Funny Cars is a type of drag racing vehicle and a special racing class in organized drag races. The funny cars are characterized by having a fiberglass tilt-up or carbon fiber automotive bodies on a specially made chassis, giving them a vaguely appearance approaching the manufacturer's showroom model. They also have a machine that is placed in front of the driver, as opposed to dragsters, which puts it behind the driver.
Funny car bodies usually reflect the new car models available in the time period that the funny car was built. For example, in the 1970s, current models such as Chevrolet Vega or Plymouth Barracuda are often portrayed as funny cars, and bodies representing the Big Three of General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. Currently, four manufacturers are represented at the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Funny Car - Chevrolet with Camaro, Dodge with Charger, Ford with Mustang, and Toyota with Camry. Around the world, however, many different body styles are used. These "fake" shells are not just cosmetics; they serve an important aerodynamic purpose.
Today, deploying the Funny Car team can cost between US $ 2.6 and US $ 3 million. A carbon fiber body can cost US $ 70,000.
Nitro Funny Car racing has never been more competitive than since 2006. The dominance of John Force Racing ended in 2006 and between 2007 and 2015 was equaled by Don Schumacher Racing (DSR), with three titles of TF/FC respectively. The Cute Car is dominated by a multi-car team, with only Cruz Pedregon, Jim Dunn, and Tim Wilkerson maintaining a traditional one-car operation.
Video Funny Car
Guidelines
NHRA has strict guidelines for funny cars. Most of the rules relate to machines. In short, the machine can only replace the V-8s for no more than 500 cubic inches (8.19 L). The most popular design is loosely based on Chrysler 426 Hemi's second generation "Chrysler Machine" made from 1964 to 1971.
There are only two valves per cylinder. The engine head is from an aluminum billet and does not have a water jacket, because the high latent heat of methanol in the fuel coupled with the quickness of the run obstructs the cooling needs of water from the cylinder head. Superchargers are limited to Roots type base - 19 inch rotor (480 mm) wide rotor width of 11.25 inches (286 mm). The rotor is not allowed to have more than a certain number of helical spins so that the blower does not become a screw type supercharger in the function. Only single camshaft is allowed. There are two common bore-stroke combinations: 4.1875 x 4.50 inches (106.36 mm × 114.30 mm) (called 3/4 stroker ) and 4.25 times 4.375 inches (108.0 mm ÃÆ'â € "Ã, 111.1 mm) (called 5/8 stroker ). Stroker 3/4 is the most common combination currently used and is equivalent to 496 CID (8.1 L).
Crankshafts are CNC machines that are carved out of billet steels then nitridasikan in the oven to increase the surface hardness. Intake valves are titanium and 2.40 inches wide (61 mm), while the exhaust valves are 1.90 inches (48 mm) wide by Inconel. Each funny car has a ballistic blanket that covers the supercharger because the engine is vulnerable to explosions.
The funny car fuel system is the key to their immense power. During a single jump (start, burn, reverse, staging, 1/4 mile) the car can burn as many as 15 gallons US (12 gallon; 57 L) of fuel. The fuel mixture is typically 85-90% nitromethane with 10-15% methanol. The ratio of fuel to the air can be as high as 1: 1. The compression ratio varies from 6: 1 to 7: 1. The engines in funny cars generally show different pistons and piston ratios determined by the proximity of the pistons with air intake. The funny car has a fixed gear ratio of 3.20: 1 and has reverse gear; power is transmitted from the engine to the final drive through a gradual staged clutch that provides additional progressive locking as a run result. The level/level of locking is mechanically/pneumatically and pre-arranged before running respectively according to various conditions, especially the surface of the track. Wheelbase distance between 100 and 125 inches (2.5 and 3.2 m). The car must maintain a ground clearance of 3 inches (76 mm).
Horsepower claims vary widely - from 6,978 to 8,897 - but probably about 8,000 HP. Supercharged, nitromethane-fueled motor of this type also has a very high torque, which is estimated at about 7,000 ft? Lbf (9,500 Ã, N? M). They routinely achieve 6G acceleration from scratch.
