, or even race gas. They need nitromethane, a special kind of fuel, which is how these cars got the Top Fuel name. Their super powerful engines have to be fed with much more concentrated power, which is no accident. It's a complicated balance, requiring the cars to be tuned specifically for the fuel, and the fuel to be manufactured specifically for the cars. All the effort is worth it to the racers, who travel at previously unheard-of speeds, and the fans, who love the flames that occasionally blast from Top Fuel dragsters' tailpipes.





How a Top Fuel Dragster Works

BY*CHERISE THREEWITT

*

Why is it called "Top Fuel"?

**PREVNEXT**

Driver Antron Brown launches the Matco Tools Top Fuel dragster at the zMAX Dragway in Concord, North Carolina.

(COURTESY OF ANTRON BROWN RACING)

The people who built the predecessors to Top Fuel cars -- engineers, mechanics and amateur drag racers around the world -- eventually came to the conclusion that a nitromethane blend is the best type of fuel for these particular types of engines. Nitromethane is also known by its chemical makeup, CH3NO2. It's a dangerous and volatile substance that's often used for pesticides, medicine manufacturing, heavy duty cleaning solvents and even rocket fuel. Somehow, though, Germans in the 1930s and Americans in the 1940s independently discovered that nitromethane could also power race cars. Sometimes, they were victorious; other times, the results were disastrous, since the fuel is so dangerous to work with. But they kept on, and those experiments over the decades helped develop the Top Fuel cars we have today.

Nitromethane is particularly volatile, especially since it doesn't need to mix with air to combust. If a Top Fuel car's engine is not running properly and unburned fuel builds up in the engine, it can explode with a force strong enough to crack the engine's head or block. It can also reportedly explode upon almost any kind of impact [source: Davis]. This is one of the explanations for the flames that come from the exhaust pipes -- unburned fuel heats up as it exits through the exhaust system and ignites when it comes into contact with the atmosphere.

An engine that runs on nitromethane is typically of much lower compression than a gasoline engine (which seems counterintuitive), because lower compression engines generally need less powerful fuel [source: Davis]. Unlike gasoline, though, nitromethane carries oxygen, so the engine doesn't need to force in as much air for the combustion cycle that makes power, allowing it to run at lower compression. This is just one of the finicky tolerances that a Top Fuel mechanic needs to watch carefully so the car remains stable under load. The engines and components are under so much pressure that all of the connections need to be inspected and repaired on a regular basis. For example, the welds on the custom headers start to fail after about 50 or so runs [source: Mazlumian].

Currently, Top Fuel and Funny Cars run on a blend that's 90 percent nitromethane and 10 percent methanol, according to NHRA rules [source: Davis]. The methanol helps suppress detonation, which makes the fuel more stable. The fuel is tricky to blend at the proper ratio because it's mixed by weight, which depends on its temperature. And to further complicate matters, the fuels themselves can vary in purity by a few percentage points. Blending top fuel, for stability and premium power, can yield varied results; but in most cases, the fuel works as intended. Nitromethane can be blended with substances other than methanol to help boost its power potential, but such tactics are banned by the NHRA and most other racing organizations, in part because other fuel blends are more dangerous and also harder to regulate.

[JustKelli]

How a Top Fuel Dragster Works

BY*CHERISE THREEWITT

Race Day!

Top Fuel dragsters use two parachutes to slow the car after a blistering high-speed pass.

(PHOTO BY MARK J. REBILAS/GEIGER MEDIA GLOBAL)

Even though whoever gets to the finish line first is crowned the victor of an NHRA drag race, that doesn't mean the winning car is necessarily the fastest. It also doesn't mean that car is the quickest. If a car is the first off the line, that's a huge advantage in a race that only covers a short distance. Even if the other car has a faster top-speed, it might not be able to cover the lost ground to take the win. So, even though the races are brief, there's always a lot of action.

Top Fuel cars take off from the starting line and reach a speed of 100 miles per hour (160.9 kilometers per hour) in less than a second. This makes them the fastest accelerating machines in the world. (Not just the fastest cars to accelerate, but the fastest anything to accelerate.) The engine's power reaches the wheels in a lickety-split fraction of a second -- 15/100, to be precise. At launch, Top Fuel drivers endure*G-forces*similar to astronauts during a*space shuttle*launch. And almost just as quickly, they need to stop. Since these cars would wear through brakes pretty quickly at more than 300 miles per hour (482.8 kilometers per hour), Top Fuel dragsters are equipped with a special type of primary braking system. After crossing the finish line, the driver hits a switch that deploys two parachutes behind the car, and the intense wind resistance slows the car with little risk of additional mechanical failure.

