How a Top Fuel Dragster Works

On this episode of How'd They Do That, we take a look at how a top fuel dragster makes all its power and barrels down the 1,000-ft race track.
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Each week, the Car and Driver KZbin Channel will launch episodes of The Full Hoon, Car and Driver: Abroad, Road & Track Presents, Popular Mechanics How'd They Do That?, Car and Driver: Tested, and Popular Mechanics Saturday Mechanic.

[@therealmysterion485]

I know a lot of people hear that when these cars race they literally shake the ground but they don't really believe that. If you haven't heard one of these in real life you have to, you can hear the power in your chest.

[@scubajeeper1]

the real mysterion Actually, you can feel the horsepower in your chest, it will make you cough from the vibration.

[@stephencasciotta4402]

it,s faster than cat stroke on a aircraft carrier , but less feet on run. 0-to 120 mph at 200ft. 4 gs about the same same as grag racing

[@stephencasciotta4402]

oh yea worked the roof steve usn ret.

[@Impetuss]

No top fuel dragracing where i live

[@bowersville513]

Got that right!

[@muaminhugsy4964]

So basically the car destroys itself down the track. Brutal.

[@megatech1966]

That's what I was thinking after watching this

[@wesleyeisenberg4180]

yeah, amazing, it consumes itself as it goes! Finish your run, you get all new parts! No wonder tickets to these are so expensive, we are buying new engines for everybody!

[@charlesvan13]

+Muamin “Cloud” Hugsy A lot of people work like that too.

[@romankozlovskiy7899]

+WillieStroker? NoButiWillLetYourMom they don't help cooling its air cooled engine

[@purplexenno]

+Don't race me I'm to fast He's correct, the nitromethene actually does help cool the car.

[@zachj3483]

Ive been to one of these races. You don't just hear the power, you FEEL it. I was in the top row of the bleachers and I could feel the vibration and shaking going through my body, I was crazy

[@Sekarii]

2:52 “There are no accidents.” -Master Oogway

[@bongothaplant4730]

Nice

[@orppranator5230]

Nice

[@thederpydude2088]

Nice

[@z_xyd]

Nice

[@slaei]

They can add around 200 horsepower adding a VTEC sticker

[@bakedbeanas1031]

Nik chill out

[@MrBitemeidareya]

+Nik you know a lot of them blow up

[@harveydehavilland5681]

+600 horsepower with racing stripes

[@cognition26]

Nik What does that have to do with anything?

[@Frozengun069]

FearIanNow 😂

[@AshtonCoolman]

Their list of consumables: Spark plugs......clutches, pistons, rods, crankshafts, and basically the entire engines. Dang...

[@1mariomaniac]

Yeah because the engines produce so much heat that they *_melt_*

[@Trident_Euclid]

@@1mariomaniac not that much heat for these engines components. But stresses induced by high G-forces and friction are pretty high.

[@1mariomaniac]

@@Trident_Euclid friction produces heat though

[@Trident_Euclid]

@@1mariomaniac true. But heat generated from combustion doesn't have that nuch affect on these parts. Super alloys can handle it.

[@lawnmowermanlawnmowerman9930]

@Ferenc Dobos Sorry, but I wouldn't pay to watch an electric dragster. It just wouldn't be the same.

[@nkryptchn0285]

This is my favorite video on KZbin. Thank you to the team for producing it. It really gives the average fan a good explanation of how a Dragster accelerates down the track and what it takes to get there. Thanks Grubster. Your the Man.

[@thedevilscobra9251]

i lost my hearing in my left ear from these cars at a race, forgot to wear my ear protection, (peltor) and could not hear out of my left ear for about 10 years.

[@lordflufffluff]

Thanks for telling me.

[@unspeakabletalent-tricksho8282]

I will be praying for you

[@tkinney80]

huh?

[@stevenmartinek4419]

Bet it was worth it.

