NHRA Pro Drag Racing

[volzfan59]

First, I am and will always be a stock car racing fan. During the 80's I built, owned and drove my own cars in middle TN, southern KY and a few times in AL. Had a blast, spent a ton of money, wouldn't trade it for anything.

 

For the first time in my 62 years on God's great earth, I went to the NHRA Fall Nationals at the TX Motorplex in Ennis, TX over this past weekend. To say that I was amazed is an understatement. We had really good seats pit side. You can just stroll around, look at the cars while they're being worked on, talk to the crew and driver's. What got me was when the top fuel dragsters and funny cars took off the ground vibrated, you literally felt it in your chest and even with good ear protection it was crazy loud. Sorry for rambling, but TV doesn't do it justice. I highly recommend going if you're a car nut and have never been. We're going back next year!

Edited October 20, 2021 by volzfan59
Spell check, "car but" should have been "car nut".

[Captain Phil]

I have been drag racing since high school.  That was a very long time ago.  We raced as a family for many years.   I enjoy oval track racing, but it doesn't hold a candle to the top fuel cars.  In my opinion, NASCAR is the most boring thing imaginable.  Who wants to watch a field full of identical cars chase each other around for hours with the only excitement being a crash or the last ten laps?   Pro drag racing is exciting, fast and there is no redo.  Anything can happen and it usually does.  The sound of 11,000 horse power unleashed for 3 seconds has no comparison.  

[GaryH]

24 minutes ago, Captain Phil said:

I have been drag racing since high school.  That was a very long time ago.  We raced as a family for many years.   I enjoy oval track racing, but it doesn't hold a candle to the top fuel cars.  In my opinion, NASCAR is the most boring thing imaginable.  Who wants to watch a field full of identical cars chase each other around for hours with the only excitement being a crash or the last ten laps?   Pro drag racing is exciting, fast and there is not redo.  Anything can happen and it usually does.  The sound of 1,100 horse power unleashed for 3 seconds has no comparison.  

11,051 hp for top duel dragster.

55 minutes ago, volzfan59 said:

First, I am and will always be a stock car racing fan. During the 80's I built, owned and drove my own cars in middle TN, southern KY and a few times in AL. Had a blast, spent a ton of money, wouldn't trade it for anything.

 

For the first time in my 62 years on God's great earth, I went to the NHRA Fall Nationals at the TX Motorplex in Ennis, TX over this past weekend. To say that I was amazed is an understatement. We had really good seats pit side. You can just stroll around, look at the cars while they're being worked on, talk to the crew and driver's. What got me was when the top fuel dragsters and funny cars took off the ground vibrated, you literally felt it in your chest and even with good ear protection it was crazy loud. Sorry for rambling, but TV doesn't do it justice. I highly recommend going if you're a car but and have never been. We're going back next year!

Agree 100% I grew up drag racing at Englishtown and Atco dragways. Nothing like it.

[TnRiver46]

I think thunder Valley should be your next destination

[moguy1973]

First time I went to a Top Fuel event I was blown away, literally.  Rubber pieces on your shirt, so loud it made your eyeballs jiggle, the thump in your chest when the nitro came on.  And it's all over in a blink of an eye.  Fastest thing on planet earth that isn't a rocket ship.

[volzfan59]

4 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

I think thunder Valley should be your next destination

We probably will, we're talking about it. I've gone to Bristol for NASCAR Cup and Xfinity races, they were great. NHRA travels to Thunder Valley next.

5 hours ago, Captain Phil said:

In my opinion, NASCAR is the most boring thing imaginable.  Who wants to watch a field full of identical cars chase each other around for hours with the only excitement being a crash or the last ten laps?  

I pretty much agree. Even though I held a NASCAR license for anything from late models down, I've gotten to the point that I no longer really enjoy Cup Series races. I'll usually watch the Daytona 500 and both Bristol races but that's about it. Now, if they bring back Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway and North Wilksboro like is rumored, I'll watch them too.

All that said, I was talking about being a lifelong short track, late model, limited late model fan. But, you're so right, nothing like those 10,000 h/p top fuel cars! I really enjoyed the Pro Stocks and the Pro Mods too!

[slonezp]

I went to high school with Tony Schumacher. Wasn't great friends with him but I was with some of his buddies. We'd hang out in his garage after school sometimes and on Friday nights we'd head up to Great Lakes Drag Strip in Union Grove WI. He was running a 9 second Chevelle at 17 years old.

[12poundbass]

Absolutely a blast. As a kid and young adult we went to the National event at Columbus and Joliet. 
 

Everyone needs to experience it once in their life. Once you get that nitro in your eyes and nose you’ll never look back. Standing in the pits next to one when they’re testing it and they hit the throttle is almost enough to make you jump out of your skin! 
 

My favorite part is when they fire them up on alcohol then it switches over to nitro. 
 

 

[slonezp]

36 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

Absolutely a blast. As a kid and young adult we went to the National event at Columbus and Joliet. 
 

Everyone needs to experience it once in their life. Once you get that nitro in your eyes and nose you’ll never look back. Standing in the pits next to one when they’re testing it and they hit the throttle is almost enough to make you jump out of your skin! 
 

My favorite part is when they fire them up on alcohol then it switches over to nitro. 
 

 

You had me at alcohol

[detroit1]

I have not seen nitro racing yet, but will someday. The mrs. and i were gonna go to Norwalk in 2020, make a weekend out of it. Well, of course we know what happened that year. I am bummed that Michigan doesn't have an approved NHRA track. My brother in law took me to detroit dragway in 1968 and we watched Grumpy take down Sox.  

[12poundbass]

5 minutes ago, detroit1 said:

I have not seen nitro racing yet, but will someday. The mrs. and i were gonna go to Norwalk in 2020, make a weekend out of it. Well, of course we know what happened that year. I am bummed that Michigan doesn't have an approved NHRA track. My brother in law took me to detroit dragway in 1968 and we watched Grumpy take down Sox.  

US 131 raceway puts on a pretty good show when they have their nitro night. Mid-Michigan motorplex just down the road from me used to be an IHRA track and held a nation event. That was a pretty good time, pro mods, quick 8’s, top fuel. 

[moguy1973]

11 hours ago, detroit1 said:

I have not seen nitro racing yet, but will someday. The mrs. and i were gonna go to Norwalk in 2020, make a weekend out of it. Well, of course we know what happened that year. I am bummed that Michigan doesn't have an approved NHRA track. My brother in law took me to detroit dragway in 1968 and we watched Grumpy take down Sox.  

Michigan has Milan as an NHRA track.  I don't think the top fuelers have a stop there though.

 

It looks like COVID may have shut that track down for good though sad to say.

[volzfan59]

51 minutes ago, moguy1973 said:

Michigan has Milan as an NHRA track.  I don't think the top fuelers have a stop there though.

 

It looks like COVID may have shut that track down for good though sad to say.

I hate to see any race track close, round or straight.

[Bankbeater]

The first drag race i went to I thought my eardrums would rupture.  Then the cars stopped and you could hear the car alarms going off out in the parking lot.

[volzfan59]

14 hours ago, Bankbeater said:

The first drag race i went to I thought my eardrums would rupture.  Then the cars stopped and you could hear the car alarms going off out in the parking lot.

HA! That happened in Texas while we were there.