Maps Funny Car
Security
Many security rules are applied to protect drivers and fans. A more visible safety device is a twin parachute to help stabilize and reduce the speed of the car after crossing the finish line. Less noticeable precautions include rolling cages and fire extinguishers.
During the safety evaluation after the fatal accident of Scott Kalitta on June 21, 2008, at Englishtown, NJ, NHRA reduced the distance of Top Fuel and Funny Car to 1,000 feet effective July 2, 2008. Pro Stock and class sportsmen are still racing up to 1320 feet.
History
In the drag races of the mid-1960s, Top Fuel's horsepower was paired with wheeled cars transformed to produce the first "funny cars" (originally a mocking term). The first funny cars were built in the early to mid 1960s. The Cute Car as a class traces its roots to the Super Stock, through an exciting "Optional Super Stock class", to A/Factory Experimental (A/FX), introduced by NHRA in 1962, and finally XS (experimental stock).
Initially, the back tires ("slicks") were made with a bias-ply construction (slick "wrinklewall" has not been found), which means that the handle on the launch is poor. The modified wheelbase racer found him shifting the center of gravity to the rear, which puts more weight on the rear wheels, increasing the traction of this biased-ply slick. Because many of these clear modifications they do not look stock, hence the name "funny". Wheelbase is altered to help traction for a narrow slick (7 inches (180 mm)) (required by NHRA regulations), while maintaining mandatory mill spacing between the center of the axle.
The first of the "funny looking cars" is a 1964 Dodge 330 Max Wedges trio named "Dodge Chargers". They debuted in March 1964 at the San Diego Raceway. Funny cars start as stock, and at first, pure exhibition cars, in Super/Factory Experimental (S/FX); NHRA treats them like a passing fashion, and tries to "validate them from existence" by placing them in the first gas and then the fuel class, with a half-weight car and twice the horsepower.
The success of a funny car follows the popularity of gasser, the previous favorite doorlammer class. The cute car precursor, which appeared nearly a decade earlier, was John Rapie driven by John Bandimere. The funny cars are also preceded by the Sport Modified car, which has a fiberglass body, tubular frame, and supercharged set-back machine even before the Super Stock is conceived. Among the Sport Modified riders to challenge early funny cars is Roger Hardcastle, at Astra J-5.
The first cute cars were the Super Stock 1964 Dodge 330 Max Wedges, named "Dodge Chargers", prepared, on Don Beebe's orders, by Dragmaster Jim Nelson and Dode Martin. Racing in the Supercharged Experimental Stock (S/XS) class, their original 426 Max Wedges was replaced with a 480G engine in Top Gas engine (Top Dodge Dart's virtual machine clone also built by Dragmaster). (So, they're technically a "cute gasser", not a fuel car, unlike the example at a later date.) Despite their fuel limitations, however, they're spinning on ETs in high 10s, at speeds of around 130 mph (210 m/hour), when Super Stock and FX cars only run 11s at around 120 mph (190 km/h), is definitely a triumph. They will also be the first factory car equipped with a parachute, and the first to see drivers wearing firesuits.
The first converted wheelage car was the Dick-legal SS/A 1964 Dodge Coronet class, which had a radically forward front and rear axle, front end and high gasser-style, and 426 hems. It moves the rear wheels forward 15 in (380 mm), the front 10 inches (250 mm), and the  £ 80 (36 kg) fiberglass parts (including hood, instrument panel, door, front fender, front deck cover, front). bumper) replaced steel. First appeared at AHRA Winternationals in Phoenix, Arizona, January 29-31, 1964, the combination increased the ET from the low 11s with speeds in the range of 120 mph (190 km/h) to 10.60 seconds at nearly 130 mph (210 mph/h ). Only twelve built.
Three Chargers, wearing red side color schemes and white roofs, hoods, and rods, with two blue elongated lines, propelled by Jimmy Nix, who had previously run a Top Gas dragster; Jim Johnson, who manages stocker Dodge Polara, and who has won the B/SA title in 1963; Jim Nelson; and Dode Martin. (Nix tries to persuade Chrisman to get Mercury Racing Director Fran Hernandez to allow him to run his 427 nitro nitro as a way to gain influence on NHRA, so Nix can use nitro itself).
