I'm not a fan of Nascar, I'm a lover of CART and drag racing. Came across this bit of info on drag cars. I know most of you guys know this but I thought I'd post it anyway.

According to the NHRA Communications Department, nitromethane-powered engines on NHRA Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars produce more than 6,000 horsepower, about 43 times that of the average street car. One cylinder of the eight cylinders of a Top Fuel dragster or a Funny Car produces 750 horsepower, equaling the entire horsepower output of a NASCAR engine.

As for the engines's fuel appetite, nitro cars consume between 4 and 5 gallons of fuel during a quarter-mile run, which is equivalent to between 16 and 20 gallons per mile. Add in the burnout and backup and you're in the 12 gallon range. The cost for the fuel is now $35 per gallon.

To keep the dragster on the ground, the large rear wing on an NHRA Top Fuel dragster develops between 4,000 and 8,000 pounds of down force and the drag tires are good for only about six runs.

Amazing, at least to me it is :classic:

Vicky

Vicky if you think that's cool read this:Dragster

that would be something if my lawnmower had that kind of power, huh?

that would be something if my lawnmower had that kind of power, huh?

Well if it helps I was watching Orange County Choppers the other day, and they built a bike to imitate a lawnmower with a V-Twin in it... :devious: Now thats scary...

Is that like the riding mower with the blown 455 chevy engine on it (in it?) ??

On the other hand, did you ever see the 'mower races' where they get a Cub Cadet to go about 60 MPH?

thx

Somewhere years ago I saw a picture of a Dixie Chopper riding lawn mower with a jet helicopter engine on the back. Talk about overkill.

Nitromethane is powerful stuff. They use it because it doesn't need air to burn. People have used it for rocket fuel, it doesn't require an oxidizer, it is its own.

But then those motors are rebuilt after every 1/4 mile.

Nitromethane is powerful stuff. They use it because it doesn't need air to burn.

Interesting. I wonder why they use superchargers then? It must not work the same way that we're used to.

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 1.7:1 air/fuel mixture for nitromethane the

flame

front temperature measures 7050 degrees F.

The air must be needed for something, or they wouldn't go to all the bother to cram so much of it in there.