when things go wrong

[drew ss]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz_73yw7naM&feature=player_embedded

[Bonnie and Clyde]

WOW now thats drag racing

[ferb]

drew ss said:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz_73yw7naM&feature=player_embedded

The best run we saw there was 4.80 seconds @ 315 mph. I prefered going next door, they had the sprint cars. That involved corners www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3JDdz0rv4s&feature=related

[paramoreg]

Talking of drag racing (going well for a moment), who's old enough to remember Sammy Miller and his Vanishing Point rocket car at Santa Pod, 1984, ~3.58s ET...Sadly I do!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkLV_kaTWGU

[Bonnie and Clyde]

ferb said:

drew ss said:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz_73yw7naM&feature=player_embedded

The best run we saw there was 4.80 seconds @ 315 mph. I prefered going next door, they had the sprint cars. That involved corners www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3JDdz0rv4s&feature=related

WOW i really need to see something like that one day

Edited by Bonnie and Clyde on Sunday 31st January 21:04

[Bonnie and Clyde]

paramoreg said:

Talking of drag racing (going well for a moment), who's old enough to remember Sammy Miller and his Vanishing Point rocket car at Santa Pod, 1984, ~3.58s ET...Sadly I do!

[url]www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkLV_kaTWGU[/url]

Do you know i have never been to a drag strip to watch the proper drag cars race. Only ever cued to run myself. I have to do it this year. It looks amazing

[paramoreg]

Bonnie and Clyde said:

Do you know i have never been to a drag strip to watch the proper drag cars race. Only ever cued to run myself. I have to do it this year. It looks amazing

All classes are good, but for me the noise and drama of the ~6-8000bhp Top Fuel (nitro burners) sit above all else, though there are only a few on the European circuit. Top Methanol cars look the same but with half the power, they just dont have the same edge. You can hear the engine note become much more aggressive when the Top Fuel cars draw in the nitro just after they start...get your arse to one Mel and hope TF run properly!

[ferb]

paramoreg said:

Bonnie and Clyde said:

Do you know i have never been to a drag strip to watch the proper drag cars race. Only ever cued to run myself. I have to do it this year. It looks amazing

All classes are good, but for me the noise and drama of the ~6-8000bhp Top Fuel (nitro burners) sit above all else, though there are only a few on the European circuit. Top Methanol cars look the same but with half the power, they just dont have the same edge. You can hear the engine note become much more aggressive when the Top Fuel cars draw in the nitro just after they start...get your arse to one Mel and hope TF run properly!

Gary is right, Methanol cars don't have the same edge. They don't HIT you in the chest like the top fuelers do. You don't just hear them! you feel them

[paramoreg]

Good description Mark, they really do hit you in the chest, especially if you sit in the grandstand, which also shakes like a bugger when they set off! Get arse sorted Mel!

[gsd2000]

paramoreg said:

Talking of drag racing (going well for a moment), who's old enough to remember Sammy Miller and his Vanishing Point rocket car at Santa Pod, 1984, ~3.58s ET...Sadly I do!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkLV_kaTWGU

Sorry a bit before my time

[bobchevy]

paramoreg said:

Talking of drag racing (going well for a moment), who's old enough to remember Sammy Miller and his Vanishing Point rocket car at Santa Pod, 1984, ~3.58s ET...Sadly I do!

[url]www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkLV_kaTWGU[/url]

Yes a great showman and all round nice guy "slammin" sammy always had time to talk to the fans, first saw him in 1978 at the Pod he came over here to run as the Americans had banned rocket cars as they were considered to dangerous.
Sammy Miller sadly lost his life in a oil rig accident in texas in 2002.

[Wolfracer]

Saw the Jet car at the POD a couple of times and that was phenominal. When it "blapped" its engine your body blaps as well. I've never felt anything like it. Mel, just go and see them, its unreal. makes our "loud V8's" sound like a prius on cruise...

[sneakygloworm]

Me and the missus used to go religiously to the pod every year for the Main Event then again for the Finals. Saw some amazing and sometimes horrific things. I don't mind crashes happening in F1 but they were almost cataclysmic in Drag racing and hardly ever 'pleasant'. Quite spectacular though. That's the place I learned to respect and fear motorbikes at the same time. Slowly stopped going due to high prices and far too many people packed into such a small place.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOiwrf5rWl0

Above link is a Top fuel clutch explosion. Grim.

Edited by sneakygloworm on Monday 1st February 07:42

As a side note, my forum name is taken from a Capri Fuel Funny Car driven by Phil Elson back in the 70's.

