Larry Dixon's scary ride

[Fast One]

Was watching yesterday when Larry's dragster snapped in half at nearly 300 MPH & went airborne for ~500 feet before slamming the wall. Damn, what a scary crash! It's hard to even comprehend the amount of rear-wheel torque that's required to snap a TF dragster frame in half like that. I wonder what failed. Absolutely amazing that he walked away with hardly a scratch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKz6feqZI5A

Joel

[Z28SSMAN]

I've never had the urge to drive a TF dragster. I compare it to the Bugs Bunny & Road Runner show where the coyote straps a rocket to his back to try and cross the canyon.

[kelly andersen]

I'm guessing it broke at the slip joint, that was ugly.

[Fast One]

Just read-up on slip-joint chassis design, as I had not heard of it before. So that's why today's TF cars have so much chassis arch during a run! I had wondered how the engineers could get so much flex out of a 3-D tube frame. Makes sense now.

Joel

[Alleyoop2]

That is some scary stuff

[MR.hp]

Just a little JB weld and that car will be as good as new. LOL!

[Fast One]

I've never had the urge to drive a TF dragster. I compare it to the Bugs Bunny & Road Runner show where the coyote straps a rocket to his back to try and cross the canyon.

Yeah, same here. I'd love to experience that level of acceleration, but not in a car. And although I'm a bit of a speed-freak, I have absolutely no desire to go anywhere near that fast in a car.

Joel

[fast toys]

You guys should look at these pictures, simply amazing.

http://markjrebilas.com/blog/?p=21971#more-21971

[Fast One]

Thanks for sharing those.

Holy shit. That is absolutely jaw-dropping. Just looking at those pics tied my stomach in a knot. Damn good thing the car landed on the slicks & then hit the wall slicks-first, which absorbed a lot of energy & resulted in Larry taking the brunt of the deceleration Gs on his back, rather than upward, downward, or against the harness.

Joel