Author Topic: So I was at the NHRA Winter Nationals in Pomona today... (Read 3915 times)

RadioFreeSeaLab · « **on:** February 10, 2008, 07:06:24 PM »

And this happened:
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200802101625/FREE/488316130

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Defending NHRA Funny Car Champion Tony Pedregon escaped serious injury Sunday following an engine explosion during the first round of the Winternationals in Pomona, California.

In a matchup against 14-time champion John Force, the engine in Pedregon's Chevrolet Impala exploded in a fireball as the car neared the finish line, blowing the carbon fiber body off the chassis.

Pedregon, who had red-lighted at the start giving the race-win to Force, exited the car under his own power.

"There was no warning. A lot of times when something happens to your car, like when you drop a cylinder, you feel it, and I would have reacted," Pedregon said. "But it blew up and I had instant flames, like a flame-thrower in my face, and the scary part was I didn't know where I was."

Following the explosion, Pedregon's car hit the retaining wall.

"I hit the wall very hard and I feel very lucky. I knew that my hands were burned and I knew that I got beat up a little."

Pedregon sustained burns to his right hand. After being transported to Pomona Valley Medical Center Hospital for further evaluation, he returned to the track with bandages on his right hand.

AmbulanceDriver · « **Reply #1 on:** February 11, 2008, 03:03:59 AM »

Yeah. Drag racers are little more than a barely contained explosion when they're hurtling down the track. Sometimes that containment fails...... Thankfully the engineers know that it happens sometimes and do a pretty good job of protecting the driver from that bomb right in front of them (or behind them, as the case may be).

280plus · « **Reply #2 on:** February 11, 2008, 03:40:34 AM »

Cooool, I was at the 1976 ones and watched Shirley Muldaney (sp?) lunch her nice new one of a kind all aluminum engine near the end of the run, burn up her chute with the fireball and spin off the end of the strip into the dirt. And that's when we though 2,500 HP was some unbelievable number and it took a rocket car to do 300 mph in the quarter. Now they're what? 5,000 HP? shocked

mfree · « **Reply #3 on:** February 11, 2008, 07:02:31 AM »

They're unmeasurable with current equipment (because it takes too long)

About 5000 makes it through the clutch to the transmission. Heat rise measurements estimate they could be wasting as much as 2500 more HP in the clutch slippage alone.

From wikipedia:

"The calculated Power output of these engines is most likely somewhere between 7000 and 8300 horsepower (approximately 4500-6000 kilowatts), with a torque output of 51006750 N?m (37604980 lbf?ft) and a brake mean effective pressure of 80100 bar (0.81.0 MPa)."

RadioFreeSeaLab · « **Reply #4 on:** February 11, 2008, 07:06:00 AM »

Here's video of that explosion.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=99IfK3xQU4I

Brad Johnson · « **Reply #5 on:** February 11, 2008, 10:07:15 AM »

Whoa!

Brad

280plus · « **Reply #6 on:** February 11, 2008, 11:19:14 AM »

That'll put a pucker on ya! shocked

Brad Johnson · « **Reply #7 on:** February 11, 2008, 11:27:23 AM »

Five bucks says there's a hole in the seat of his fire suit. Question is whether it was pulled in or pushed out. grin

Brad

French G. · « **Reply #8 on:** February 11, 2008, 05:41:46 PM »

Beautiful engines to watch run. From a distance. The amazing thing is the cylinders are very close to solid liquid at compression. About 70% IIRC. Thus the geyser of raw fuel when a cylinder drops. Also thus the giant fireball when compressed air and compressed fuel that carries its own oxygen gets loose. If you never seen a fuel car run you don't hear it as much as feel it in your chest. TV does not compare. Lots of kevlar blankets and retaining straps on that blower too after too many early blow-ups like this put parts into low earth orbit. Or the stands...

280plus · « **Reply #9 on:** February 12, 2008, 01:28:20 AM »

Yep, nothing lke a big piece of clutch plate konking you in the head... shocked

mfree · « **Reply #10 on:** February 12, 2008, 04:02:29 AM »

8400rpm clutch plate doesn't "konk" you anywhere.... or at least what's left of you.

there was a big snafu in the late 50's and into the 60's about the new higher-revving four cylinder sports cars like the Lotuses breaking their clutch disks and sending them through the floor, severing the driver's feet... this is where the reinforced bellhousing came into play.

280plus · « **Reply #11 on:** February 12, 2008, 09:03:34 AM »

Garlits lost a piece of foot to a clutch plate. IIRC that's one of the reasons he went to rear engine dragsters. Why have the whole thing blow up in your face? Let it blow up behind you. Regardless of what part it might be, people in the stands have been hit by shrapnel or various car parts. Tires etc...

