Went to the drag races yesterday...

mrblanche

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They were having the National Finals of the ADRL (American Drag Racing League) yesterday at the big drag strip in Ennis, TX. We were given some tickets, so we went out for a few hours.

There was entertainment for the guys:



Entertainment for the kids (these little "Junior Dragsters" did 73 mph in a 1/8 mile):



There was even entertainment for the ladies!




And the usual selection of strange T shirt statements:

 

butzie

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Is that what they race(d) at National Speedway in Center Moriches, LI, NY? I went to see what they called funny cars on a blind date. By the end of the date I was deaf but certainly not blind to the turd that my cousin picked out for me and nothing was funny about that day. That would be a "few" years ago.

BTW, hope that DW approves of that picture of that t-shirt!
 
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mrblanche

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No, these are different classes than the NHRA runs. Totally different rules. Also, it's 1/8 mile instead of 1/4 mile racing. Top speeds of about 200 mph and 3.9 seconds.

All the ladies who saw the T shirt thought it was funny.

The guy with the muscles was working on a car with a replica body of a 1953 Corvette.
 

althekitty

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That looks like fun
Um, I knew I would ask this in a silly way but I don't know how else to ask, do you drag something in 'drag' racing and if you don't, what is drag racing?
 

pushylady

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at the tee shirt.
Yes, why do they call it drag racing? I always thought it was because it was a real drag going to them!
 

wyatturpsmom

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Love, love, love the pictures. I used to go to the opening and closing (live in Southern California) every year, but haven't and miss going. Love the smell, the feel and the noise! Though I suppose it is an acquired taste. Plus, you're right, there's something for everyone.
 

natalie_ca

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I've never been to a race, but I do enjoy watching them. I don't really follow the drivers though. A friend of mine is absolutely crazy about car racing and watches all the races and follows the drivers and their races and wins etc.
 

calico2222

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LOVE that t-shirt (although, if I DID have PMS right now I probably wouldn't find it quite so amusing
). I love NASCAR and have been to a few races (which were awesome!) but don't really know that much about the other kinds. Are these cars the ones that have the parachute that comes out the back to help slow them down?
 

ancientsanskrit

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Hah, nice another car guy on here.

I just relocated to TX, seems like you guys love your muscle cars down here. I've heard of the plethora of drag strips, but not much auto-x-ing.

I'm not a big fan of fully prepped race cars, much rather watch streetable vehicles.

Cool pictures, nonetheless.
 

kitytize

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My dad rebuilt a '57 Chevy and drag raced it. So I grew up around drag racing. Sadly my dad died when I was 17. I remember there being many different kinds of cars for drag racing. I remember the jet cars, funny cars, dragsters, and then cars in my dad's class not sure what you call those.

The dragsters and funny cars are very fun to watch. But my favorite are the jet cars. Talk about hurting your ears! I only got to see those at Super Chevy Sunday that comes around here once every year in June I think it is. But I believe it is called Super Chevy Show now.
 

gemlady

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Hey! Who says ladies can't enjoy rails and funny cars?

There is a dragstrip near me - close enough you can hear them racing on Saturday nights.
 
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mrblanche

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Originally Posted by calico2222

LOVE that t-shirt (although, if I DID have PMS right now I probably wouldn't find it quite so amusing
). I love NASCAR and have been to a few races (which were awesome!) but don't really know that much about the other kinds. Are these cars the ones that have the parachute that comes out the back to help slow them down?
Yeah. The race itself lasts only 4 seconds.

There is an interesting information page on the fastest drag racing classe. The numbers are amazing. A few examples:

1. A top fuel car makes in excess of 8,000 horsepower. That's almost as much power as the first 4 rows of cars at a NASCAR race.

2. From the time it's started until it starts to come apart at the end of a race, the average life of a Top Fuel car is 900 revolutions.

3. A Top Fuel car experiences 8 g's in acceleration at the start of the race, followed by 5 negative g's when the parachutes open.

4. A run down the track currently costs almost $6,000, assuming nothing breaks.

Top Fuel Race

Here's a good top fuel race. The fireworks at the end are not the cars, but rather a celebration at the track. Look at the times and speeds on the signs at the end of the video.
 

butzie

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Originally Posted by mrblanche

Yeah. The race itself lasts only 4 seconds.

There is an interesting information page on the fastest drag racing classe. The numbers are amazing. A few examples:

1. A top fuel car makes in excess of 8,000 horsepower. That's almost as much power as the first 4 rows of cars at a NASCAR race.

2. From the time it's started until it starts to come apart at the end of a race, the average life of a Top Fuel car is 900 revolutions.

3. A Top Fuel car experiences 8 g's in acceleration at the start of the race, followed by 5 negative g's when the parachutes open.

4. A run down the track currently costs almost $6,000, assuming nothing breaks.

Top Fuel Race

Here's a good top fuel race. The fireworks at the end are not the cars, but rather a celebration at the track. Look at the times and speeds on the signs at the end of the video.
BTW, I am pretty certain that you know how NASCAR started. I'll let you tell us.
 
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mrblanche

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Originally Posted by butzie

BTW, I am pretty certain that you know how NASCAR started. I'll let you tell us.
It supposedly started with the moonshine runners in the south testing their running cars against each other. I suspect that's a little bit of romanticizing, however. People have raced their cars since there were cars to race.

I don't watch NASCAR (although I've been to a couple of races) and I won't until the third letter actually means something again. Today, all the cars and bodies are identical, and the engines bear no resemblence to anything you could buy in a "stock" car. On top of that, they're the absolute peak of 1960's technology.

I want them to race real cars that were bought in a showroom, or change that third letter.

Enough rant!
 

butzie

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Originally Posted by mrblanche

It supposedly started with the moonshine runners in the south testing their running cars against each other. I suspect that's a little bit of romanticizing, however. People have raced their cars since there were cars to race.

I don't watch NASCAR (although I've been to a couple of races) and I won't until the third letter actually means something again. Today, all the cars and bodies are identical, and the engines bear no resemblence to anything you could buy in a "stock" car. On top of that, they're the absolute peak of 1960's technology.

I want them to race real cars that were bought in a showroom, or change that third letter.

Enough rant!
Yeah, it started with the moonshine runners. I saw that on the History Channel. Fascinating what they could do with the cars!
 
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