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Life's a drag.....

Discussion in 'Other Racing' started by Gatorrari, Apr 30, 2008.

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  1. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ
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    Jim Pernikoff
    #1 Gatorrari, Apr 30, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    "Racing" comes in all forms, and if NASCAR can be discussed here, why not the NHRA? I first attended a major drag racing event in Seattle in 1989 (while in town to watch another "different" form of racing: unlimited hydroplanes!). As a fan of road racing but not of oval-track racing, I wondered if I could ever warm to a series where the cars just didn't turn right, they didn't turn left either! Well, did I ever! No other form of motorsport assaults all the senses the way big-time drag racing does, and no other form does television coverage do a bigger disservice to. I mean, you simply cannot get the sensations unless you're there in person! You haven't lived until you've whiffed nitromethane fumes or felt the pulses generated by a fuel car supercharger bouncing off your chest.

    Last week I made it to a major drag meet for the first time in about 3 years, attending Friday qualifying at the NHRA Southern Nationals in Commerce, GA. Here's an assortment of photos taken in the pit area in the morning, including a shot of my favorite drag racer, Angelle Sampey, and her Pro Stock Buell motorcycle. The Corvette Z06 was on a truck-mounted dyno provided by Valvoline; it recorded 460 HP and about 425 lb-ft.
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  2. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ
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    #2 Gatorrari, Apr 30, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    And now some on-track action in the afternoon. I was sitting at about the 600-foot mark. Trouble with a first qualifying session is that the fuel cars, in particular, are still learning the track conditions, and there were very few clean passes. It was tough to get two bikes or cars side-by-side at speed. And as you can probably tell, the shot of John Force was taken at the end of his burnout, when he was standing still before backing up.
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  3. ferraridude615

    ferraridude615 F1 Veteran

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    #3 ferraridude615, Apr 30, 2008
    A stock Z06 has 505hp..........
     
  4. ProCoach

    ProCoach F1 Veteran
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    #4 ProCoach, Apr 30, 2008
    460 at the rear wheels, dude! Not 505 at the crank...
     
  5. ferraridude615

    ferraridude615 F1 Veteran

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    #5 ferraridude615, Apr 30, 2008
    :D I was trying to figure out where the 40 hp went
     
  6. Steve Magnusson

    Steve Magnusson Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #6 Steve Magnusson, Apr 30, 2008
    I love the show "Pass Time" on SpeedTV -- really gives you a good education about what kind of hardware (HP + weight + tires) runs what sort of time. However, on a recent episode a guy had a Junior Dragster chassis equipped with 450 Li ion batteries and a "31 cu in" motor and no one had a clue (although the tires hinted it was pretty serious piece of gear) -- ran a freakin' silent 8.62
     
  7. racerx3317

    racerx3317 F1 Veteran

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    #7 racerx3317, Apr 30, 2008
    Did you get any pics of Ashley Force? I love her, plus she won last weekend. Way to go Ashley!
     
  8. hank sound

    hank sound F1 Veteran

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    #8 hank sound, May 1, 2008
    Oh baby - - This thread takes me way back to Saugus, CA in the mid 50s - - with the night drags - the Bean Bandits roadster - Jim "Jazzy" Nelson's Fiat with that amazing Ford flathead --------- and so many others that nurtured the sport. That little Jazzy booger ran 130+ numbers with ETs in the 9s. BTW, he held the World Record until, you know, when the rail jobs started heading for the stars!!

    And there were all those 17 year old princesses in high school that were without a doubt, the most beautiful creatures on the planet......................

    But of course, I digress (well, that was fun).

    Cut to 2008 - - -John Force and his girls are my favorites !

    Cheers, Hank
     
  9. AnotherDunneDeal

    AnotherDunneDeal F1 Veteran

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    #9 AnotherDunneDeal, May 1, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    I have been running a lot of photos from the drag races from the 1950's through the 1980's in the Texas section and the Cars and Planes sections. You might go there is you want to see some of the old pioneers. I do have some more recent ones also.

    I will post some of a variety of different era cars. I have been involved in and following drag racing since 1958. Of course I also love F1 and road racing. I just enjoy all types of motorsports. Not necessarily interested in much NastyCar though.