[@thedevilscobra9251]

@@stevenmartinek4419 Absolutely, but now my hearing is ok again, and it's annoying af, because i can't keep focus on the conversation i am in, if there is another conversation happening a bit away. And it doesn't even matter if i can't understand what they are saying lol. Sort of want to lose my hearing in that ear again, at least have it get worse.

[@atlas85]

1 second to 125 mph that has to be a headache instantly

[@grahamodger]

Eric H more like an instant orgasm! 😂

[@johnobrien9718]

Eric H only if your opponents time flashes before your time... Lol

[@ScooterZn]

Up to 5 G's of thrust.

[@cliveadams3916]

so what,? my grandma went from 0 - 130 when a spider fell on her lap and I'm talking Vertical.

[@Bthast62]

How do you even train for this? Drag racers should be astronauts

[@vstar1976]

This is several years old but still interesting. Accleration This is pretty amazing information even if you don't care about racing. Let's try to comprehend the amount of force produced in less than 4 seconds! * There are no rockets or airplanes built by any government in the world that can accelerate from a standing start as fast as a Top Fuel Dragster or Funny Car! Subject: Putting all of this into perspective A Definition of Acceleration. One Top Fuel dragster 500 cubic inch Hemi engine makes more horsepower than the first 4 rows at the Daytona 500. Under full throttle, a dragster engine consumes 1-1/2 gallons of nitromethane per second; a fully loaded 747 consumes jet fuel at the same rate with 25% less energy being produced.. A stock Dodge Hemi V8 engine cannot produce enough power to drive the dragster supercharger. 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 lock at full throttle. At the stoichiometric (stoichiometry: methodology and technology by which quantities of reactants and products in chemical reactions are determined) 1.7:1 air/fuel mixture for nitromethane the flame front temperature measures 7050 degrees F. Nitromethane burns yellow. The spectacular white flame seen above the stacks 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. This is the output of an arc welder in each cylinder. Spark plug electrodes are totally consumed during a pass. After Â* way, the engine is dieseling from compression plus the glow of 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 sufficient force to blow cylinder heads off the block in pieces or split the block in half. In order to exceed 300 mph in 4.5 seconds dragsters must accelerate an average of over 4G's. In order to reach 200 mph well before half-track, the launch acceleration approaches 8G's. Dragsters reach over 300 miles per hour before you have completed reading this sentence. Top Fuel Engines turn approximately 540 revolutions from light to light! Including the burnout the engine must only survive 900 revolutions under load. The redline is actually quite high at 9500rpm. The Bottom Line; Assuming all the equipment is paid off, the crew worked for free, and for once NOTHING BLOWS UP, each run costs an estimated $1,000.00 per second. The current Top Fuel dragster elapsed time record is 4.441 seconds for the quarter mile (10/05/03, Tony Schumacher). The top speed record is 333.00 mph. (533 km/h) as measured over the last 66' of the run (09/28/03 Doug Kalitta). Putting all of this into perspective: You are driving the average $140,000 Lingenfelter "twin-turbo" powered Corvette Z06. Over a mile up the road, a Top Fuel dragster is staged and ready to launch down a quarter mile strip as you pass. You have the advantage of a flying start. You run the 'Vette hard up through the gears and blast across the starting line and past the dragster at an honest 200 mph. The 'tree' goes green for both of you at that moment. The dragster launches and starts after you. You keep your foot down hard, but you hear an incredibly brutal whine that sears your eardrums and within 3 seconds the dragster catches and passes you. He beats you to the finish line, 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 not only caught, but nearly blasted you off the road when he passed you within a mere 1320 foot long race course. That folks, is acceleration

[@TROllingNINJA2031]

Why has only one other person liked this

[@dedede5586]

vstar1976 WOW

[@b.t.6345]

Interesting breakdown mate. Thanks for taking time in doing the maths.

[@newjargon1697]

vstar1976 Its fuckin amazing, now I know even more information even if it's not related. Awesome.

[@anthonyagnelneri4076]

Cool ass video great #'s and cool explanations!!! Thanks AGAIN for a very interesting and detailed video!!