Their debut at San Diego Raceway in March 1964, for a three race exhibition. While in theory everything is identical, Nix will change the slick or add a shot in the trunk of Dodge 330 to increase traction.
They soon spin at E.T.s at low speed 11s and trap over 140 mph (230 km/h); at Long Beach on March 21, an 11.49 track at 141.66 mph (227.98 km/h) was recorded. These cars are running in the NHRA S/FX class, which is defined as "Super Factory Experimental" or "Supercharged Factory Experimental". For their part, the Dodge plant only spends US $ 250,000 in its inaugural season, not enough for one car, let alone three, the amount set by promoter Don Beebe, who persuades Wally Park's safety will not be compromised, promising cars to be built to Super standards Stock.
Three months after the Chargers debut, Sachs and Sons 1964 Mercury Comet is factory-supported, powered by a supercharged SOHC 427 "Cammer", debuting, at 1964 Nationals in Indianapolis. Driven by Jack Chrisman, and entered in B/FD, Comet creates a sensation.
When Chrisman's Comet first operated in Indy, the Charger program has been hit by financial problems and component shortages. The last appearance of their race was Greer, South Carolina, dragstrip, in July 1964. Nix, disappointed, returned to TG/D. Chrisman's Comet was placed in the B/Fuel Dragster class in Indianapolis; he was defeated in elimination, but not before recording a 10.25 second pass at 156.31 mph (251.56 km/h) mph.
The success of these cars inspired other drivers to give up racing classes for supercharged exhibition cars, led by Arnie Farmer Beswick and his Pontiac GTO, Gary Dyer's hemi Dodge A/FX (financed by Norm Krause, "Mister Norm"), and Bob Sullivan Pandemonium (a '65 Plymouth Barracuda). Pandemonium joins about six other funny nitro-fueled early cars facing fuel dragsters in the 1965 season. Dyer A/FX is the first to have all four distinctive early funny car traits: modified wheelbase, supercharging, nitromethane fuel, and (then long-out of production) 392 hemi (rather than the other Chrysler's Max Wedges racers).
The funny cars proved very popular, with cars driven by Chrisman and Beswick making tracks across the US The first wave of cute car development ended around 1965, when bracket racer Jim Liberman and crew chief Lew Arrington made a deal with Pontiac to supply the hemis rare. (remnants of Mickey Thompson's gas dragster program). (The duo then switch to Chrysler powerplants.) Two of the Dodge trio will return in 1965 as the Cluster Filler team, powered by supercharged, hemis-fueled nitro, with direct drive; both fell in the same year. The popularity of the cute car grew that year, with AHRA Winternationals in January seeing seven entrants: Ramchargers, "Dandy Dick" Landy, and Bud Faubel, at Dodges; and Butch Leal, Sox & amp; Martin, Golden Commandos, and Lee Smith at Plymouths. In June, the number is more than a dozen, including Mustangs and Cyclones factories with 427 "cameramen".
A special funny car class was tried by NHRA at a 1966 national event, and on two years 1968, before the Cute Car Eliminator was invented in 1969. The trend to flip-top fiberglass ("floppers") started with Allison Jim Lytle US $ 2000 V -1710 powered chopped '34 Tudor Big Al II . This will inspire "every body of flopper that ever formed". Chrysler's dominance led Hernandez and Al Turner to try and reverse the favorable circumstances of Mercury; Don Nichsolson's comet-chassis, which arrived in 1966, changed everything. The comet-studded "flopper" was very successful, in the hands of Chrisman, Kenz and Leslie, and Eddie Schartman; in the 1966 World Finals, Schartman will be the first official winner of the NHRA Funny Mark car.
Tom McEwen, better known for his dragster racing, playing with funny cars in 1965, as did Lou Barney, a veteran catapult racer; Barney Barracuda's hemi-powered, mid-engined body proved unsafe, before being replaced by another, who turned out to be "one of the early fastest riders". Similarly Gary Gabelich, perhaps better known for racing ground speed, at Sting Ray sponsored Beach City Chevrolet.
Before TF/FC became the official class, the funny cars were run as B/FD and C/FD (B and C/Fuel Dragster), a strange classification, because they were body cars, not dragsters.
