How do Top Fuel Dragsters Work
A dragster engine is about 50 times more powerful than a Honda Civic engine. It weighs about 500 pounds less than a Honda Civic. A huge engine in a lightweight vehicle means it's going to go fast, really FAST! Instead of burning gasoline, a dragster race car burns nitromethane, also called "top fuel."
Top Fuel Dragsters are the fastest accelerating vehicles in the world The cars can cover the quarter mile in 4.4secs at speeds exceeding 335mph The engine of choice is an aluminum version of the Chrysler Hemi, which produces an estimated 7,000 – 8,000 horsepower
View this video clip on aerodynamics and car design
View this video clip on tire design
Two cars over 1/8 th to ¼ of a mile The cars activate a timer They are judged on elapsed time ET Cars reaches a speed of about 325 mph
Dragster cars are a great deal lighter than barbells, but they still have weight; what scientifically we call Mass. The Balancing Act: Advantages: Cars with less mass go much faster. Disadvantages: Cars with less mass are less stable and less durable.
Drag: the resistance of wind moving over an object. So how do you overcome drag? Start by making the body as aerodynamically "clean" as possible. Think of vehicles designed for high speed such as rockets and jet fighters and go from there.
Everything has friction. On a DRAGSTER car, friction occurs primarily in two places: between the wheels and the ground, between the axles and the car body. The Balancing Act:
Drag Racing
It depends on the type of race car you are talking about. For example: NASCAR engines burn 110- octane leaded gasoline. Indy cars burn pure methanol (a.k.a. wood alcohol, CH 3 OH). Top Fuel dragsters and funny cars burn nitromethane (CH 3 NO 2 ).
Top Fuel Funny Cars Pro Stock Top Alcohol dragster Top Alcohol Funny Car Competition
Super Stock Stock Super Comp Super Gas Super Street
Seat belts and roll bar or cage Helmets and neck collars Protective clothing 4 wheel hydraulic breaks
Official site of the National Hot Rod Association
How do you think the design requirements of a Pike’s Peek race vehicle with those of a Dragster are different Discuss this for 1 minute with a student sitting beside you
Click the title to see the movie clip