[@jasone4460]

There’s nothing like standing next to the crew guys when a top fuel dragster leaves the starting line. The noise is so loud even with ear protection. It shakes the ground and your body. Your vision is blurry for a split second. Absolutely crazy wonderful

[@based3107]

I was really young when I saw Top Fuel cars for my first and only time, at Santa Pod here in the UK. I cant remember much but what I do remember is the whole earth shaking thing being 100% accurate. They are fucking crazy

[@thebayleaf221]

Yeah but whats its nurburgring lap time?

[@AMoistBum]

Negative 7 seconds

[@brandonblankson9828]

Adam Nelson uh

[@robertwilson3453]

not about turning all about traction. put a for here or what ever car you like on a track and let's see what it does.

[@AMoistBum]

robert wilson that's the joke...

[@thebayleaf221]

HAHAHA

[@andrewmurphy9349]

wow these new Civic Si's are super sporty

[@lazarnedeljkovic5615]

I'm done

[@lazarnedeljkovic5615]

+Lazar Nedeljkovic lel

[@GraduatedIn]

XDDDDD

[@FreeTalentWorldwide]

They still break past 4k rpm

[@globalautobahn1132]

It’s the NOZ 😂😂

[@evilpandakillabzonattkoccu4879]

one of the best things my parents did for me as a child was take me to the drag races. memories for life as well as a passion for competition and a respect for the power these machines put out. getting to be by the starting line.....it's surreal when you're a kid. feeling the engine in your body as it rumbles, it was like being next to a monster!

[@Seven50ml]

I love to see folks experiencing top fuel for the first time. It simply can't be explained, must me seen.

[@initialb5009]

basically a new engine for every run. moneymoneymoneymoney

[@SuperSonicSenna]

they're designed to come apart easily and cheaply (relatively).....why do you think that they use such simple engine designs?

[@initialb5009]

it does look quite easy to work on. the clutch set is a surprise to me, I always thought there would be a gearbox but now when I see it, there wouldn't be many gearboxes that could handle that power

[@quadrunner2124]

+Barry McGuigan Is that a Mercedes for your profile pic? ironyironyironyirony

[@initialb5009]

yeah, its a 20 year old Mercedes.

[@quadrunner2124]

Barry McGuigan How's she workin for you?

[@schmittenhammer]

Some VERY interesting and mind boggling facts here. Thanks for the video!

[@FranktheDachshund]

wolfgang schmittenhammer Right, but what guides the jet from the shaped charge? It has to be precisely aimed straight doen from a fast moving object..

[@Eec2023]

Excellent video. One of the most amazing machines ever created. Hats off to the driver who goes from 0 to 300 in 3.5 seconds. Most humans would black out. Lol

[@charlesfoster141]

Fabulous documentary! I love top fuel dragsters and have followed them since the early days with Don Garlitt's front engine cars with 7.5 second et's. Nobody thought anyone would ever break 6 seconds in the quarter and it took quite awhile to do it. Today's cars blow my mind. I would love to hear one up close before I die.

[@FeralVG]

good to hear that Dave has retained most of his Aussie accent after all that time in the USA. Watching a top fuel team at work between rounds is a classic demonstration of team work & professionalism.

[@Ryder1231000]

Most of :D

[@duradim1]

One of the best explanations on the mechanics of a top fuel dragster that I have ever seen. Thank you.

[@user-sz5oj4ml5n]

I just love how he is so happy to tell us what it takes to drive an insane piece of mechanical engineering im happy 😊

[@jimmycline4778]

My first time I had to leave early, I was walking down the grandstand and thought I was going to fall down when two top fuel dragsters took off, you could feel the air compress, you felt your body rattle on the inside and your knees feel like jelly, I could barely walk down the steps ,these things are awesome!

[@CydiaTesterForFun]

Will this fit in my honda?

