Fastest Street Legal Car?

[erickonphoenix]

Whoa, slow down. I don't care much for drag racing either but I wouldn't go so far as to say it takes very little skill. You have to shift properly and keep the car going straight when the engine wants turn it right at every shift. Plus the start is the art of drag racing. Getting the car off the line perfectly is not easy, you have to keep tire spin at a minimum but still preserve your clutch. Now if you want to say it's boring to watch that's another story. WRC hardest to drive and funnest to watch.

[SmaartAasSaabr]

Drag cars (well in the Top Fuel classes) don't use transmissions anymore... just a centrifugal clutch directly tied to the diff. Rev to 8000 r/min and the clutch starts engaging, as the road speed increases the clutch slip decreases, keeping the engine at 8000. Just rev a bit and hold the line-lock, wait for it to turn green, let go and stomp on it! The skill is fairly low, however you do need excellent reaction times. Other drag cars are pretty much all with automatic gearboxes as well. You still see a few Lencos here and there though.

[erickonphoenix]

I thought it was kind of like F1 with the semi automatic button shift? In the videos it always looks like they're puching a button on the wheel.

So why have a driver if you could just run the race by remote control.

[SmaartAasSaabr]

So why have a driver if you could just run the race by remote control.

Because it's FUN AS HELL!

I don't know what they got on the wheel. It's probably the release for the line-lock (front brakes). And to deploy the chutes.

[erickonphoenix]

Because it's FUN AS HELL!

lol. Oh yeah, that makes sense . . .

[cooljay]

haha probably like the light would turn green...kia would push the gas full and after the car goes through its delay the uber car would be done with the race lmao

Any car would do that if it's not modded for racing, not just a Kia :roll: . Makes me wonder what type of car you drive richardboy. Everyone seems to make fun of Kia but their not as bad as everyone makes them out to be, at least not the '06's. Yeah sure it's not a race car, it's not ment to be but it can haul a$$ when it wants to :wink:

[cooltc2004]

Yeah, the Top Fuel Dragsters and Funny Cars use transmissions like Saab said, but those are the only classes that use them. Not to many transmissions can handle 8000 HP

Anyways, why have a driver? Drag Racing is more then just what you guys give credit to. Im going to focus on Top Fuel for a little bit. First you have to stage, once both parties are staged, 3 yellow lights (all turn on instantly) and green. Your reaction times have to be as good as an F-16 pilot. Your going down the track, and boom, you start to spin (for example), you get off the throttle, and back on, etc til you dont spin anymore. If you start to drift to one side, you ease the steering wheel to get back straight. A sudden move of the steering wheel could equal death.

You ever wonder why the exhaust has smoke coming out of different ports of the header? Thats a cylinder out. Hardly does a top fuel dragster go down the strip on all 8 cylinders. After every race, they rebuild the engine. They cant risk going 2 runs on the same engine.

Did I mention that a top fuel dragster's engine has move power in one cylinder then an entire NASCAR engine?

/edit: And Audi, maybe when you get older you'll understand, its not all about the girls.

[Kremithefrog]

I'd like to see some of ya'll make it down the 1/4 in a 7 second or faster car (and not in 30 seconds, I mean all out).
I'd be surprised if you didn't kill yourself, though fortunately drag cars are built pretty safe.
There is a lot more to driving a drag car than many of you know.
Now I find drag racing a bit boring, ain't really my thing, but I respect those that do it.

[bunny]

Its just a drag car. I'd have on some corners and smoke him in the snow and rain. there is more to a car then just the engine. I'm just not into car's like that and that's not pratical either. fun for the weekend but not daily driver.

I agree. I would rather have a subaru awd then 'american muscial' (sp?). It is tons and tons of fun to slide around courners out in the middle of no were around hills and such, or go off roading in the desert. Drag just isn't fun to me. It is all personal prefrence what people like is all.

[ltilaser]

People also have to consider that the car probably requires an insane amount of maintenance. Drag engines and transmissions do not last long. The owner would have to frequently rebuld and replace the engine. With the high performance engine and nitous oxide, he has to run off expensive race fuel. I don't know why it shows him filling up at a regular petrol station, but premium fuel does not come close to the octane needed to prevent misfires from the heat, pressure, and oxidizers found in the engine.

Also, it would probably be a pain in the ass to drive around on the roads. The drag racing suspensions and steering are stiff and have no feel. They are designed to keep the car straight in short high speed sprints. The suspensions are not designed to tun.

The engineering, technology, and advanced materials aren't just for show in a modern supercar.

What makes a car good, in my opinion, is far more than the horsepower and torque nubers. I love engines which are not only high powered and forceful but are also responsive, smooth, and have a very flat power band. When I turn in the car I want little roll and crisp steering where you can feel the road while not being twichy or heavy. I when cornering I like a car that is balanced with predictable slide. I do not like large amounts of oversteer and understeer. I also do not like cars that suddenly spin out or snap on you when you push it to the limits.