MySwag.org The Off-road Camper Trailer Forum
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: Mace on July 18, 2012, 04:55:16 PM
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Another email doing the rounds:
DEFINITION OF ACCELERATION
One top fuel dragster 500 cubic inch (approx 8.3 litres) engine makes more horsepower than the first 4 rows of stock cars at the Daytona 500.
It takes just 15/100ths of a second for all 8,000+ horsepower of an NHRA Top Fuel dragster engine to reach the rear wheels.
Under full throttle, a dragster engine consumes 1-1/2 gallons of nitro methane per second; a fully loaded 747 consumes jet fuel at the same rate with 25% less energy being produced.
A stock Dodge Hemi V8 engine cannot produce enough power to drive the dragster's supercharger.
With 3,000 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 (stoichiometry: methodology and technology by which quantities of reactants and products in chemical reactions are determined) 1.7:1 air/fuel mixture of nitro methane, the flame front temperature measures 7,050 deg F.
Nitro methane burns yellow... The spectacular white flame seen above the stacks at night is raw burning hydrogen, dissociated from atmospheric water vapor by the searing exhaust gases.
Dual magnetos supply 44 amps to each spark plug. This is the output of an arc welder in each cylinder.
Spark plug electrodes are totally consumed during a pass. After halfway, the engine is dieseling from compression, plus the glow of exhaust valves at 1,400 deg F. The engine can only be shut down by cutting the fuel flow.
If spark momentarily fails early in the run, unburned nitro builds up in the affected cylinders and then explodes with sufficient force to blow cylinder heads off the block in pieces or split the block in half.
In order to exceed 300 mph in 4.5 seconds, dragsters must accelerate an average of over 4G's. In order to reach 200 mph (well before half-track), the launch acceleration approaches 8G's.
Dragsters reach over 300 miles per hour before you have completed reading this sentence.
Top fuel engines turn approximately 540 revolutions from light to light ! Including the burnout, the engine must only survive 900 revolutions under load.
The redline is actually quite high at 9,500 rpm.
Assuming all the equipment is paid off, the crew worked for free, and for once NOTHING BLOWS UP, each run costs an estimate $1:000:00 per second.
The current top fuel dragster elapsed time record is 4.428 seconds for the quarter mile (11/12/06, Tony Schumacher, at Pomona , CA ). The top speed record is 336.15 mph as measured over the last 66' of the run (05/25/05 Tony Schumacher, at Hebron , OH ).
Putting all of this into perspective:
You are driving the average $140,000 Lingenfelter 'twin-turbo' powered Corvette Z06.. Over a mile up the road, a top fuel dragster is staged and ready to launch down a quarter mile strip as you pass. You have the advantage of a flying start. You run the 'Vette hard up through the gears and blast across the starting line and pass the dragster at an honest 200 mph. The 'tree' goes green for both of you at that moment.
The dragster launches and starts after you. You keep your foot down hard, but you hear an incredibly brutal whine that sears your eardrums and within 3 seconds, the dragster catches and passes you. He beats you to the finish line, a quarter mile away from where you just passed him.
Think about it, from a standing start, the dragster had spotted you 200 mph and not only caught, but nearly blasted you off the road when he passed you within a mere 1,320 foot long race course.
...... and that my friend, is ACCELERATION !
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What a brute
Full marks to the drivers of these machines for holding them straight
thanks for sharing Mace
:cheers: sheeds
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Must have witnessed more then 500 top fuel and top fuel funny car passes in my life time and i still get goosebumps when one of these babies fire up in anger....
Watch them from the start or in the traps(finishline) ..u can litterally feel the vibrations thru the ground as close to 16000 horsepower(both cars)thunder past
this video shows the accelaration as the one in the left breaks something
Top Fuel Drag Racing with on board camera. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNszt39F3ns#)
one more........
496.72 km/h 3.899 sec 8000 hp Top fuel dragster Yas Marina Abu-Dhabi (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCNz0MlVfac#ws)
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when these go KABOOM....they really go off...watch the drivers head go forward due to rapid deceleration
Tony Schumacher Chicago 2012 Engine Explosion! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrR5-aqfdjI#ws)
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I can tell you , from someone who spent alot of time taking photos of these things from the wall and close behind , the sound shock-waves are such that you must lean into them and put one foot behind to brace yourself.
