The acoustic power of Top Fuel dragsters

Two separate quarter mile passes recorded from the grandstands of Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA during Friday qualifying at the 2008 Autolite Nationals. A fun way to illustrate the massive ground shaking sound energy generated by a pair of 8,000hp nitromethane-burning Top Fuel dragsters at full throttle. These two runs are 1/4 mile passes in the high 4 second range at speeds over 300mph. For this filming I was seated in the stands at about the 60 foot mark, approximately 75-100 yards from the track. The incredible noise & vibration from the exhaust pulses is evident. As anyone who's been to a TF event will tell you, it's impossible to describe the gut wrenching volume and frequency of the sound... it's something you have to be there in person to experience.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• top
• fuel
• funny
• car
• header
• flames
• 8000
• hp
• horsepower
• nitro
• nitromethane
• sound
• energy
• 1320
• acoustic
• blast
• drag
• racing
• speed
• auto
• nhra
• quarter
• mile
• 1/4
• sonoma
• ca
• california
• race
• loud
• v8
• noise

[222Panther222]

I'm not a audio expert but i know that for the sound to be "felt" you need about 120 decibels to feel it on your sternum this phenomenon is not studied enough. These top fuel produce between 140 - 165 decibels at various frequency which i suppose some of them are infrasonic (below 20hz) that we can't hear but we can feel at high spl, Also i did read that a pipe organ instrument in a church when they produce the lowest note 16hz shake the ground so.. maybe it did 1-20hz@140db minimum 4it2shake.

[snaproll94e]

I can still remember the reaction my 5 and 7 year old sons had the first time they saw and felt a pair of top fuel dragsters make a pass. They said they shook their hearts and of course, they were right. As many have said, you can't explain what this feels like, you have to experience it.

[kvuo]

another good vid of the power! yes!

It is hard to explain to people, these vids help!

[nbmr]

this was a great idea to film that now i can show people that has never been to one of thes events what it is like !!!!

[CSXer]

The sad thing is some people just don't "get" this....(I do)

[MangoHombre]

This is awsome!

[cdoublejj]

one time my contacts almost fell out.

[pahlok]

8000 HP :) It's never enough is it?

[nitrokrumpt]

yessssssssssssssssss.......tha­t sound makes up for not seein nitro spittin out them headers!! great sandals too, great for gettin drunk!