NHRA virginity

[4Waters]

 

[MK1MOD0]

That’s awesome ! Years ago I took my wife to the Vegas round. My Dad and I looked at each other before the first Top Fuel car ran and knew what was going to happen. My wife almost jumped off her seat the first time it went by. She LOVED it ! No matter what ya say, people are not ready for the event. Those pulses go right through your body!!!

 

[Nordie]

There's zero description of what a fuel car does...it's an absolute adrenaline rush of angry pissed off horses. The compression that hits your chest is indescribable.

At the end of the day when you're headed home you realize that you're wearing little pellets of rubber.

Everyone should experience a fuel car running down the track.

 

[4Waters]

It's truly sensory overload

I like the "He thinks he hears godzilla"

 

[Ziggy]

Fricken hilarious
Best Day of his life! Hell ya!

 

[Hydroman55]

That’s awesome ! Years ago I took my wife to the Vegas round. My Dad and I looked at each other before the first Top Fuel car ran and knew what was going to happen. My wife almost jumped off her seat the first time it went by. She LOVED it ! No matter what ya say, people are not ready for the event. Those pulses go right through your body!!!

First time took my wife …she was still looking at the starting line as top fuel crossed the finish line. She no concept what had just happened.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

I love it.

My wife's "holy shit" face watching/feeling her first pass was classic. Great day with the fam in Pomona for my dad's b day.

 

[JUSTWANNARACE]

That’s awesome ! Years ago I took my wife to the Vegas round. My Dad and I looked at each other before the first Top Fuel car ran and knew what was going to happen. My wife almost jumped off her seat the first time it went by. She LOVED it ! No matter what ya say, people are not ready for the event. Those pulses go right through your body!!!

Or 4 at a time!! What a rush!

 

[pixrthis]

That’s rad, tv is nothing like being there.

 

[ltbaney1]

one of my favorites is watching the people who have no clue about the fumes in the pits. i love it when they gather around a fueler and cant figure out why they are crying and their nose is burning and running. there really is nothing like it.

 

[coolchange]

Or people that take a shower and wash their hair BEFORE they go to the track.

 

[4Waters]

one of my favorites is watching the people who have no clue about the fumes in the pits. i love it when they gather around a fueler and cant figure out why they are crying and their nose is burning and running. there really is nothing like it.

I hate having to wash my shirt because it smells like nitro

 

[Yldboyz]

That's hilarious, I still remember my first time.

 

[MonkeyButt70]

I recorded the first time my son and daughter went to Pomona.

 

[dread Pirate]

Took a friend down on the line last year for his baptism. Never seen top fuel other than on tv and had him help push Del's car into the water box.

"Here, put this shirt on and act like you're supposed to be here,,,"

 

[FCT]

That’s awesome!

 

[renodaytona]

Very cool. I want to take my wife and daughter. It's definitely sensory overload.

 

[pkrrvr619]

Brought a family friend and he dropped and took cover when they lit them off in the pits and gave them that final braaapppp before shutting it down.

Needless to say he was a bit embarrassed as everyone was wondering why he was laying on the floor.

 

[havasuhusker]

My brother took me to Firebird for the first time in, circa 1980's something and I was on the starting line when a fuel funny car launched. It shook me to the core and I think I ran away crying! lol

 

[JD D05]

One of the only things in life you can't over hype. Took my dad years ago kept asking was that top fuel over and over....I just said you will know when it is

 

[OC Mike]

That was Awesome!!!

 

[Gramps]

I still think one of the most exciting things is to stand on the starting line during T/F

 

[Water Romper]

Awww that's awesome, that dude will have a forever memory- let us not forget the smell of the nitro that hits the stands about 30 seconds after the fueler's goes by.
Until you "Feel" the percussion go by, even a cool video like this doesn't do drag racing justice.

 

[Willie B]

… One step up from the spectator percussion of a Fuel Car…And that’s when you get to drive one… …unbelievable rush…

 

[JUSTWANNARACE]

We have been to a few top fuel races.. we went to the "first" 4 wide in Vegas! But I will tell you, imo, the best for the feel and noise is Kent, Wa(seattle) it sets in the valley between 2 mountains and the "percussion" is crazy!

 

[The Prisoner]

Even the video is loud…had to turn down the iPad

 

[Roosky01]

First time took my wife …she was still looking at the starting line as top fuel crossed the finish line. She no concept what had just happened.

That about perfectly describes most women's first time at other "things" as well.

 

[Roosky01]

I grew up around these and they are freak'n loud and you can really feel it, but they don't hold a candle to a top fuel car. I remember the first time I saw top fuel race was at Route 66 in Joliet some 20'ish years ago and I remember telling my friend that "every chick in this place is horny as hell right now!"

 

[Hydroman55]

one of my favorites is watching the people who have no clue about the fumes in the pits. i love it when they gather around a fueler and cant figure out why they are crying and their nose is burning and running. there really is nothing like it.

Trying to remember the details…Went to an event at OCR in the late 70s and had like 50 plus nitro cars line up on the track starting line to finish line and fire all up at the same time.
Every person in the stands had water pouring from their eyes and gasping for air.
I’m sure someone on the board will recall the event promotion details.
Like the dude said “best day of my life”.