I've seen many a rookie photographer stand front on and flat footed , only to get knocked over on the launch .
And the fumes ... that's another story ... I'm guessing it's comparable to tear gas , as huge uncontrollable tears just pour down your face .
But ... It was awesome ! :)
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Thanks for sharing Mace.
Great to understand what's happening from a stats point of view.
:cheers:
1HDT
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Mace , do they come in 4wd and where do you put the tow hitch ? ;D
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I have always wanted to go to see these run - maybe one day I will....
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Years ago I use to Nav in a Jetsprint boat.. These Boats could go from 0-70mph in 2.5seconds and take a 90deg turn at 90mph.. and they were a 400ci cast iron small block, single carb.. That guy is still racing in Open Class now and has a Macraft boat 400+CI Supercharged running Methanol...
Not as quick or with such mind blowing statistics as those Drag cars but at a starting price of $30,000 upwards to the open classes they are a lot of fun..
Wairarapa Jetsprints 2012 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpvTODuAkvU#ws)
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Ute, how about the shockwave when they destroy themselves, it blows the whole crowd back a foot or so
This is a boat I was involved with back in the eighties, used to belong to a guy I worked for
(http://i549.photobucket.com/albums/ii382/macca_04/TinkerToy-1.jpg)
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Wow , I always wanted to see some drag boat action ....
Yes I was always worried about a start line blow up , especially after one night when some sort of plug blew out the side of a TF engine and went all the way up to and through the window on the tower .....
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Ute, how about the shockwave when they destroy themselves, it blows the whole crowd back a foot or so
This is a boat I was involved with back in the eighties, used to belong to a guy I worked for
(http://i549.photobucket.com/albums/ii382/macca_04/TinkerToy-1.jpg)
I remember Tinker Toy Macca, i used to frequent the boat drags at Windsor and Silverwater around that time + Hombre, the Pub Wyee, Fallacy and a few other awesome machines. A mate of mines dad owned Smoke on Water (Auto Gas Arrow) I love Top Fuellers but these boats were something else.
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Spot on Mrhorsepower, sure was an awesome bit of kit, just something about an ARIAS, bloody shame the way it all ended
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Do yourself a favour, experience it live!!
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I reckon its even more impressive to see what happens during a launch in slo mo
Mega Slow Motion (MegaMo) 1000 frames per sec. Dragsters (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ug6w4ZjwVo#)
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Nice....
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Great read and facts too. Yes these things are awesome and to anyone who hasn't seen one in action go! ;D
BD
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not sure how true it is, but I've heard theres more astronouts alive then there are top fuel drivers
Found a cool video explaining a bit about top fuel (nightshift ;D)
How a Top Fuel Dragster Works (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VF0JwxQqcA#ws)
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Mate of mine used to drive " the pub wyee" drag boat.... Till it sank in jindabyne
The sainty"s also came across to cars from boating
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not sure how true it is, but I've heard theres more astronouts alive then there are top fuel drivers
Found a cool video explaining a bit about top fuel (nightshift ;D)
How a Top Fuel Dragster Works (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VF0JwxQqcA#ws)
You would be surprised how sage it actually is.... Very few deaths in the sport
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That is a little sensationalised, but mostly true.
Couple of other facts, the fuel pump is capable of pumping around 40 gallons per minute.
Nitromethane is almost twice as heavy as water.
One rotation of the tyres, and the fuel car is at 60+ kph.
Don't quote me on these figures, as I can't remember the exact numbers, but the rear foil (wing) produces around 7000 lbs of downward pressure on the tyres. The headers (exhaust pipes) produce around 1000 lbs per side. When the header bolts shear, the headers fall off, (obviously) giving the car approx 1000 lbs down force to only 1 tyre, causing the car to turn 90 degs into the wall.
The green tinge in the header flame, just before the big bang of a blowup, is the copper head gasket burning up. When you see the green flame, before you can say anything, it will erupt into flames.
Fuel cars have only 1 gear. From a standing start to over 300 MPH in first gear.