I had a crazy idea for a rail a while back. Why not make it front wheel drive with the big slicks on the front and use the little tires in back to act as a wheelie bar and for steering. The driver could sit between or in front of the big wheels. shocked

RadioFreeSeaLab · « **Reply #12 on:** February 12, 2008, 09:08:16 AM »

They are indeed beautiful to watch run. Standing at the fence trackside when the go past is just insane. Starting line is even cooler. Word to the wise, do not be standing in line of fire when they start these things up in the pit. The nitro fumes are enough to make you cry, spit, drool, snot, and hack for half an hour.

280plus · « **Reply #13 on:** February 12, 2008, 10:53:39 AM »

One thing that got me when I went was far away those things look so shiny and beautiful but when you see them up close in the pits it's like, "Wow, these things are trashed!" laugh

yea, we were at just about the starting line, the ground really shook back then, even with just a wimpy 2500 hp. grin

Lennyjoe · « **Reply #14 on:** February 12, 2008, 11:22:18 AM »

You lucky bastard! I am going to Norwalk, Reading and Richmond this year. Have been going to Phoenix for the last 7 years. I watched the race and seen the run. Good thing he made it out ok. I love the sport and am building a 70 Courar for the track.

Lennyjoe · « **Reply #15 on:** February 12, 2008, 11:24:06 AM »

1970 Cougar. Hard to type responses on a damn Blackberry.

Larry Ashcraft · « **Reply #16 on:** February 12, 2008, 12:56:25 PM »

For a real kick watch the AA Fuel Altereds run. The things are darn near impossible to handle. Kind of like a stretched Duece coupe with 6000 HP.

280plus · « **Reply #17 on:** February 12, 2008, 01:21:58 PM »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwky7B7upRA&NR=1

Now check THIS!! shocked

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLsVWFGO7aQ

Sergeant Bob · « **Reply #18 on:** February 12, 2008, 01:32:34 PM »

It makes me sad to think I lived in San Berdoo for nine years and never went to the Winter Nationals. sad

Went to a lot of small circle track, speedway motorcycle, and a few sprints at Ascot.

French G. · « **Reply #19 on:** February 12, 2008, 04:03:48 PM »

Dasmi, I grew up on methanol, but those things are way worse, the crews wear a full face respirator for a reason! I guess once you love the acrid smell of straight methanol it makes smelling the cheat easy, there was always a sweet odor in the night air at big sprint car races with dumb tech guys....

Quote

I had a crazy idea for a rail a while back. Why not make it front wheel drive with the big slicks on the front and use the little tires in back to act as a wheelie bar and for steering. The driver could sit between or in front of the big wheels.

Your crazy idea is basically what all those NOPI wackos with their front wheel drive drag cars do. The front still steers but they very much tune the hook-up of the cars with changes in how the ridiculously long wheelie bar flexes, rebounds on its shock, etc.

Sergeant Bob · « **Reply #20 on:** February 12, 2008, 04:34:03 PM »

Quote from: French G. on February 12, 2008, 03:03:48 PM

Dasmi, I grew up on methanol, but those things are way worse, the crews wear a full face respirator for a reason! I guess once you love the acrid smell of straight methanol it makes smelling the cheat easy, there was always a sweet odor in the night air at big sprint car races with dumb tech guys....

I really do love that smell, and the dirt clods in my beer!

280plus · « **Reply #21 on:** February 12, 2008, 11:52:07 PM »

Quote

Your crazy idea is basically what all those NOPI wackos with their front wheel drive drag cars do. The front still steers but they very much tune the hook-up of the cars with changes in how the ridiculously long wheelie bar flexes, rebounds on its shock, etc.

Those SOBs stole my idea!! laugh

But I want to see a top fuel dragster. From what you're telling me they'd have to be REALLY long. Cool... grin

Quote

and the dirt clods in my beer!

At the 76 Winternationals there was this big mud bog nehind the stands. Well sure enough a bunch of yahoos started 4 wheeling through it. The crowd, including myself, jumping in to push the stuck ones out. What a blast. For a while there I think more people were watching that than the race. But naturally it had to end. There was this little knoll in the center and two guys coming from opposite directions around it met head on. Nobody hurt, until the brawl started. Right in the middle of the bog. I just watched that part. Talk about LAUGH!!

mfree · « **Reply #22 on:** February 14, 2008, 03:47:53 AM »

Assuming a 9" clutch disc, at 8400rpm if there's 100% conversion to linear velocity upon breakage then a plate fragment comes off moving at 330fps. That's plenty fast enough to sever things...

News:

Author Topic: So I was at the NHRA Winter Nationals in Pomona today... (Read 3915 times)