Funny Cars use the same kind of engines as Top Fuel cars, but there are plenty of differences. The first Funny Cars were 1960s HEMI-powered Dodge models, and they didn't become part of the NHRA until around 1969. The rear wheel placement has been slightly adjusted, and the rear tires are a lot larger now, too. The different wheelbase of Funny Cars, as compared to Top Fuel cars, may account for some of the differences in speed and acceleration, since the huge amount of power going to the rear wheels can cause a lot of extra movement as the cars zip down the strip. In Top Fuel cars, the engine is situated behind the driver, but Funny Cars put the engine up front. Funny Cars use the wheelbase of a production car from the model year 2000 or later, and then a fiberglass replica of the body is constructed to reduce weight. The rules for using production cars offer a lot of leeway. Racers can use sports cars, coupes, or sedans from any domestic or import auto manufacturer, as long as the car was originally mass produced. In other words, race teams can't modify concept cars or show cars or hand-built boutique cars. To be eligible under the NHRA's rules, the car must have been built on a factory assembly line. At one point, about 20 years or so ago, there was talk of changing the Funny Cars' official name to "Fuel Coupe" and the similar names may have strengthened the connection between Top Fuel and Funny Cars -- at least in fans' minds [source:*Klinger].

Top Fuel drag cars and Funny Cars have similar performance specs, thanks to the related mechanical components. Over the 1,000-foot (304.8-meter) straightaway, these dragsters reach speeds above 300 miles per hour (482.8 kilometers per hour) and complete the distance in three to four seconds, burning about 1.2 gallons (4.54 liters) of nitromethane blend per second, and about 17 gallons (64.35 liters) per race [source:*Mazlumian]. Another way to get a sense of these cars' capabilities is to look at the records. At the start of the 2014 season, the record for fastest Top Fuel car in the series was 332.18 miles per hour (534.6 kilometers per hour), held by Spencer Massey, and for the Funny Car series, the top-speed recorded was Matt Hagan's 320.66 miles per hour (516.1 kilometers per hour). Antron Brown's car completed a Top Fuel run in just 3.701 seconds, and Jack Beckman's Funny Car record is 3.986 seconds.

[JustKelli]

How a Top Fuel Dragster Works

BY*CHERISE THREEWITT

Don't Forget Your Earplugs

Experts estimate Top Fuel cars can reach over 150 decibels, a level that can cause physical damage to the eardrum.

(PHOTO BY MARK J. REBILAS/GEIGER MEDIA GLOBAL)

Motorsports fans are advised to wear some kind of ear protection when they're watching Top Fuel racing live. Easily obtainable foam earplugs, like the kind that you'd wear to catch some sleep on a long plane trip, can cut the sound by about 20 decibels [source:*McGee]. That's not a lot, as you'll see, but it's better than nothing. Hearing damage is usually permanent, and once it starts, it's irreversible. And Top Fuel dragsters are the worst noise offenders out there.

Top Fuel dragsters are the NHRA's loudest cars, in part because of the way the engine is mounted. If it was under a hood like a normal car, there'd be at least some insulation to muffle the sound; however, it's completely exposed, and all the engine's workings are right out there -- oh, and there are no mufflers either. The NHRA once allowed a team of seismologists to stand at the starting line to measure the race the way they would measure an*earthquake*-- the two cars rated a 2.3 on the Richter scale [source:*McGee]. That's equivalent to a minor quake, the kind that might go overlooked by some people in the vicinity, but others will definitely feel it. So, the Top Fuel cars' rankings on the earthquake scale are somewhat low, but the fact remains that these are cars that were once officially and scientifically compared to earthquakes. And that's about the most official research that's ever been done. According to ESPN, even though the NHRA will let seismologists take meter readings, they've never recorded official noise levels, and it's unlikely they ever will. It's all part of the mystique surrounding the sport, they explain. That, and once there are official*decibel levels*on-record, there's a lot more grounds for complaint and protest. In 2010, an ESPN reporter scrambled around to find a sound meter capable of testing a Top Fuel drag run -- the highest he could record was 140 decibels, with the meter blinking to indicate its capacity was topped out. Experts estimate Top Fuel cars can reach over 150 decibels, a level that can cause physical damage to the eardrum. For comparison's sake, a typical rock-concert is about 104 to 120 decibels.

There's no sign of Top Fuel popularity slowing down anytime soon. In fact, over just the last few years, the cars themselves have become even more powerful. And the faster a Top Fuel car goes, the louder it gets, which means that as technology continues to improve, more and more drivers are encountering hearing loss [source:*McGee]. Fans will have to deal with more potential hearing damage, too. It's just one of the many well-publicized risks of racing, but for the drivers and the fans, the smell of burning nitromethane is well worth it.

Author's Note: How a Top Fuel Dragster Works

When I started to research this article, I had to go to the beginning. I'd heard of nitromethane, of course (thanks mostly to repeated viewings of "The Fast and the Furious" films) but I didn't know it went by other names. The National Hot Rod Association site is a little outdated, but a nice guy in the marketing office was happy to provide me with some updated statistics. Attaining such a speed in a car is a little mind-blowing, to tell the truth, because of air resistance and traction and the laws of physics. I've gone about half that fast before, but I was falling through the sky with an as-yet-undeployed parachute on my back.