In 1965, Ford produced Holman and Moody-built Mustangs made from fiberglass to (among others) "Gas" Ronda, who was Ford's most successful racer. In 1966, Mercury offered a revolutionary flopper-bodied comet, as exemplified by Don Nicholson's Eliminator I , who recorded 7.98 at the Detroit Dragway in his debut season, the fastest fuel car injected. This car was built by Logghe Bros. (based in Detroit) (with bodies by Fiberglass Trends), weighing about 1,700 pounds (770 kg), making it heavier than most contemporary top fuel dragsters. (This would be the first Cute Car on the cover of Hot Rod , in April 1966.) Similar cars went to Chrisman, "Fast Eddie" Schartman, and Kenz and Leslie. These cars have the first coilover suspension in a cute car, and powered by Hilborn-injected 427 SOHCs producing 1,000 hp (750 kW) at 80% nitro. (Chrisman is an oddity, roadster runs a supercharger 6-71 GMC.) They are capable of mid-seven second e.t.s about 185 mph (298 km/h). Schartman (working with Roy Steffey, in "Flip-Top Fueller") will beat Chrisman for Top Funny Car at NHRA World Finals in 1966 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with 8.28 pass at 174.41 mph (280.69 km/h)). Nicholson will match Top 427 SOHC made by Pete Robinson at the start of the 1967 season and turn 7.90s to around 180 mph (290 km/h), resulting in an eighty-six percent winning record. (The success of Comet-engined Comet Top Fuel will eventually drive Ford and Chrysler to drop the cute car sponsorship.) In 1967, Doug Thorley will be listing his first (unofficial) 200mph (320 km/j) funny car jump in his Corvair. in the Lions.
Even in 1965, Ford factory support was faltering, as the manufacturer did not build the street version of a radically altered car; in 1968, Chrysler's pioneers also considered the withdrawal. From privateers in this era, Bruce Larson USA-1 (a '66 Chevelle with 427 and 4-speed injected Hilborn) was the most successful. Among other funny car rivals is Hayden Proffitt, who faces Chrisman at Lions Dragway in 1966 and wins in Corvair Hicks and Sublet-chassised. Butch Leal will be one of Logghe's first customer chassis with Plymouth Barracuda and run 423 Hemi on 100% nitro; The best pass of this car will be 7.82 at 182.16 mph (293.16 km/h), with a career ninety percent winning ratio. In 1967, Proffitt will take over the unsuccessful Grant Rebel SST AMC Rambler, assisted by Les Shockley, "Famous" Amos Satterlee, and Dwight Guild. Gene Conway built the hemi Jeep Destroyer (sponsored by the US Navy), and scored a lot of success, NHRA banned the funny Jeep cars in 1967.
Logghe proved unable to meet the chassis demand, leading to the creation of a cute car chassis making industry, which soon joined Dick Fletcher, Don Hardy, Ronnie Scrima, and others. At the end of 1969, Pat Foster and John Buttera will design a Top Fuel dragster chassis to replace the common dune buggy design at the time. It will be under Mustang Mach Is from Danny Ongais and Mickey Thompson. Similar chassis will be built by Logghe, Scrima, Buttera, Woody Gilmore, Don Long, and Steve Plueger, among others; this design remains standard in TF/FC.
In 1968, Doug Thorley will follow in the footsteps of Don Garlits, driving a rear-engined Javelin, built by Woody Gilmore, powered by AMC 401. (This will then be replaced with 392 hemi prepared by John Hoven and Glenn Okazaki.) That same year, Leal will sell his cuda to Don Schumacher.
NHRA created the new Cute Car class (TF/FC) at NHRA Winternationals in 1969; The Cute Car Eliminator (FCE) will be won by Clare Sanders, Liberman's "Jungle Jim" teammate. The tragedy occurred in the same year, with the death of Jerry Schwartz in the former Foster Mach I. In an almost identical car (except the color), Ongais won a number of rounds, with frequent bait under seventeen at over 182.16 mph (293.16 km/hour), including taking the Cute Car Eliminator at USnats. Gene Snow will record an official lane of 200 mph (320 km/h) in Keith Black-engined, Logghe-chassised 1969 Dodge Charger, Meskenious . One of the most famous (and popular) funny cars in the history of NHRA will appear in 1969: Chi-Town Hustler , Chargers prepared by Fakonas and Coil (driven by Pat Minnick).
