Now That's Acceleration...

[Fax]

Haven't seen that one yet but it sounds like a re-creation of the film Marlboro did in the early eighties at Silverstone where they sent out James Hunt in a Ford Escort half a lap ahead of John Watson in a Porsche 911 Turbo.  They show Niki Lauda calmly pulling on his helmet and rocketing off after them in a McLaren MP4/2 easliy blowing by them on the old run from Abbey to Woodcote.
John

[ian murat]

so at 8G how does the driver stay alive  

[BigH]

I must admit Matt, as I read your transcript, my BS meter starting wobbling on the stop, and then crept up towards the red.
I was surprised when after a few quick sums on the calculator, I agreed with most of the figures down there. Frightfully amazing stuff alright. Strange coves these dragster boys. There's a couple of things there though:

the fuel mixture is compressed into a near-solid form before ignition

This has to be bollocks. The energy required and heat produced would be phenomenal. There would just simply be no pay back (mind you, I know we're in the realms of the pretty impressive here...). Anyway, why would you want to burn solid fuel in an ICE? - flow/swirl rate in the chamber has to be at a maximum I'd have thought.

In order to exceed 300 mph in 4.5 seconds dragsters must accelerate at an average of over 4G's.

I came up with 4.4G, which in itself does not seem that impressive. Averaging an accelerative force is not that straightforward though, just maintaining it is the tricky bit. It's working as a square remember, so starting from a stop at 4G isn't exactly outrageous, and I don't see the point of hitting 8G, that means for same period of time you'd probably be going backwards if you're going to average 4. Fast jet pilots routinely experience 4G, and 10G isn't exactly a problem (so surviving 8 is not really an issue Ian). A German Tornado pilot told me once that he could handle 4G all day. And he had some really cool shades on and a nice haircut, so there was no reason to disbelieve him.
The story of the Uno and the F1 car reminds me of drinking sessions on Friday night at LM. Many times I've started off in the morning, well in front of Gazz, and have been hitting big volumes by tea time while he's still scratching his arse and putting his socks on. At 19:00 he's just hitting the groove. By 20 hundred hours the speed differential has increased to a gap that is out of my control, and by two in the morning he's putting me to bed and returning to unfinished business. If I'm lucky.
There's a very impressive dragster lurks outside of Laura Ashley's in Kingston on Wednesday afternoons...
H

[Matt Harper]

Harry, do remember that I didn't actually pen the piece on the top-fuel dragster - nor am I a quantum physycist or professor of chemistry or math. I just thought it was ace.
I'm sure I saw the Uno/360/F1 vid on a link from this forum - but maybe it was from somewhere else. Not to worry.
I chuckled at the drinking analogy - I too know a few beer monsters, who are just warming-up, when I'm checkin' out.

[BigH]

Harry, do remember that I didn't actually pen the piece on the top-fuel dragster - nor am I a quantum physycist or professor of chemistry or math. I just thought it was ace.

I know mate! - I thought it was a great piece too, I'd love to see something like it, and with that sort of passion, written about sportscar racing.

Work stopped me getting to any of the drag meets at Santa Pod this year despite getting all the gen from Steve B, I'm going to have to try a little harder in 2005.
H

[smokie]

Which reminds me that in Top Gear last night they had an Evo VIII which was the mutts nuts - kept up with a  Ferrari something on the straight, and cornered faster. But they set it against a hire car Fiat 1.6 something (was it?) - both going in 4th at 30 mph, then both floored it at the same time, and the runway ran out before the turbo on the Evo kicked in so the Fiat won...

I've had a few did that make sense? I reread it and it looks OK...  

[Steve TTTD]

In order to exceed 300 mph in 4.5 seconds dragsters must accelerate at an average of over 4G's.
The redline is actually quite high at 9500rpm.

Bear in mind that it's +4G off the line amd -3-5G at the point the chutes are pulled 1/4 mile later

[Andy Zarse]

- nor am I a quantum physycist or professor of chemistry or math.

MATH??? MATH??? You've gone native mate!

It's a great piece though.