 

[zbudman]

I still think one of the most exciting things is to stand on the starting line during T/F

I've been lucky to do it several times. Also been lucky enough to stand next to the starter between lanes.

 

[4Waters]

We have been to a few top fuel races.. we went to the "first" 4 wide in Vegas! But I will tell you, imo, the best for the feel and noise is Kent, Wa(seattle) it sets in the valley between 2 mountains and the "percussion" is crazy!

Thunder Valley

 

[thmterry]

Standing right at the finish line watching and feeling 2 cars passing you at 330mph is awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[JUSTWANNARACE]

Thunder Valley

yes.. but alot of people look at you funny when you call it that

 

[oldboatsrule]

Trying to remember the details…Went to an event at OCR in the late 70s and had like 50 plus nitro cars line up on the track starting line to finish line and fire all up at the same time.
Every person in the stands had water pouring from their eyes and gasping for air.
I’m sure someone on the board will recall the event promotion details.
Like the dude said “best day of my life”.

OCIR used to have the "64 funny car" events.
And the 32 car manufactures meets.
Glad I grew up when I did!

 

[Water Romper]

Trying to remember the details…Went to an event at OCR in the late 70s and had like 50 plus nitro cars line up on the track starting line to finish line and fire all up at the same time.
Every person in the stands had water pouring from their eyes and gasping for air.
I’m sure someone on the board will recall the event promotion details.
Like the dude said “best day of my life”.

I used to work the "Fox Hunt" at OCIR back in the 70's sold programs for free entry. All girls got in free- hence the name. Dont recall if they did the line up or not but it was fun for sure.

 

[SoCalDave]

Our first date was to the Winter Nationals Feb 1985 and I thought she wasn't going to get off my lap on the first run. Been back every year since.

 

[was thatguy]

My first was the 1980 gatornationals. I was barely 18 years old.
We drove there from Panama City FL with zero extra dollars in a car a friend stole from his parents who were out of town.
We slept in sleeping bags along the road out front of the track about 50’ into the woods so the sheriff wouldn’t make us move.
I ate canned tuna out of the can for 3 days.
The beer guy gave us free beers out the back of the booth when he found out we were from Alaska like him.
Gary Beck won top fuel, the snake won FC.
We watched grumpy and Glidden almost go to blows in the pits. Shirley Muldowney and Connie got them separated while Large Father yelled them both. Connie Shirley and Big Daddy then went into Shirley’s trailer to sort it all out.
Something like 35 pro stockers showed up and the entire 16 car field were within less than a tenth come Sunday. At the time it was the tightest field ever qualified. Glidden had his arrow, grumpy in a Camaro as I recall.
It was entirely sensory overload for a kid from Alaska that only ever read about these larger than life characters and their unobtainable machines in car craft magazine.
That 3 days changed my life.
Since then I’ve been to about 52 other national events. (It’s somewhere between 50-55 so it’s a guess?)
I harassed Warren Jonson for probably 15 years for a job giving him my machine shop resume every time I saw him in the pits for over a decade. He’d actually start yelling at me when he saw me coming. Some might remember back in Phoenix when I almost got into a fist fight with Schumacher when he insulted Deb and I very early on a Saturday before the crowd was there. Luckily Douggy sort of broke that up.
Force couldn’t win a race back then. And Bernstein was yet to start his crushing dominance of funny car in “that damned big red car” as Force called it.

Over these 4 decades plus I’ve take many people to their first national event. I’ve been to most of the tracks.
They are not prepared…ever.
It’s impossible to put into words.
It doesn’t matter at all if they care about cars or racing or anything Motorsport related.
It’s the biggest spectacle you can see.
12000 HP.
In a vehicle of sorts, burning nitrated propane in a 500” engine at about 1300 HP PER CYLINDER in a rubber tired machine.
Until you experience it first hand their is no way to accurately describe it.

 

[was thatguy]

Standing right at the finish line watching and feeling 2 cars passing you at 330mph is awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It’s hard to remember that there are actual humans inside there piloting that machine.

 

[dave29]

Two stories. !971 went with a friend to crew on class car for the AHRA finals. BeeLine Raceway Arizona. Back in the day they used bleach in the burnouts for top fuel and funny car and they used saw horses with rubber hanging down to capture the splatter. We were behind those barriers at the start line. After about three burnouts the nitro fumes made us retreat. That night were back at the hotel and my eyes were killing me. I went to look in the mirror and saw hundreds on pin holes in my T shirt. I then looked at my eyes. Small dark burns covering most of my eyes. Bleach had gone everywhere. It healed but it felt like there was an entire desert in my eyes.

#2 Danny Darnell was a friend of mine. He was the NHRA PR guy. He invited myself and two friends to the Winter Nationals in the early 90's. We were in the NHRA box and he asked us if we wanted to go to the starting line. We of course said yes. When we went down he took us to the starter, introduced us and told me to stand behind the starter. Top fuel came up and I stood there through three races. Holy shit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Every joint in my body shook. It was unreal!!! There was micro rubber dust all over me. Truly a one of a kind experience.

