P-o-w-e-r

[John Thawley]

I was at Palm Beach Int' Raceway Park this weekend and stumbled up on a team testing and running in two brand new top fuel dragsters. To say they were impressive is an understatement.

The first series of images are of the dragster preparing for a run and doing a burn out.

The next three-image sequence is the actual run. Unfortunately, the team stood between me and the car. I was shooting with a 500mm and with the noise, they were oblivious to the fact I was back there. However, it still produced an interesting shot. Look at their pant's legs in the first photo during the dragster's launch. Then look at their pant's legs in the last photo. But the most amazing thing is the heat. I have never seen anything like this and had I not shot the image, I would swear it's a Photoshop effect. I assure you it's not. This is pretty much right from the camera. The time between the first image in in the sequence and the last?

One second.

I'm told the horsepower is somewhere between 7000 - 8000 HP and it generates 6000 lb-ft of torque.

Regardless of your interest in drag racing, this was REALLY impressive.

[Daniel Buck]

Kind of a tight crop, eh? Any reason for that? (I assume there is?)

Yea, those cars are fun to shoot! I shot some similar cars when I was in Phoenix, but probably not as powerful as that one (I'm not into drag racing much), I think this one was running somewhere in the 5-6 seconds 1/4 mile if I remember correctly, not one of the big guys.

But like you, I found the rear angle to be one of the most interesting :D And I just made sure that the camera was as squarely infront of my face as possible, cause rubber/rocks/whatever was shooting out all over the place, I could hear it hitting the back wall behind me, and fell it hit my legs a few times! (my legs were crouched up infront of my chest, almost in the foetal position) I framed it real loose and cropped the top off, to give it more a feel of a "runway" ahead of it.

http://404photography.net/color/21.jpg

[Blake Blakely]

M-A-S-S-I-V-E!

My dad took me to drag races when I was a kid. Those were the days of "Big Daddy" Don Garlits, Don "The Snake" Prudhomme, etc. I haven't been as an adult, but this post and one of JT's blogs about an outing at a local drag strip peaks my interest of getting a feel for it again and do some shooting.

And yes, the power is awesome regardless what drag racing does for you. The nitro methane will clear your sinuses out in a hurry:-)

Oh yeah, I like the tightness of the shots. The heat effect looks like something from The Matrix!

[John Jovic]

There's nothing like top fuel drag racing, maybe a rocket launch.

You have to experience it to understand. No pictures or recording can ever do it justice.

JJ

[Dany Flageole]

Wahoo, excellent serie, the focus and depth of field are great, composition too.

[Rob Stewart]

Yes, it makes me mad when people say 'Drag racing? Is that where they just go in a straight line?'. It almost makes as mad as when someone utters the phrase 'round and round in circles' in my presence. :)

I started shooting Drags at Santa Pod (UK) this year and they are just unbelievable. Everyone should experience a top fuel dragster at one point in their lives even if they have no interest in cars at all.

Nice set of shots too!

[Dave Verna]

500 MM or not you can get hurt like Daniel stated! Those rocks FLY!

That aside the heat is always cool. Jet cars get even more heat going, so much you cant inhale the hot air.

[John Waugh]

#5 and #6 are quite awe inspiring.
Those guys are going to be deaf in about a week.
What????
J

[John Hegg]

John - Nice set. I went to the Winter Nationals many years ago. The Top Fuelers and Funny cars were impressive then and only cranking 2k or 3k HP. It's quite a show if you've never attended a race. I thought my buddy, who wanted to go to the Truck Pulls, was going to lose his mind when a Funny car fired up next to him.

"Those guys are going to be deaf in about a week." That's the first thing I noticed. No ear protection.

[Bill Jurasz]

Top Fuel cars are extremely impressive, that's for sure. Very nice set of images. But you are a much braver man than I to be directly behind one of those beasts, even with a 500mm lens. :D

[Blake Blakely]

As I'm sure Andy Willsheer will attest, you have to be careful being in front of them as well, LOL!

[Dave Verna]

they have to at least have the soft ear plugs in - those cars hurt when they get into it.

[Travis Rhoads]

the heat wash on those shots is awesome...and like others, my first thought was really more about why those guys are not wearing massive hearing protection.

[Tim Adams]

Great series, and as someone who wears hearing protection on my job, I can assure you they are wearing plugs. I have been in the pits countless times and stood next to the cars when they fire them and do the brief test run in the pits. Soft ear plugs, as long as they are in properly, are more than enough to quiet these cars.