    1. Beebe and Mulligan top fuel 1969
    2. Top fuel supercharger explosion
    3. Blue Max fuel funny car 1970's
    4. Bobby Langley Needle Nose Scorpion 1 late 1950's
    5. Bobby Langley Scorpion 15
    6. Eddie Hill engine explosion at Texas Motorplex, Ennis Texas
    7. Small shot of above
    8. Englishtown drag bike
    9. Me giving victory sign from cockpit of fuel altered in late 70's.
    10. Gene Hector pro mod vette/present day
    11. Jack Chrisman Howard Cam special twin engine dragster 1959
    12. Maple Grove 2005
    13. Ronnie Sox Barracuda funny car late 60's
    14. Shirley Muldowney (Cha-Cha).
    15. Steve Bovan Nova mid 60's
    16. Chrisman and Cannon streamliner 1959
    17. Strip Teaser (my last altered roadster) 1980
    18. Texas pro mods, present day
    19. 1970's fire burnout
    20. Jungle Jim Liberman funny car and Jungle Pam showing her best side.......
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  10. AnotherDunneDeal

    AnotherDunneDeal F1 Veteran

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    #10 AnotherDunneDeal, May 1, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Bean Bandits and Jim Nelson, we have both.........

    1. Bean Bandits 1955
    2. Bean Bandits car club
    3. Famous yellow Bean Bandits dragster
    4. Jim Nelson at Union Grove 1960
    5. Jim Nelson Dragmaster Dart.
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  11. jknight

    jknight F1 Veteran

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    #11 jknight, May 1, 2008
    We go to the Fall Nationals in Ennis every year. Great racing and especially enjoy the top fuel. This year is a good one with Ashley Force making the history books. Glad to see Antron doing so well in TF after a successful Pro-Bike career. I think Melanie might considering going back to TF from FC. Drag racing provides quite a change of "scenery" for us during the year from the ALMS and LMS races.

    Carol
     
  12. Senna3xWC

    Senna3xWC F1 Rookie

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    #12 Senna3xWC, May 1, 2008
    I have been drag racing for years, I run a dragster in NHRA Super Comp and bracket race in Super Pro. Last year I managed to win a bracket series championship (take that, Danica!). I even licensed in an A/Fuel dragster (3,000 horsepower injected Nitro engine, 5.2 seconds at 270+ MPH)

    I agree that nothing assaults the senses like drag racing, a Funny Car launch registers 2.3 on the Richter scale. No, I am not kidding...
     
  13. SSNISTR

    SSNISTR F1 Veteran

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    #13 SSNISTR, May 1, 2008
    Huge 1/4 mile fan here. I have been going to the track since I was about 7 and racing since I was 17. I still go to all the local big NHRA races and race my own car on a monthly basis for fun.
     
  14. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ
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    #14 Gatorrari, May 1, 2008
    Great old-time pics, guys! I remember that Eddie Hill blower explosion.....
     
  15. AnotherDunneDeal

    AnotherDunneDeal F1 Veteran

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    #15 AnotherDunneDeal, May 1, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Got ya fixed up. Here you go......

    Ashley Force......
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  16. ProCoach

    ProCoach F1 Veteran
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    #16 ProCoach, May 1, 2008
    HOT!
     
  17. AnotherDunneDeal

    AnotherDunneDeal F1 Veteran

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    #17 AnotherDunneDeal, May 2, 2008
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  18. texasmr2

    texasmr2 Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #18 texasmr2, May 3, 2008
    Dang I need to make it out to HRP for a drag event AND Ashley's autograph!
     
  19. AnotherDunneDeal

    AnotherDunneDeal F1 Veteran

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    #19 AnotherDunneDeal, May 3, 2008
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  20. AnotherDunneDeal

    AnotherDunneDeal F1 Veteran

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    #20 AnotherDunneDeal, May 3, 2008
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  21. AnotherDunneDeal

    AnotherDunneDeal F1 Veteran

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    #21 AnotherDunneDeal, May 5, 2008
  22. AnotherDunneDeal

    AnotherDunneDeal F1 Veteran

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    #22 AnotherDunneDeal, May 5, 2008
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  23. rdefabri

    rdefabri Three Time F1 World Champ

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    #23 rdefabri, Aug 24, 2009
    Old thread, but man - that Beebe & Mulligan dragster is something else. Just read on another board that a member purchased the Tony Nancy "Sizzler" dragster for $85K...a steal IMHO.

    I had that model when I was a kid...RIP Tony "The Loner" Nancy and John "Zookeeper" Mulligan. Wish I had a) a ton of money to buy and b) the ability to go back in time for 1 day to relive some of those cars / drivers / moments.
     
  24. AnotherDunneDeal

    AnotherDunneDeal F1 Veteran

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    #24 AnotherDunneDeal, Sep 23, 2009
    For the love and fun of it......
     
  25. 4re Nut

    4re Nut F1 World Champ

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    #25 4re Nut, Sep 23, 2009
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