[@jaycusn54]

Lenny Boegli mcm joke I found this really funny

[@alycestapleton]

Lenny Boegli no it won’t you muppet so stfu

[@JingleBombzz]

It's joke so you stfu.

[@TheWiseTorsk]

Depends on how you define "fit".

[@cadehinds4598]

Lenny Boegli fuck yea ig will

[@preteristlab-endtimes5683]

I've following the drags for fifty years but that was the neatest explanation I've ever seen. Thanks for post. Good luck team Kalitta. Mozz

[@szymon6207]

more than 60000hp and 33000rpm ?

[@MAgaSUXX]

Amen.

[@bobo_da_hobo]

I don’t know a lot about cars but I’ve always been interested in Top Fuel Dragsters! I love this video it’s so well explained and so precise on how everything works inside these monsters!!! Thank you for this video I’ll show it off forever!!

[@DWKit22]

Fascinating and incredible at the same time !

[@lw216316]

Back in the day, the 426 hemi stock cars were running the 1/4 around 13.5 -14.0 sec at about 105-110 mph. They were mostly big, heavy, non-areodynamic cars. It took them 14 sec to get to about 110. These top fuel take 1 sec to get to that.

[@tannerroberstsonski2022]

I could hit 113 mph from my garage to the end of my driveway

[@TheAntipedy]

***** hhhhaaa hh a that's funny

[@Muddicker]

Tanner Roberstsonski The best I got was 62 mph in my 1969 Mini Copper s. So you must be fast LOL

[@lgeiger]

Tanner Roberstsonski And I could exit our underground garage with a speed of 210mph xD

[@jimsmusicalendeavours1383]

+Tanner Roberstsonski You mustn't have a driveway then.

[@RoisinT2]

+Tanner Roberstsonski Well.. i quess it would be handy when your late from work..

[@ajajaaukka]

7:11 Salad performance

[@slayer1175]

Yes

[@Showmetheevidence-]

Just mad, amazing power!

[@Bradyvilleboy]

So awesome. Sadly, motorsports do not lend themselves well to video. You have to be there to really appreciate the concussive bellow of a top fuel dragster.

[@kylesvideos59]

Funny cars are still louder

[@simonh5110]

Bradyvilleboy .Bradyvilleboy that is so true. The feeling of when your there is sooooo amazing. It a Horsepower earthquake!!! ~famoso raceway~

[@ericynot]

@@kylesvideos59, They're about the same. They run the same engines. The difference is in the suspensions and body dimensions. That, and the fact that the engines are in front of the drivers, which seems completely insane to me.

[@tilleryjohnson8045]

Bradyvilleboy. Bradyvilleboy you're absolutely right. You have to be there

[@tilleryjohnson8045]

Ericynot that's true

[@yammerhaw101]

As Grubnic said, you have to see one of these events in person. It's NOTHING like seeing it on TV!! Gene Simmons of KISS sponsored a car awhile back. He said something like: a rock concert has nothing on the noise of these cars. But it's not just the noise (which vibrates right thru your body). The ground and the grandstands shake. It's also the acceleration the TV doesn't reveal. My first NHRA event I was in the pits. They test run the car while it's on jackstands after a rebuild. It's sitting there idling, the rear tires spinning. The driver GUNS the engine - about 1/3 throttle I'm guessing. Scares the crap out of you if it's your first time!! The nitro fumes choke you. The pit crew and driver wear gas masks - at least the ones who don't want a nitro buzz.

[@jubelet]

yammer haw Agreed! I went to one, only one, at Bristol. Not a fan of drag racing, but I have to say it was impressive. A lot like the launch of the space shuttle.

[@yammerhaw101]

Pluff Mudd I've been 3 times to the NHRA events. I ONLY go for the nitro. Pro Stock and the motorcycles are ok, but it's the nitro that excites!! I wish I had went to a shuttle launch - since i lived in FL for over 2 decades. I would bet a night launch is amazing as is the nitro NHRA at night when you can see the flames.