[Matt Harper]

Sorry Andy - a mere slip of the (electronic) pen. I do endeavour to retain the way I speak, without being a pain in the arse about it. It can be a little difficult - particularly when people don't see the connection, like 'zed' vs 'zee', zip code/postcode, elevator/lift, sidewalk/pavement (don't get those two mixed-up). In a land where the 'oo' part of 'coupon' is pronounced the same way 'Tuesday' - and indeed 'Tuesday' is pronounced the same way as 'coupon' (this won't make any kind of sense to Americans/Canadians reading this), it is difficult to maintain the stiff upper lip, when the people who's country I'm a guest in can't friggin' understand me.
I have a morbid fear of becoming mid-atlantic (a nauseating trait of many British people here) - so please do cut me down to size, if ever I slip-up - but appreciate that 'when in Rome' and all that good stuff.
Later, dude.....

[ian murat]

i thourght that at 4.1G you gray out and 4.7G you blackout 5.4G forget it the world is black

[Bobblehat]

For all of you drag racing fans, somthing I found whilst looking for tuning tips on the Scimitar. Also a Le Mans connection

http://www.theaccelerationarchive.co.uk/john/woolfe_01.html

[BigH]

Wotcher Ian,
Fast jet pilots are expected to tolerate about 9g, and still communicate, operate systems etc. Mind you, 8g would just about pole-axe most people. They do have various aids though, like a g-suit and forced breathing equipment, as well as being trained for the job, physically fit and owning damn fine aviator glasses. When the aforementioned Tornado pilot mentioned he could pull 10G, his mate politely coughed into his hand. I'm not sure what the German for "bollocks" is, but it could have been a hint. Also, and I think this is the important bit when comparing drivers with pilots, these guys are geared up for negative G, the worst kind. Or at least so it seems, personally I rather like the idea of all my blood leaving my head and heading south, I can just picture my todger inflating like a party balloon and peeping out from the bottom of a trouser leg and giving me a wink. With the dragster pilots, I suppose most of their blood will drain from the ends of their noses and policemans helmets and head towards the arse area. If they hit 8g or maybe more (which would be right at the start I suppose) it's only going to be for a second or two.

I would imagine most people using this site have been in the odd quickish motor or two. A 0 to 60 time of 6 seconds is not that unusual, and that is exactly what 0.5G does (over about 80 metres).
H

[Robbo SPS]

WOW

I thought F1 cars were quick.

It's cool isn't it! However - did you see a video (may have done the rounds on here) that featured a Fiat Uno, a Ferrari 360 and a Ferrari F1 car. I think it was shot at San Marino. Anyway, the Fiat sets off from the grid on a spirited lap. When it's about halway round, the 360 sets off after it. Meanwhile the F1 driver's still putting his helmet and gloves on.
Needless to say, the F1 car finally leaves, at around the same time the 360 catches the Uno and end's up blasting past the 360 before the Modena completes a lap.
It's a very graphic illustration of just how freaking fast those pesky F1 buggies are, when compared to even the most exotic road cars.
No doubt, someone will post a link. I would - if I had the faintest idea how to!

They did a simular version on a Jeremy Clarkson video years ago.

Ford focus WRX with McRae Driving, A probe 2.5 v6 and the Stewart Ford F1 car. They all took of at differing times and the F1 car ate the WRX cars half a lap advantage and the probes 2/3 lap advantage.

I think it was at Silverstone.

But those figures are amazing, no wonder when it goes wrong the funeral people are happy.

[Barry]

the funeral people are happy.



Drag bike riders are now wearing kevlar armoured waistcoats to stop being killed by cylinder heads being blown off the engine beneath them. Saves their lives, just leaves them with bruised lungs

[Steve TTTD]

But those figures are amazing, no wonder when it goes wrong the funeral people are happy.

The safety record in UK drag Racing is aamazing.
If you take the DragFest at Blackbushe in 1965 as a starting point there have been 5 deaths at Sanctioned UK strips.

2 of them were jet car drivers and one was a bike rider.

So far as the integrity of the cars goes, just look at the Euro Finals in 2002 at The Pod. Mike Kagerad and Barry Sheavills both crashed at 300mph and both walked away.

Barry's car broke in two at the 1000 foot mark and the cockpit cell, with barry in it crossed the line, on it's side at over 300mph.