This past Sunday, I was able to go to the NHRA Finals near Columbus, Ohio by way of my friend, Ben, who's uncle has extra free tickets (thanks!). I'd never been to a top-fuel drag race before, or any races before for that matter, so it was exciting since I didn't know what to expect.
When we got there, we went back around to Nitro Alley, which was the pit area, and walked past all the crews getting the cars (and motorcycles) ready. After a quick tour of the pit area, we went back to other side of the strip where Ben's uncle usually hangs out, which is ride up against the fence some thirty feet away from the cars.
I had worried about my ears getting damaged and Ben was able to pick up a pair of earplugs for both of us at the one of the many vendors stationed around the track. Those were a life-saver, because once those top-fuel dragsters and funny cars were going, the amount of sound they made would have unbearable without protection.
These were the national finals, so there were vehicles and drivers all around the country there to compete (there was even the MAC Tools/West Coast Choppers Jesse James dragster). Each round consisted of both cars doing a burnout to warm the tires up and lay down some rubber on the track, then they lined back up at the "Christmas Tree" where they waited for the green light. Once those cars took off and passed by us, they vibration and heat you felt coming off of the engines was incredible. It really was like nothing I'd every experienced before. There were some great matchups, with differences in time coming as close as 1,2 and 3 thousanths of a second. There were some really fast speeds, with the top speed for the day being 334 mph, which was the fourth fastest time in the history of drag racing (which the same man also held 2 of the other fastest times).
After the top-fuel dragsters, there were top-fuel funny cars, then pro-stock cars, pro-stock motorcycles, super-gas cars, stock and modified cars. Only the top-fuel vehicles were really exhilerating to watch, with the pro-stock cars coming in a distant second.
There were elimination rounds for several hours in 65 minute intervals, so we didn't stay for the last round, but we left after either the last, or second to last, semi-final round of top-fuel dragsters and funny cars, and by that time, the weather had finally gotten to where it started raining right as we got to the car.
After we got back to Ben's uncle's house, we travelled home and saw Star Wars: Episode III, which was really cool (definitely the best of the 'new' trilogy).
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