Edited by sneakygloworm on Monday 1st February 07:46

[essexhsv]

This one is good, the valves are still of fire even after they strip the engine down lol

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKTF7gYwOKI&feature=related

[bobchevy]

sneakygloworm said:

Me and the missus used to go religiously to the pod every year for the Main Event then again for the Finals. Saw some amazing and sometimes horrific things. I don't mind crashes happening in F1 but they were almost cataclysmic in Drag racing and hardly ever 'pleasant'. Quite spectacular though. That's the place I learned to respect and fear motorbikes at the same time. Slowly stopped going due to high prices and far too many people packed into such a small place.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOiwrf5rWl0

Above link is a Top fuel clutch explosion. Grim.

Edited by sneakygloworm on Monday 1st February 07:42

As a side note, my forum name is taken from a Capri Fuel Funny Car driven by Phil Elson back in the 70's.

Was about to ask you that ....remember that car too...showing my age now

Edited by sneakygloworm on Monday 1st February 07:46

[sneakygloworm]

[quote=bobchevy]Was about to ask you that ....remember that car too...showing my age now

HeHe..Yeah i know what you mean. I was 6 or 7 at the time. Can't really remember much about it back then but it always seemed to be hot whenever I went. Perfect racing weather. They were aiming for six second passes at the time. Even Dave Lee Travis the DJ had a top fueller at some point! Last time we went, I think it was Don Garlitz who said that back then it was thought to be impossible to go 300+ mph in a car.

[neiljohnson]

paramoreg said:

Talking of drag racing (going well for a moment), who's old enough to remember Sammy Miller and his Vanishing Point rocket car at Santa Pod, 1984, ~3.58s ET...Sadly I do!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkLV_kaTWGU

I remember my dad taking me would have been about 6 but i still remember the noise and the fact it actually tool your breath away when it went past dont think my hearing ever recovered

[bobchevy]

sneakygloworm said:

[quote=bobchevy]Was about to ask you that ....remember that car too...showing my age now

HeHe..Yeah i know what you mean. I was 6 or 7 at the time. Can't really remember much about it back then but it always seemed to be hot whenever I went. Perfect racing weather. They were aiming for six second passes at the time. Even Dave Lee Travis the DJ had a top fueller at some point! Last time we went, I think it was Don Garlitz who said that back then it was thought to be impossible to go 300+ mph in a car.

I thought you may of been connected with Phil Elsons car...think he had a lot of problems with it never seemed to run to its potential....you must try going again things have moved on a lot...including the toilets!..... 4 second passes @ 300+ mph....estimated bhp 8000 ..thats right I didnt hit the zero button to many times makes our Monaros and VXR8"s look tame ?.

[bobchevy]

neiljohnson said:

[quote=paramoreg]Talking of drag racing (going well for a moment), who's old enough to remember Sammy Miller and his Vanishing Point rocket car at Santa Pod, 1984, ~3.58s ET...Sadly I do!

[url]www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkLV_kaTWGU[/url]

I remember my dad taking me would have been about 6 but i still remember the noise and the fact it actually tool your breath away when it went past dont think my hearing ever recovered [/quot

yes my dad took me too in 1968....been going ever since...my second home and I have lost my hearing in one ear.

[sneakygloworm]

bobchevy said:

sneakygloworm said:

[quote=bobchevy]Was about to ask you that ....remember that car too...showing my age now

HeHe..Yeah i know what you mean. I was 6 or 7 at the time. Can't really remember much about it back then but it always seemed to be hot whenever I went. Perfect racing weather. They were aiming for six second passes at the time. Even Dave Lee Travis the DJ had a top fueller at some point! Last time we went, I think it was Don Garlitz who said that back then it was thought to be impossible to go 300+ mph in a car.

I thought you may of been connected with Phil Elsons car...think he had a lot of problems with it never seemed to run to its potential....you must try going again things have moved on a lot...including the toilets!..... 4 second passes @ 300+ mph....estimated bhp 8000 ..thats right I didnt hit the zero button to many times makes our Monaros and VXR8"s look tame ?.

I stopped going with me dear old dad probably back in the mid eighties. Then started going again in about 2003 up to the end of 2007. Tried to get to as many meets as poss. I used to cheer on a guy who moved from pro modified to top fuel. Can't remember his bloody name, but he had a georgeuos deep red rail with a batman logo on the side of it. Best speed I ever saw there was 327mph, can't remember the E.T. The poor guys car started to disintergrate on the finish line! He couldn't back it up though so andy carter took the quickest time.

My forum name was just one of those funny things that I never forgot. Gawd knows why.

Edited by sneakygloworm on Monday 1st February 20:22