 

[was thatguy]

The guy in the video has the same look as @headlesshula had the first time he saw top fuel at firebird.
We got there just in time to hit the guardrail when the first pair went.
Torrence and someone else.
Sean was stunned. It was great!

 

[Hydroman55]

Zero to 100 in less than a second

 

[poncho]

The guy in the video has the same look as @headlesshula had the first time he saw top fuel at firebird.
We got there just in time to hit the guardrail when the first pair went.
Torrence and someone else.
Sean was stunned. It was great!

That was so cool that you guys made it to that race, chatted with you as I was leaving the Zoo....Talked to Sean later on and all he could say was Holy Shit

 

[poncho]

Took my first Wife in the late 80's. She wasn't from a background that included any sort of motorsports, her crowd was more about standing in line for the opening of a new restaurant in the city. Good friend at the time had an older Brother working for National Dragster and we got press credentials which put us alongside the starting line.
She loved it after she got done shitting her pants, told all of her friends it was amazing, her words were it felt like someone pounding your chest.
Helped a bunch that Ercie Hill spent a few minutes chatting with us so she now had a favorite driver to watch.

 

[74 spectra20 v-drive]

They use to do a awesome Long beach car show in Bixby Knolls, we loved it because it had everything including the Nostalgia Alky cars pushed into a circle at Carson and Atlantic and they would fire them off right at dusk. I had my 3 kids there one year and we we waiting for the show, this group comes up and pushes right past us and stands right in front of my kids. We were right at the side of one of the cars and my boys were a little angry, I told them don't worry as we were going to step back anyway, they asked why and I just said "watch these dumb asses once they start this car. Yep, full nitro shots to the face as they lit that car off, these people almost fell down and were coughing and gagging. My kids thought it was the funniest thing ever, instant karma for some douche bags for sure.

 

[Sharp Shooter]

 

[Flying_Lavey]

We took my Uncle Mike to the winter nationals about 10 or 12 years ago when they featured the Road Kings car club (my grandpa's club, his Model T was one of the featured cars). It was my uncle's first time. I kept warning him to cover his ears and be prepared when we were in the pits. He kept telling me it was fine. He used to hang out at the boat drags back in the day (likely 70's into early 80's). Well the first time one of the nitro cars cleared out the cylinder after warming up, he covered his head and neck, jumped about 3 feet in the air, and turned and ran. I fell on the ground.... cause I was laughing so damn hard. He had a similar reaction for the first run too.

 

[boatdoc55]

yes.. but alot of people look at you funny when you call it that

Thunder Valley is Bristol's nic name. Maybe up North's also???

 

[boatdoc55]

My first was the 1980 gatornationals. I was barely 18 years old.
We drove there from Panama City FL with zero extra dollars in a car a friend stole from his parents who were out of town.
We slept in sleeping bags along the road out front of the track about 50’ into the woods so the sheriff wouldn’t make us move.
I ate canned tuna out of the can for 3 days.
The beer guy gave us free beers out the back of the booth when he found out we were from Alaska like him.
Gary Beck won top fuel, the snake won FC.
We watched grumpy and Glidden almost go to blows in the pits. Shirley Muldowney and Connie got them separated while Large Father yelled them both. Connie Shirley and Big Daddy then went into Shirley’s trailer to sort it all out.
Something like 35 pro stockers showed up and the entire 16 car field were within less than a tenth come Sunday. At the time it was the tightest field ever qualified. Glidden had his arrow, grumpy in a Camaro as I recall.
It was entirely sensory overload for a kid from Alaska that only ever read about these larger than life characters and their unobtainable machines in car craft magazine.
That 3 days changed my life.
Since then I’ve been to about 52 other national events. (It’s somewhere between 50-55 so it’s a guess?)
I harassed Warren Jonson for probably 15 years for a job giving him my machine shop resume every time I saw him in the pits for over a decade. He’d actually start yelling at me when he saw me coming. Some might remember back in Phoenix when I almost got into a fist fight with Schumacher when he insulted Deb and I very early on a Saturday before the crowd was there. Luckily Douggy sort of broke that up.
Force couldn’t win a race back then. And Bernstein was yet to start his crushing dominance of funny car in “that damned big red car” as Force called it.

Over these 4 decades plus I’ve take many people to their first national event. I’ve been to most of the tracks.
They are not prepared…ever.
It’s impossible to put into words.
It doesn’t matter at all if they care about cars or racing or anything Motorsport related.
It’s the biggest spectacle you can see.
12000 HP.
In a vehicle of sorts, burning nitrated propane in a 500” engine at about 1300 HP PER CYLINDER in a rubber tired machine.
Until you experience it first hand their is no way to accurately describe it.

Couldn't have said it any better Tommy!! It is 100% the most exhilarating thing ANY human can do weather one like cars or not, it will NEVER be forgotten.

 

[4Waters]

Thunder Valley is Bristol's nic name. Maybe up North's also???

That's what I was thinking of

 

[Water Romper]

Oh, and lets not forget all the thrill and excitement- AT NIGHT- The flames shooting out the headers is nothing but spectacular. Its "Icing on the cake"