[@ericynot]

There's one camera angle they show on TV that kind of gives you an idea of the speed. It's the one with a camera at ground level near the finish line, and looking toward the starting line, as the cars go by. At that point, they're usually going well over 320, and they look like gigantic bullets going by. If you blink, you won't even see them.

[@badron9245]

The stands might vibrate from the noise, but the ground doesn't actually shake, really.

[@billrudolph8185]

@@badron9245 : YES the ground DOES shake, it can be measured on the Richter scale, averaging around 3.5

[@texasdeeslinglead2401]

that is some staggering physics and engineering, I'm still pondering how the splins on the clutch does not rip free or tear out all those rivets. that such a small surface are for such mammoth forces to hit.

[@Oooo-bi7bi]

Watched this a few times over the years. It never ceases to amaze me. Thanks for the upload.

[@3v3ryb0dyh8sCHRIS]

Although some may say drag racing is boring you have to experience at least the top fuel dragsters in person. It's a very unique experience. I remember the first time my dad took my brother & I and when the dragsters took off I got goosebumps & chills up my spine it was awesome. Incredible machines

[@kierannee528]

I had no idea how loud they'd be. I was walking along the top of the bank, no ear defenders on as yet and boom, off they went. That noise just went through me. That was nothing though, compared to the jet car i watched from the trackside. Now THAT was a bone rattler.

[@PageCrowes]

My Pops took my older brother and me too my friend since we were small. Muldowney at Detroit dragway with Bigdaddy along time ago. We went to Indy Nantionals in 2018 to see Top fuel and something told me.it was the last time I would be at the track with my Dad and he wasnt even sick yet. He passed 2 years later of cancer. Thank you Dad and God for blessing me.

[@InTheZoneAXC]

easy -you find an engine that is about 5ftx5ft -add a blower -add tires as big as your car -make the car about as long as your house -add fuel -add oil -start engine -press game

[@takumifujiwara9072]

*Crash -Replay

[@bathtechwelding]

I remember reading an article years ago where Kieth Black described the top fuel hemi's as "a marginally controlled explosion in a barely reusable container." That's when these engines were running only 3,000 hp. This clip is old and they run over 11,000 now and believe me, you can feel them from the stands. It's worth going to an event just once because watching it on TV and thinking you know what it's like is like watching someone trip and fall down and thinking you know what skydiving is like... Plus drag racing is extremely fan friendly. Much more so than any other sport I've ever watched. Wanna meet the drivers and see things close up in the pits... no problem.

[@justingood1443]

I could listen to NHRA facts for the rest of my life. Absolutely mind blowing every time I hear 75 MPH in 0.5 seconds.

[@robertmassucci1]

For those of you who think it's a waste of money. Let me say that this is a form of art, as well as a sport. A measure of civilization is how they spend their leisure time. We must thrive rather than just survive, so we find ways go spend our leisure time. As far as I know no tax dollars go to support drag racing the participants do so at their own free will and spend money as they see fit

[@BensCoffeeRants]

Polluting by burning dinosaur juice, how refined indeed.

[@BrickNewton]

Ben you know they don't use petroleum products to run. This monsters eat nitro methane and methanol type fuels

[@MaplePanda04]

Yes, this is the definition of racing.

[@Canttouchthis04]

Ben Maybe do a bit of research next time before talking out of your ass.

[@larryoakley8099]

Your statement of "We must thrive rather than just survive" is all nice and everything... but lets see you say it when you are starving to death or dying of thirst etc. "Sport" and "Art" are out the window when basic needs arn't met. So we have invested millions of man hours developing a technology that will render itself useless when "Shit gets real"

[@spazzmonster]

Great job on this video. It really builds enthusiasm for this extreme racing.

[@ryanwilsonbackup]

one of the coolest videos I've seen in a long time. I had no idea how insane those drag cars are

[@effychase62]

Still a fav video of mine here in October 2022. Hoping to go back to the Four Wide Nationals at ZMax Charlotte in April 2023.