Ignition timing is around 60 deg BTDC.
A fuel car engine does one pass, then it's ripped appart. Half a dozen guys/girls rip into it to get the pistons and rods out. The conrods are measured for length. They actually compress in length during the run due to cylinder pressure. The rod lengths is passed onto the Crew Chief, which helps to determine the tune for the next pass. They may add fuel to some and remove it from other cylinders, going by the measurements of the conrods.
Most interesting fact though, Nitromethane tastes like Sambucca.
I have spent a little bit of time at the track and know one or two people there, and every driver of T/F I've spoken to, who has driven other race cars, (drag cars) have told me they are the easiest cars to drive. Go figure.
Shane.
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People say you can "feel" the cars go down the track. Watch this vid, and you can see what it is you're feeling......
Top Fuel Plastic Cup (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omqdpzeacF4#ws)
Shane.
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A T/F fuel pump demonstration. This is one cylinder simulated here, remembering there's eight of them.....
NHRA top fuel pump demo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga_b6QBPvE8#)
Yes, I'm a drag racing junkie....
Shane.
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Some great stuff.
Ive only been to the drags once, to the Nationals at Calder Park many years ago.
I can only say that the night was one of the best motor sport experiences Ive ever had. Continuous action, great view, fantastic atmosphere.
if you get a chance, go.
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I'm with you guys on this....been many times and you just cant get the same effect on TV as being there, so if you've ever been to see a Jet Car in action then you'l know what i mean when you see these things. ;D
6,000 hp Jet Car Fires Up with Raw Sound (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XhIl9oiV6M#ws)
to "feel" the 'THUMPS' that hit you in the chest when these cars fire up and pre stage is just awesome
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come on Navara04 thats not an interceptor!
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come on Navara04 thats not an interceptor!
imagine that pulling you over for a traffic stop 8)
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you'd nail it just to get him to buzz by....but hit the brakes a few times lets see him try that out....lol
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http://youtu.be/X-IQ8tMny64 (http://youtu.be/X-IQ8tMny64)
another way to see acceleration ;D
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Top Fuel Dragsters are okay... give me a Fuel Flopper (nitro funny car) over one any day.
Over ten years since Melbourne has had a proper group 1 drag strip. Damn I miss it.
Mates old man had a Comp Eliminator Funny Car in the early 80's, Plymouth Barrucuda called 'Rat Outta Hell'. Before that a Ford 105E Anglia Gasser with a blown sbc.
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Top Fuel Dragsters are okay... give me a Fuel Flopper (nitro funny car) over one any day.
Over ten years since Melbourne has had a proper group 1 drag strip. Damn I miss it.
Mates old man had a Comp Eliminator Funny Car in the early 80's, Plymouth Barrucuda called 'Rat Outta Hell'. Before that a Ford 105E Anglia Gasser with a blown sbc.
Agreed. And to think that there are more floppers in the country than there have been entrants in recent T/F brackets at National meets is a disgrace. Even Nostalgia F/C are better to watch, as they make a full pass every time. (although when T/F make a full pass pairing @ over 300, that's hard to beat)
But in my opinion, nothing's better than the days of Wild Bunch.
Shane.
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Agreed. And to think that there are more floppers in the country than there have been entrants in recent T/F brackets at National meets is a disgrace. Even Nostalgia F/C are better to watch, as they make a full pass every time. (although when T/F make a full pass pairing @ over 300, that's hard to beat)
But in my opinion, nothing's better than the days of Wild Bunch.
Shane.
Not to mention nitro FC hasn't held championship status for almost 15 years. Yet they still pull the biggest crowds when they roll out.
As for Wild Bunch, any sedan with an injector hat higher than the roofline is way cool. Benny Gatt's XA coupe in it's Superflow Heads warpaint was my favorite.
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As for Wild Bunch, any sedan with an injector hat higher than the roofline is way cool. Benny Gatt's XA coupe in it's Superflow Heads warpaint was my favorite.
Just like this?
Shane.
1992 State Of Origin Wild Bunch (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5BhDUQdf1A#)
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Something a few people may enjoy
http://youtu.be/X0eGvBDrYnM (http://youtu.be/X0eGvBDrYnM)
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A lesson in physics....