Another Funny Cars record was set in 1970 by Leroy Goldstein, then tested Firestone tires, with 6.99 passing on Capitol Raceway, the first Funny car in under seven seconds. In November, Jake Johnson at hemi-powered Blue Max (driving for Harry Schmidt) changed to 6.72 at 218 mph (351 km/h), in OCIR. The big news of that year was the formation of Don Prudhomme and Tom McEwen teams sponsored by Mattel Hot Wheels.
The 1971 Don Garlits accident, which caused the revolutionary creation of the Mouse Row XIV, did not produce the same change in the Cute Car, although there are a number of rear-engined examples, including Thorley's Javelin and Dave Bowman's California Stud , which is the most successful rear-end cars.
The title of the Cute Car Eliminator at Winternats 1971 will go to Charger Roland Leong, Hawaiian .
In 1973, Shirley Muldowney teamed up with Connie Kalitta as Bounty Hunter and Bounty Huntress, in a pair of Ford Mustangs, his buttera chassis, Logghe's.
Between 1973 and 1975, Ed McCullough will get eighteen victories at the NHRA national event at Revell-sponsored Dodge Dart, Revelloution .
Shirl Greer will beat Prudhomme in the final in 1974 to take the NHRA Funny Car World Championship first. He will suffer severe burns in the final after his engine explodes.
In 1975, Raymond Beadle and Harry Schmidt awakened Blue Max ; built by Tony Casarez Race Cars, Mustang II will win at Indianapolis. Beadle then bought Schmidt and went on to seven cute national car titles, four with NHRA, three with IHRA.
Mark Oswald, driving to Candies and Hughes (with Old Milwaukee sponsorship), in 1984 did something that no other driver had: he won the NHRA and IHRA world championships. The team took four IHRA titles between 1983 and 1987, including two in a row, 1986 and 1987, as well as defeating John Force in the 1986 Big Bud Shootout (losing from him the following year).
The force between 1987 and 1996 won sixty seven of NHRA's 203 national events, four of the nine Big Bud Shootouts, and six World Championships. In 1996, with Austin Coil tuning, Force went into the final round at sixteen of nineteen national events, taking thirteen wins, one of the best records ever in Funny Car history. The Force's 1989 dominance would only be really challenged by Bruce Larson, the long Eastern Beach race race, with Outlaw sprint Maynard Yingst as his tuner, winning six shows and taking runners-up five times, at Oldsmobile sponsored by Sentry. In 1992, the honor of placing the Force in the trailer would go to Cruz Pedregon, driving McDonald's sponsored Larry Minor Parent to the championship. Pedregon is also one of the first Funny Cars drivers who sped five seconds e.t.
Ed McCulloch in 1988 will claim a $ 100,000 prize to win both IHRA TF/FC events at Texas Motorplex; Eddie Hill will do the same in TFD that year. (Billy Meyer, who owns IRHA and offers a prize, will sell at the end of the season.)
Kenny Bernstein and tuner Dale Armstrong will move on to the Arivett sneaker speed racer to design Bernstein's car in 1989. The car will be dubbed the "Batmobile". This will greatly change the aerodynamics of the Cute Car.
In 1991, Jim White, driving for Leong, turned into two of the fastest funny cars to date, at over 290 mph (470 km/h), and placed second for Force in the championship.
Al and Helen Hoffman, with the Tom Anderson tuner, "are the antithesis of corporate button-down shirts". Sponsored by BDS, between 1991 and 1995, Hoffman won eleven national event wins, and Winston Invitational 1991 and Big Bud Shootout in 1991, 1994, and 1995.
Tom McEwen will build his "beautiful car" a replica of '57 Funny Cars, running it as an NHRA exhibition vehicle and creating a Cute Nostalgia Cars, even though the car will not be (now) legal in that class.