[John Waugh]

Tim,
I beg to differ, the best soft plug on the market, silicone gel is at best good for 115 dB of sound for 2 minutes.
About a rock and roll concert.
Noise induced hearing loss (NIHL)occurs from 115 dB and beyond in an alarmingly short duration.
Moulded custom fit dense silicone ear protection are good up to 180 dB, (12 gauge shotgun).
A rocket launch or a 6000bhp drag machine are generating something over 225 dB depending on how close you are..
Spending time around high rev, muffler-less internal combustion engines can and will cause severe NIHL in a very short time even with soft ear plugs.
Hearing protection is given much to little consideration by mechanics, pit bosses, photographers and spectators alike. You won't see safety crews wearing soft plugs ever.
A common result of NIHL is Tinnitutus (permanent ringing in the ears). It does not go away and there is no cure.
After years of photographing track side with less than adequate hearing protection (I always used soft plugs,the last 5 years with custom moulded hard silicone) has left me with 20% low range hearing loss in both ears and Tinnitus.
The full time ringing is one of life's little souvenirs that I wish I didn't have.
Get the best custom moulded ear protection or better yet add hard shell hearing protection over that and wear it.
This is an item that should be covered in every pre race safety meeting in every racing series in the world.
Soft fit ear plugs fall into the "better than nothing" category but,
Permanent disability WILL result from improper hearing protection!! It's only a matter of severity and time.
You will regret cutting corners on this one.
John

[Matt Romanowski]

Those cars are headed for Abu Dabi in a little bit. They are going to the first NHRA sanctioned track outside of the US this year.

If you think watching one of them was awesome, this year at the Nationals in Charlotte, they are running 4 cars at once for all rounds. That will be something.

I've been a general racing nut my whole life. I grew up watching Don Garletis, Don Prudhome, Joe Amato and others racing all over the Northeast. Plus, I've spend my share of time at Saturday night ovals. Nothing is cooler than a top fuel burnout.

[Aaron Kupferman]

Hey John, thanks for the great info on this. Maybe this should be branched off to a new thread, but could you tell us a good source for the custom dense silicone ear plugs?

Thanks!

Tim,
I beg to differ, the best soft plug on the market, silicone gel is at best good for 115 dB of sound for 2 minutes.
About a rock and roll concert.
Noise induced hearing loss (NIHL)occurs from 115 dB and beyond in an alarmingly short duration.
Moulded custom fit dense silicone ear protection are good up to 180 dB, (12 gauge shotgun).
A rocket launch or a 6000bhp drag machine are generating something over 225 dB depending on how close you are..
Spending time around high rev, muffler-less internal combustion engines can and will cause severe NIHL in a very short time even with soft ear plugs.
Hearing protection is given much to little consideration by mechanics, pit bosses, photographers and spectators alike. You won't see safety crews wearing soft plugs ever.
A common result of NIHL is Tinnitutus (permanent ringing in the ears). It does not go away and there is no cure.
After years of photographing track side with less than adequate hearing protection (I always used soft plugs,the last 5 years with custom moulded hard silicone) has left me with 20% low range hearing loss in both ears and Tinnitus.
The full time ringing is one of life's little souvenirs that I wish I didn't have.
Get the best custom moulded ear protection or better yet add hard shell hearing protection over that and wear it.
This is an item that should be covered in every pre race safety meeting in every racing series in the world.
Soft fit ear plugs fall into the "better than nothing" category but,
Permanent disability WILL result from improper hearing protection!! It's only a matter of severity and time.
You will regret cutting corners on this one.
John

[John Thawley]

Aaron: Get a hold of Dawn Finn here: http://www.eareverything.com/

She does everything .... custom fit for your ears. Mention my name.

[Aaron Kupferman]

Thanks!

Aaron: Get a hold of Dawn Finn here: http://www.eareverything.com/

She does everything .... custom fit for your ears. Mention my name.

[Travis Rhoads]

Aaron: Get a hold of Dawn Finn here: http://www.eareverything.com/

She does everything .... custom fit for your ears. Mention my name.
email sent, name mentioned. My ears already have a very faint ringing in them...a passion for loud music in high school...so, I need to step up from the foam plugs I usually use at the track, both when driving and when shooting.

[Matt Romanowski]

I got mine through a local ear doctor, but they are these http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/erme.aspx

Been great and they are also great for concerts! They don't change the sound at all, only make it quieter.

[John Waugh]

I just caught up with this discussion again.
I get mine made by E.A.R in Colorado
They go to various tracks and have distributors across the country.

http://www.earinc.com/ (http://www.earinc.com/)

[Scott Withers]

Great set of images!