Horsepower:...... The speed at which you hit the wall.
Torque:.............. The distance you moved the wall when you hit it.
Oversteer:......... You hit the wall with the rear of the car.
Understeer:....... You hit the wall with the front of the car.
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Yeah yeah yeah. But can they tow a Ct
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A lesson in physics....
Horsepower:...... The speed at which you hit the wall.
Torque:.............. The distance you moved the wall when you hit it.
Oversteer:......... You hit the wall with the rear of the car.
Understeer:....... You hit the wall with the front of the car.
Did all four last week.
Obviously I was making plenty of horsepower but no torque, cause that wall does NOT move. Chute in the wheelie bars, up on two wheels then suffered from understeer followed by oversteer.
Not happy.
Shane.
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Did all four last week.
Obviously I was making plenty of horsepower but no torque, cause that wall does NOT move. Chute in the wheelie bars, up on two wheels then suffered from understeer followed by oversteer.
Not happy.
Shane.
Maaaaate, sorry to hear you gave the wall a nudge. :'(
Any idea why it got loose, as in car set-up not correct or driver error or some other satanic happening?
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Did all four last week.
Obviously I was making plenty of horsepower but no torque, cause that wall does NOT move. Chute in the wheelie bars, up on two wheels then suffered from understeer followed by oversteer.
Not happy.
Shane.
:'( :'( :'(
Can't say I know how you feel, but I know the skill, time, dedication, passion and money that goes into building these things.
Hopefully damage is not too bad?
BTW how about some pre shunt pics?
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i have seen some pics "pre shunt" and its a good looking piece.
Hey Shane, if it makes you feel any better, i did brush the wall once and on two seperate occasions, was on two wheels with one of them being in wrong lane as well.
On the worse one, i think i went 8:1 something at about 40 mph after having a huge look at the wall on both sides.
Underwear was beyond cleaning and the drivers seat needed hosing out after that one. :cup:
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Here's a half pass.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vtfkExhgfA&list=UUmMzOccFGEypSZg99JW_xpQ&index=6 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vtfkExhgfA&list=UUmMzOccFGEypSZg99JW_xpQ&index=6)
I'll put up a video tonight if I get a chance.
Shane.
Found one...... World Classic Muscle Cars Outlaw Camaro shakedown. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkeKkhnaVFY#ws)
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Maaaaate, sorry to hear you gave the wall a nudge. :'(
Any idea why it got loose, as in car set-up not correct or driver error or some other satanic happening?
The wheelie bar is too long for the boot type wing and I didn't run a net on the bars.........
Chute ended up wrapped in the bars before it blossomed. Lifted the arse of the car and pulled it sideways.
Still spewin.
Shane.
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Was driving past Willowbank one night in the truck and I was off with the fairies when suddenly, the whole cab started shaking and this God almighty roar happened. Almost had a heart attack until I realised that the drags were on and the Top Fuellers started a pass. :o ;D
Foo
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Was driving past Willowbank one night in the truck and I was off with the fairies when suddenly, the whole cab started shaking and this God almighty roar happened. Almost had a heart attack until I realised that the drags were on and the Top Fuellers started a pass. :o ;D
Foo
I remember very well the first time I went to Willowbank and felt the pressure on my eardrums and chest as the Top Fuel Dragsters made their first run. ;D
:cup:
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Good stuff Shane, Id love to have back all the money I wasted over the years on my toys!
I was involved in Motorsport a lot as a kid due to this man http://namt.com.au/hall_of_fame/robin_best.pdf (http://namt.com.au/hall_of_fame/robin_best.pdf) My father was his engine builder throughout his funny car, sprint car and nascar days, they spent many trips in the USA on various Motorsport events. As a kid growing up around this it still holds some of my greatest memories.
RIP RJ :(
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Not my car Danny. I build engines and modify cars for a living. I just built this car and was testing it.
Now I'm re-building..........
Shane.
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The wheelie bar is too long for the boot type wing and I didn't run a net on the bars.........
Chute ended up wrapped in the bars before it blossomed. Lifted the arse of the car and pulled it sideways.