The big corporate money sponsors came to Funny Car beginning in 1997, which led to significant changes in the sport. The multi-car team, with several tuners each, became commonplace, and the single-car team "had very little chance to win the NHRA World Championship". The Force's dominance will continue, with ten NHRA FC World Championships winning from 1993 to 2002, including six straight from 1997 to 2002; His success was extraordinary, he was accused of cheating (and willing to undress to prove his innocence). Between 1997 and 2006, Force advanced to the final in 105 of 228 events and took sixty-one tour wins, and qualified for all ten Big Bud Shootouts, winning in 2000 and 2006. Between 1997 and 2006, the Force advanced to the final in 105 of 228 events and took sixty one tour wins. On top of that, he has the ten fastest or fastest cards on the Cute Car.
In recent years, a revival of interest in vintage drag cars has created many new "nostalgic" funny cars, which are vintage-style vintage car bodies newly fitted to modern cute car frames or, in certain cases, newly built frames that look close to the original document and created a legal NHRA. This "Nostalgia Cute Car" often competes in various nostalgic drag racing events, such as NHRA Heritage Hot Rod Racing Series, which includes the National Hot Rod Reunion and the California Hot Rod Reunion.
In 2007, NHRA limited technical innovations at Funny Car, as well as introducing tracks of 1,000 feet (300 m) and maximum engine revs restrictions.
Nitro Funny Car racing has never been more competitive than since 2006. The dominance of John Force Racing ended in 2006 and between 2007 and 2015 was equaled by DSR, with three titles of TF/FC respectively. The Cute Car is dominated by a multi-car team, with only Cruz Pedregon, Jim Dunn, and Tim Wilkerson maintaining a traditional one-car operation.
Top NHRA Fun Top Fuel Cars
- 1969 Clare Sanders (Cute Car Eliminator)
- 1974 - Shirl Greer
- 1975 - Don Prudhomme
- 1976 - Don Prudhomme
- 1977 - Don Prudhomme
- 1978 - Don Prudhomme
- 1979 - Raymond Beadle
- 1980 - Raymond Beadle
- 1981 - Raymond Beadle
- 1982 - Frank Hawley
- 1983 - Frank Hawley
- 1984 - Mark Oswald
- 1985 - Kenny Bernstein
- 1986 - Kenny Bernstein
- 1987 - Kenny Bernstein
- 1988 - Kenny Bernstein
- 1989 - Bruce Larson
- 1990 - John Force
- 1991 - John Force
- 1992 - Cruz Pedregon
- 1993 - John Force
- 1994 - John Force
- 1995 - John Force
- 1996 - John Force
- 1997 - John Force
- 1998 - John Force
- 1999 - John Force
- 2000 - John Force
- 2001 - John Force
- 2002 - John Force
- 2003 - Tony Pedregon
- 2004 - John Force
- 2005 - Gary Scelzi
- 2006 - John Force
- 2007 - Tony Pedregon
- 2008 - Cruz Pedregon
- 2009 - Robert Hight
- 2010 - John Force
- 2011 - Matt Hagan
- 2012 - Jack Beckman
- 2013 - John Force
- 2014 - Matt Hagan
- 2015 - Del Worsham
- 2016 - Ron Capps
- 2017- Robert Hight
Currently, John Force is the driver in the class of Cute Car with the most wins, has 16 championships, over 1,000 round wins and more than 145 National Event victories. He is also the owner with the funniest car championship with 19, since Tony Pedregon (2003) and Robert Hight (2009 & amp; 2017) have won three titles while on his team. Former head of the Force crew, Austin Coil, has also recorded the highest number of wins in that position.
Most Funny Cars NHRA wins
References
Source
- Burk, Jeff. "50 Years of Funny Cars: Part 3" at Drag Racer , November 2016, pp.Ã, 52-64.
- McClurg, Bob. "50 Years of Funny Cars: Part 2" at Drag Racer , November 2016, pp.Ã, 35-50.
- Taylor, Thom. "Beauty Beyond the Twilight Zone" at Hot Rod , April 2017, pp.30-43.
- Wallace, Dave. "50 Years of Funny Cars: Part 1" at Drag Racer , November 2016, pp.Ã, 21-32.
External links
- NHR National Hot Rod Association Website
- IHRA International Hot Rod Association Web site
- Drag Racing Center
- Great Lakes Nostalgia Funny Circuit Circuit
Source of the article : Wikipedia
0 Comments