0 to 330 MPH and I've got the pics!
 

Went to the Gatornationals drag race in Gainesville Florida yesterday and it was amazing. The crowd was huge and the drivers were breaking records under near perfect conditions. Every class put on a great show but I've got to give it to the top fuel funny cars and dragsters. These things were LOUD and FAST. When they take off the ground shakes and you feel like your body is going to implode. I think the only thing louder would be an indoor tractor pull.

If you're a fan of racing and motorsports I highly recommend checking out an NHRA event with the top fuel funny cars and dragsters. it's something that you really need to experience first hand as these guys go from 0 to over 330 MPH and go 1/4 mile in about 4.5 seconds. I can't give you the sound of those dragsters or the smell of nitro burning but I can give you some of the sights I saw with a few of my pictures.

The day starts with unloading the dragster out of the hauler which they now have down to a science.
http://www.thewoop.com/public_html/p...s07/unload.jpg

The car is then rolled into the pit area where it's worked on before and after every run.
http://www.thewoop.com/public_html/p...7/skoalpit.jpg

They start the racing with the various stock classes and these guys put on a wild show of their own.
http://www.thewoop.com/public_html/p.../transamWS.jpg

Pro Stock Bikes were up next and Angelle Sampey led the way with a blistering run.
http://www.thewoop.com/public_html/p...07/angelle.jpg

Pro Stock class was very competitive and the action left you thirsty for more.
http://www.thewoop.com/public_html/p...rs07/jager.jpg

Then it was time for the top fuel dragsters like this one driven by Brandon Bernstein.
http://www.thewoop.com/public_html/p...ors07/bud1.jpg

There's nothing like watching these guys do side by side burnouts.
http://www.thewoop.com/public_html/p...TFburnouts.jpg

Larry Dixon tuned his hot rod to perfection and took the number one spot running 4.510 and 331.53 mph through the quarter mile.
http://www.thewoop.com/public_html/p.../dixontune.jpg

It's launch time as the lights count down to green on the tree and they leave the line.
http://www.thewoop.com/public_html/p...pfuelgreen.jpg

Ashley Force was clearly the crowd favorite in top fuel funny car and came out with a spectacular smoking burnout.
http://www.thewoop.com/public_html/p...leyburnout.jpg

As she made her pass down the track you can really see all the heat and exhaust coming from her monster powerplant.
http://www.thewoop.com/public_html/p...shleyforce.jpg

Funny cars are wild and it's amazing that these things can be driven like they are.
http://www.thewoop.com/public_html/p...rs07/skull.jpg

All things considered it was a great show that can't be as much appreciated in pictures as it can be in person.
http://www.thewoop.com/public_html/p.../funnyrace.jpg

Great looking pix man..sweet cars

Two things about drag racing that don't really translate to pics or video:

The sheer speed of it all. If you are sitting sideways at the starting line, the first few times you will lose track of the top fuel cars because they will disappear out of your eyesight before you can turn your head. The speed is truly insane.

The other is the sound. Specifically the thunderous vibrations in the ground and the scream as they leave the line. There is nothing else that can prepare you for that.

wow interesting i've never been to a race like that ... do they really hit those speeds? 300+ that freekin fast

ohh great pics man

Some great pics...

very nice pictures. i miss the races at brainerd.

niceeee!!!

pretty cool pics :thumbsup

Yes they do. Look at the picture of the Bud top fuel dragster with the little front wheels and imagine that that thing goes from a standing start to 330 mph in less than 5 seconds in a quarter mile. I really don't see how they drive it but they do.

awesome pics

Great pics what camera and lens do you use?

Thank you and thanks to everyone else for the nice comments on the pictures. I shot these with a Canon 20D and their 70-200mm 2.8 lens. Here are a few more.

http://www.thewoop.com/public_html/p...s07/cudaWS.jpg

http://www.thewoop.com/public_html/p...7/prostock.jpg

http://www.thewoop.com/public_html/p...rs07/flame.jpg

Excellent photos. I would love to go to a meet like that.

I have a client with a supercharged alcohol fueled Hemi altered that does the 1/4 in less then 7 seconds at over 200 MPH but that is nothing compared to those guys.

Whoa look at that tyre

yes the do, in under 5 seconds too

http://www.thewoop.com/public_html/p...shleyforce.jpg

that's not heat . . . that's fuel that didn't ignite . . that's how the motors are cooled

Fantastic pics! :thumbsup

great pix man!

I see fire coming out of the headers so I assumed that it was heat just like you see the shimmer coming off a hot road. So how is the fuel released, how does that help cool the engine and why is that not one big fireball

Wow, check out the back wheel
http://www.thewoop.com/public_html/p...rs07/flame.jpg

I love how the tires just crumple from the torque when they punch it..

looks like fun :thumbsup

fuel doesn't 'ignite' like gas or alcohol . . fuel only ignites from percussion . . here read about it . . . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_fuel

Fuel is injected by a constant flow injection system. There is an engine driven mechanical fuel pump and about 42 fuel nozzles. The pump can flow 92 gallons/minute at 8000 rpm and 500 PSI fuel pressure. In general 10 injectors are placed in the throttle horn above the supercharger, 16 in the intake manifold and two per cylinder in the cylinder head.

looks like they do use 'spark plugs' I was told years ago it ws a percussive explosive

Nitromethane was not known to be a high explosive until the 1950s when a railroad tanker car loaded with it exploded. After much testing it was realized that nitromethane was a more energetic high explosive than TNT, although TNT has a higher velocity of detonation and brisance (shattering power against hard targets). Both of these explosives are oxygen poor and some benefits are gained from mixing with an oxidizer, such as ammonium nitrate. One graphic example of this was the use of nitromethane and ammonium nitrate on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building at Oklahoma City. Pure nitromethane is an insensitive explosive, but even so inhibitors may be used to reduce the hazards. The tank car explosion was speculated to be due to adiabatic compression, a hazard common to all liquid explosives. This is when small entrained air bubbles compress and superheat with rapid rises in pressure. It was thought that an operator rapidly snapped shut a valve creating a 'hammer-lock' pressure surge. Nitromethane can be sensitized by adding a base to raise the pH.

Cool pictures !! Very sweet ride ! Wish I could get my hands on one of those :)

that could be fun

nice pics :)

nice pic mate

very cool pics!

That can only be one of two things...

1) A shower door.
2) Your Ozone being depleted.

Well.. it could also be raw power and very cool.

bah i thought you meant YOU were going 0 to 330 THEN i would have been impressed

Great Shots:thumbsup

great pics, looks like a fun day!

It's look like a mad max race :)

Thanks for taking the time to point that out. I went home smelling like fuel and now I know why. After one burnout the wind blew our way and for a few seconds we were all gasping as the fumes filled the air. I like threads where we learn something :thumbsup

Here's a few wild wheelstanders

http://www.thewoop.com/public_html/p...07/wagonWS.jpg

http://www.thewoop.com/public_html/p...s07/dualWS.jpg

http://www.thewoop.com/public_html/p...07/truckWS.jpg

Awesome pics :thumbsup

awesome, Kick ass pics!:thumbsup