Still spewin.
Shane.
Hey, ya not the first to do it and you won't be the last either. i've seem many a racer with the washing stuck in the basket rather than out on the line.
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Did all four last week.
Obviously I was making plenty of horsepower but no torque, cause that wall does NOT move. Chute in the wheelie bars, up on two wheels then suffered from understeer followed by oversteer.
OUCH!!!
The wheelie bar is too long for the boot type wing and I didn't run a net on the bars.........
Chute ended up wrapped in the bars before it blossomed. Lifted the arse of the car and pulled it sideways.
the point where control is removed from the driver....never going to be good from down there at those speeds...MORE OUCH!!!
Not my car Danny. I build engines and modify cars for a living. I just built this car and was testing it.
Now I'm re-building..........
%@#ING GUTTERING AT BEST OF TIMES BUT EVEN WORSE FEELING WHEN ITS SOME ONE ELSE'S
Same thing happened to a mates car at E/Creek he coped a wall & a big roll over.
On the bright side your not broken & the toy can be rebuilt :cup:
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My wife reminded me last night, i also managed to mow down a few reflector boxes when we ran the blown small block Fiat during our licencing passes.
On more than one occasion too.... :-[
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The wheelie bar is too long for the boot type wing and I didn't run a net on the bars.........
Chute ended up wrapped in the bars before it blossomed. Lifted the arse of the car and pulled it sideways.
Still spewin.
Shane.
Bugger! How has the owner taken it? Hopfully fully understands the risks.
At least you had chutes. I've got a video somewhere of an Eastern Creek meet back in the early 90's where a comp eliminator funny car driver deceided he didn't need to pack chutes at all! Through the brake zone he went at warp speed, sand trap, broke through the catch fence, of which pieces went under the body and wedged the throttle, you couldn't see the car by this time, but you could hear it at full noise as it screamed through a paddock some 300 metres before coming to an abrupt halt on a tree stump!
Good stuff Shane, Id love to have back all the money I wasted over the years on my toys!
I was involved in Motorsport a lot as a kid due to this man http://namt.com.au/hall_of_fame/robin_best.pdf (http://namt.com.au/hall_of_fame/robin_best.pdf) My father was his engine builder throughout his funny car, sprint car and nascar days, they spent many trips in the USA on various Motorsport events. As a kid growing up around this it still holds some of my greatest memories.
RIP RJ :(
Used to go to the Thunderdome a fair bit in the late 80's early 90's and I remember Robin well.
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My self and a couple of other guys built a car a few years ago that whilst licencing, chutes didn't open.
Brand new, $300k+ worth of car, straight through the sand trap, straight through the tyre wall, through the boundary fence and came to rest in Qld Raceway's paddock.
We got it back to the workshop and with 3 of us on it, it was ready to race again in 48 hours.
Don't miss those days anymore......
Shane.
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As a young teenager in the late 60s our pastime was going to Castlereagh Drags not far from Penrith NSW it was raw dragracing and being able to stand next to the low metal barrier beside the track was in ya face drag racing,gone are those days but the memories.One American ill never forget is Wild Bill Shrewsberry he used to wheelstand his funnycar the length of the track.I found some old footage of him in a different vehicle in NZ.He used to get out of the car on the bonnet while it was wheelstanding.I found some footage in the car he used over here of him doing this at 3.02 on video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMQUyEm7x0c (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMQUyEm7x0c)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0myEgVTvzMU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0myEgVTvzMU)
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Good read eh? I saw that doing the rounds a few years ago but still find it entertaining to read. do yourself a favour and go and see them live! Just awesome and spectacular!
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Hey, ya not the first to do it and you won't be the last either. i've seem many a racer with the washing stuck in the basket rather than out on the line.
Back on the track for a licencing pass at 8.40 @ 160. Need to sort the fuel system and shave a whole second and add 25+ mph, then it'll be sorted.
Shane.
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Hey, good on ya.....
I'm pleased you got it sorted out a bit.
Is that the quickest you've ever gone so far?
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It's the quickest and fasted I've been.
Certainly not the quickest or fastest car I've built though.
Shane.