[@davidbuschhorn6539]

My dad used to tell me that in the late 1960s, launching his A-4 off an aircraft carrier with the steam catapult, it sent him from 0-160 knots in 1.5 seconds. He said it felt like it was flattening his eyeballs.

[@takumifujiwara9072]

160 knots is 184mph and 296kmph is anyone is wondering

[@HooyahPeacock]

It's a cool feeling being shot of the fight deck... knowing you're never going to return

[@pacificcoastpiper3949]

@@HooyahPeacock that would be a very melancholy thing for me. It is my dream to fly some of the old fighters

[@quadrunner2124]

11:30 blew my mind after he explained the tires.

[@cschoen100]

Never get tired of watching this. Looking forward to flying down to Pomona in 5 days for the 2019 NHRA Finals!

[@Wearefucked]

this was absolutely amazing to watch

[@Trainmaster909]

Formula 1: We spend 2 seconds in the pit NHRA: we spend 2 seconds on the track Formula 1: *confused puppy-dog face*

[@rgg9337]

F1: I can take a corner Dragster : Sad dragster noises

[@Trainmaster909]

Snoop Doge unless you are an SF90 or a Williams

[@jonlaye2537]

We go 300+ mph

[@Bartonovich52]

@ John Laye For 0.2 seconds. My plane goes 300 MPH for hours.

[@andreusallman3352]

@@Bartonovich52 you don't even got one don't play bother

[@twinprime]

1.3 gallon per second. approx 4s per 1000 ft or 0.189393939 mile. So approx 21s per mile. That's 27.45 gallon / mile. At $35 per gallon that's $960/mile in term of fuel. Well not so good gas mileage for grocery shopping.

[@oducks5820]

Where the hell do you pay $35 for fuel?

[@MrPunisheer]

Oducks58 thats jet fuel bro ....not prius fuel

[@scamper246]

MrPunisheer Jet fuel costs about 5 bucks a gallon at my airport. Nowhere near 35

[@DouglasGardnerTV]

scamper246 its nitromethane fuel. nitromethane fuel is more expensive then avgas

[@DouglasGardnerTV]

Stuntman Mike how much do you pay for nitromethane?

[@alanbrown1563]

Brilliant documentary thanks

[@RelaxAndSmokeMeth]

The pressure you feel on your chest when they pass is wild! WILD!

[@JayJr2007]

Fascinating and awesome.

[@vasool82]

That guys wig is awesome , i could hardly tell !!

[@ashchaya7676]

FINALLY, I get to learn what RPM these cars do. I've been looking for this info since I was a kid. I've even asked actual drivers before; "Iunno"... Thank you, Age of the Internet.

[@supertramp6011]

Everything about this blows my mind like a Mitsubishi head gasket. Absolutely incredible,thanks for posting,I gotta see this happen for real,defo on my bucket list. The only video I have instantly had to re- watch,because even the tech specs and numbers involved were too much to comprehend first time around....👌

[@chrissorreda4982]

Well there’s another thing on my bucket list.

[@9balls_too]

Same

[@paulnewkirk7351]

The thing that catches my attention is that the crews working on the cars are driven by competition. There isnt a government agency watching over each little decision. If that was the case, then they would need anywhere from 3 months to 3 years between each run. Only the best are hired and if they lose their edge, they lose their job. Failures are an ongoing part of the business. Its what they do with the failures that determine success. There is a lot not covered in this presentation but it is sufficient to give a general understanding of how it works. The cars today are powered with 11,000 hp and the NHRA works with the teams in determining every aspect of equipment, weight, fuel, and track operation. The wheelie bar is maybe the one thing that was left out of this information that plays a major role in the cars operation. And of course, money.

[@TheCorezero00]

I don't recall them mentioning the 45 minutes between rounds where the whole thing is stripped bare and rebuilt to winning status...... one hopes...... it takes me that long to just get the tools lined up for a rebuild..... and i don't usually mess with redoing the clutch...... if it's ok it goes back on if not it gets replaced......

