Drag racing might not be as exciting as a big pack of cars being driven on a twisty track, but it's the series to watch if you're into ridiculously powerful and fast vehicles. And by that I mean dragsters that run the quarter-mile in less that five seconds.
Probably the most ridiculous thing you'll watch today, the drag battle below brings together two dragsters running on different fuel. One "drinks" diesel, while the other one moves forward thanks to jet fuel. "Wacky" is the best word to describe what's happening here.
This ludicrous display of power happened during Nitro Madness at Texas Motorplex this week. Definitely not your regular NHRA event. And it's not just about flexing enormous amounts of oomph (likely in excess of 10,000 horsepower), it's also a smoke vs flames engine battle.
While the diesel-fed dragster sends thick trails of black smoke up into the air, the jet-powered slingshot is a flame thrower on wheels. On top of shooting white "smoke" trails between those fiery bursts. Things become even more spectacular toward the end of the video, when night sets in.
What's more, these dragsters make an unbelievable amount of noise. Of course, the jet-powered vehicle is the noisiest of the two. Jet noise is one of the loudest sounds ever produced by mankind and this video shows why. Crank up the volume and you won't be able to take it for more than a few seconds.
But the diesel dragster isn't exactly quiet either. The turbocharged oil burner becomes a sonic monster when the gas pedal hits the floor during burnouts and while snapping off the line. Hang around these dragsters without proper headphones and you'll probably go deaf in a matter of minutes.
The race is just as spectacular as the noise suggests. The diesel dragster has a few issues and fails to complete a full run the first couple of times, but it eventually manages to race against the jet-fueled racer. It happens around the six-minute mark.
The result is as close as they get. The jet dragster crosses the line in 4.244 seconds, while the diesel-powered slingshot runs the quarter-mile in 4.277 clicks. As far as trap speeds go, the jet racer hit 190.3 mph (306.25 kph), while the oil burner managed 178.26 mph (296.88 kph).
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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