[@MrAli171]

Brilliant video shows everything

[@wmg5939]

I wish people had this much passion for charity works and humanity.

[@omnipresentvideo7686]

If you could make money on it, they would have the passion.

[@artzreal]

that's how a messed up world looks like

[@r3gaming545]

I’ve watched this like 5 times already..

[@MajBuffalo]

obviously, these engines run off of bunny rabbits. if you look closely, at 7:53 you can see them remove a carrot from the engine, and everybody knows that bunnyrabbits love carrots.

[@theradioactiverose5338]

zombiekillar1234 the dragcars have bunnypower instead of horsepower

[@Chilinoploopy]

That was amazing information! Absolutely incredible engineering!

[@woodyfive0]

Thank you for the schooling! Super interesting!!

[@kenhir927]

Damn, that's almost as fast as Usain Bolt

[@yugiohguy]

That's significantly faster than UB

[@MySkybreaker]

+yugioh guy does literally no one understand a joke

[@dedede5586]

Sparrow TV WHOOSH

[@TsunaXZ]

Nope but close enough

[@jeffreydevries2459]

@@yugiohguy www.reddit.com/r/woooosh/

[@dame2429]

It makes me so upset that this strip is closed now, same with atco, drag is dying and it’s very unfortunate

[@DrDark3333]

Awesome.... Awesome... Awesome.. Video!!!! Very well put together and I now have a favorite top fuel driver.

[@Version135]

Really great video, thanks!

[@Sparty1966grad]

"How exactly does a posi-trac rear-end on a Plymouth work? It just does."

[@salvadoraceves334]

As you turn one wheel turns faster then the other. Simply!!

[@peteredd9349]

Mopar limited slip is a Sure-Grip, Chevrolet is Posi-Trac, Studebaker named their limited slip Twin Traction, Ford named theirs Trak-Lok, Pontiac named theirs Safe T Track, but to name a few.

[@kerbal666]

I always wondered why top fuel never went around a track, as a kid I thought of putting it on a rail or something but now after watching this I didn't realise the engine eats itself.

[@pauldashwood2897]

Great explanation....good luck

[@The_Angry_BeEconomist]

really cool and to the point documentary

[@jasonskinner1555]

Came a long way since don garlits was on the track

[@winkerdude]

God. I miss those days.

[@Romans--bo7br]

Jason.... and without "Big"... TF would be "NO Place", today.... and that's a fact.

[@winkerdude]

Front engine. Headbolts rattling down the stands after an engine explodes. The good old days. The noise went beyond hurting your ears. It hurt your lungs.

[@Destructoglitch]

GF: Babe come over. Me: I can't, I'm just about to do a rip in my dragster. GF: My parents aren't ho- Oh, you're here.

[@Smarty1171]

Great video. Thank you.

[@kiwiryker]

What an awesome video !! So so so good Thankyou from New Zealand

[@brucey39]

apparently the acceleration makes your eyes sink right back int the sockets

[@Greenlightfilming]

But do they have a radio?

[@liquidalloy]

I miss this so much. 49 now. My dad took me to the NHRA races all the time when I was a kid. Englishtown NJ. I met so many drivers and I got their autographs. Dan Pastarini, Don Garlits, Bob Glidden, John Force, Gary Ormsby to name a few. Being in the pits though like these people are when these things fire up is a whole new life experience you will never forget lol. Eyes burn from the fumes, your ears are gone 🤣 and when that engine revs like that, the little burst they do. It feels like the ground beneath you disappears.

[@WatchmakerErik]

David Grubnic saying "stack em up stack em up" plays in my head every time I stack anything, thanks to this video. It's been that way for years.

[@tdemolish]

One thing I can never get my head around with very high powered drags is when the engine is blasted off the line the engine torgue is thrown to the right, overloading the right side wheel and unloading the left side. How is traction on the left back wheel maintained ???

[@CHR1SZ7]

maybe the clutch is geared to spin the opposite way to reduce net rotational torque?

[@willi4]

there is no differential its a solid axle

[@professorneturman2249]

Chassis is designed for it

[@_LEONKING_]

Takes this cars just one bit over 1 second to reach the top speed of my car lmao

[@stevemason5173]

Amazing video and very educational... Awesome powerful machines!!!

[@pictureBigger]

I'm here for at least the 1 millionth time. I'm surprised the video count isn't higher. This is awesome!

[@clintgirdler38]

It must have been hard for him as an Aussie to change and say aluminum instead of aluminium.

[@eddiedaengineer]

So funny all his pronunciations so yanks would understand him. Loved the 'half'! Great video!

[@b.kaan75]

4:04 yeah html is amazing..... (lower left corner)

[@d4athwish122]

Rest in peace englishtown. Alot of great memories there

[@OffMyKeys]

Really interesting insight into these cars. So much more than just big-ass engines and more exotic fuel. A lot of very impressive tech used and their operation is a lot more different than I imagined!

[@TROllingNINJA2031]

don't dragster push 10k hp now?

[@Country_Tyler]

Yeah 10k horsepower, and they barley rev to 6k not 8 xD

[@Lugare2011]

+Tyler Alexander...@2:08 8500 rpm, @2:13 7900 rpm, @2:27 7700 rpm, @2:41 7400 rpm, @2:51 7200 rpm, @3:05 7300 rpm, @3:22 7800 rpm, @3:37 8400 rpm. Barely rev to 6000 rpm huh. Next time watch the video before talking out your ass.

[@davitomarler]

theoretically they do. They use a mathematical formula to estimate horsepower because a traditional dyno cant handle the power output of a topfuel. what that formula is? fuck if i know lol

[@cstevenson1234]

There are literally apps for that xD

[@twayland6186]

Ninja Man some do

[@davydorynbaev]

2:50 Would you look at that distance

[@kresimirmilisa5560]

Good review about dragster cars thanks.

[@Gynotai]

Thank you. That was very informative.

[@pony_drums]

1:16 dude sounds like Tony Stark

[@REDxFROG]

Hello, I'm from germany. They forgot about catalytic converters. haha :-)

[@zkly]

They they don't have catalytic converters as these cars don't need to be smoged every two years

[@REDxFROG]

zkly haha good point!

[@TheKutia]

+REDxFROG they dont need em, they blow up before they ever need it.

[@quadrunner2124]

+REDxFROG What tyler meant to say, is that by the time you drive to the smog station or whatever, there will be 0 emissions.

[@arthurwatts1680]

+REDxFROG OK - that was a Volkswagen joke, ya ? Apparently there are a lot of long faces in Wolfsburg atm - a lot of people wondering if they'll still have a job in 6 months. Having been in that position, I dont envy them.

[@user-sz5oj4ml5n]

NHRA is my favorite type of racing the speed the energy =AMAZING

[@jjr6929]

Excellent video

[@dwetick1]

The spark plugs burn out after several seconds?

[@voided76]

I'm pretty sure the conditions in the engines melts the electrodes and elements out of the plug after several WOT seconds, yeah

[@voided76]

That's likely true of the old school then. The March of materials keeps us moving forward

[@williamsimmons152]

Saw a plug launch itself out of the block, at night, at Old Bridge. It went towards the parking lot. Probably still in orbit.

[@willi4]

the entire run is averaged at 3.6 seconds. two seconds in the plugs are no longer firing, the only way the engine is running is the exact way a diesel runs, by enough heat and compression for the fuel to ignite, which is mind blowing.

[@Breatherable]

I love how Dave Grubnic is still 100% Aussie.

[@AdamKyleAnderson]

But sadly he is starting to talk like an American :-(

[@Ryder1231000]

Aloominum he reckoned! And faaast!

[@somebloke13]

It's terrible to hear him mangling English like an American 😨

[@mainlymusicman]

excellent video. so much info.

[@Gynotai]

That was very informative! Great job!