Never seen so much exhaust in one pit [PICS]

[TSK]

This was inside Glenn Solano’s shop after we fired the Invader, getting ready for a race in Tulsa.
The car was actually sitting just outside the shop but the angle of the headers blew the exhaust into the shop.
The car in the background was Glenn’s AFX ‘68 Barracuda with a blown fuel 392 Hemi.

 

[sutton]

This was inside Glenn Solano’s shop after we fired the Invader, getting ready for a race in Tulsa.
The car was actually sitting just outside the shop but the angle of the headers blew the exhaust into the shop.
The car in the background was Glenn’s AFX ‘68 Barracuda with a blown fuel 392 Hemi.
View attachment 14112

TED
I was the original driver of the Cheetah injected fuel funny car that was owned by Glenn Solano. he was my next door neighbor in long beach. The front end collapse in the lights at Lions and I took out 64 feet of guard rail, the car was later rebuild and ran a blown motor for a short time, then the Invade corvette funny car was built and I was driving dragsters again by then. the last time I saw Glenn was at Tulsa when I was there with Dennis Taylor.
Larry Sutton---

 

[Randy]

Ted
It looks so easy from the grandstands for many spectators to say "I could do that" the fist lap in a top fuel car has destroyed many pairs of under ware. I can tell you there is nothing in this world like the first run or 1000s of runs in a fuel car.
Larry Sutton---Lions Starter and racer (RET,)

Shirley Muldowney told me years ago that if it's been a little while since she drove her top fuel car she had a trick to get herself back up to speed on the acceleration, mentally. I actually tried it myself in TA/FC and it works. She does her normal routine (burn out, etc.), pulls up to the line, looks at the Christmas tree to pre-stage, then looks down track to find a point way past the finish line (like a tree at the golf course off the end at Pomona or something above the horizon), keeps her eye on it, stages using her peripheral vision, and through her peripheral vision sees the three ambers come on and goes. Because she aims for but never gets to the trees, it slows the run down, and she stays ahead of the car mentally. So, I tried it the next time I was out for a while. Not looking at the tree, I had an .044 light and stayed ahead of the car.

I used to teach this to several of those who I licensed in my TA/FC. Most of them agreed that it worked great because they were having trouble keeping up with the acceleration of the car, mentally, and would actually get lost in the car. One of my drivers, who shall remain nameless, actually drove my car into the wall at half track at Pomona at over 200 miles per hour because he was not looking far enough down track. He admitted he lost sight of where he was and went blank. He decided that was enough for him. So did NHRA's Jim Collins.

 

[TSK]

TED
I was the original driver of the Cheetah injected fuel funny car that was owned by Glenn Solano. he was my next door neighbor in long beach. The front end collapse in the lights at Lions and I took out 64 feet of guard rail, the car was later rebuild and ran a blown motor for a short time, then the Invade corvette funny car was built and I was driving dragsters again by then. the last time I saw Glenn was at Tulsa when I was there with Dennis Taylor.
Larry Sutton---

Larry,
Would you happen to remember what year that was?
I was with the Invader team from 2010 to 2015.

 

[sutton]

Larry,
Would you happen to remember what year that was?
I was with the Invader team from 2010 to 2015.

Ted
It was 2013 or 2014, I was asked to start the funny cars. well 45 mins before first round I stepped wrong coming out of the trailer and broke my tibia and fibula of my right leg. DT told the track owner that I think Larry broke his leg and probably won't be starting the race. 45 mins Later I started the races. I have broken so many bones being the starter what is a few more.
Larry Sutton---

 

[TSK]

Ted
It was 2013 or 2014, I was asked to start the funny cars. well 45 mins before first round I stepped wrong coming out of the trailer and broke my tibia and fibula of my right leg. DT told the track owner that I think Larry broke his leg and probably won't be starting the race. 45 mins Later I started the races. I have broken so many bones being the starter what is a few more.
Larry Sutton---

Because Glenn ran the car out of his wallet, we raced only once a year. And that was at Tulsa.
I figure you and I were there at the same time. But, you had your stuff to take care of, as did I.
And I wasn’t able to take many pictures.
However, when I get home in a couple of days, I’m going to search my photos to see if I managed to catch a picture of a black hatted starter.

 

[65 Goatboy]

Ted
It looks so easy from the grandstands for many spectators to say "I could do that" the fist lap in a top fuel car has destroyed many pairs of under ware. I can tell you there is nothing in this world like the first run or 1000s of runs in a fuel car.
Larry Sutton---Lions Starter and racer (RET,)

Not quite the same but I did a Indy Car ride at the Mario Andretti/Jeff Gordon driving experience at Chicago Land Speedway. 3 laps at 190, when we hit the first high banked turn I didn't know if I was going to puke, pass out or need new underwear! By the end of lap 2 I was ready to go 10 more.

 

[Cliff]

I toured the Indy track in a bus. Took like 5 roles of film cuz i wanted the memories. The museum just blew me away. This was in 1990's. That place really has a sense of history, first race 1911.

 

[65 Goatboy]

I toured the Indy track in a bus. Took like 5 roles of film cuz i wanted the memories. The museum just blew me away. This was in 1990's. That place really has a sense of history, first race 1911.

Glad my big brother had season tickets for the Indy 500 for years, went once. It's like standing along the fence at the starting line for your first Nhra race when the first two fuel cars leave the line.

 

[Randy]

Glad my big brother had season tickets for the Indy 500 for years, went once. It's like standing along the fence at the starting line for your first Nhra race when the first two fuel cars leave the line.

Kinda like this guy? He's still in the parking lot and he thought he heard Godzilla...

 

[ZWeinstein]

Kinda like this guy? He's still in the parking lot and he thought he heard Godzilla...

That is one of my favorite fan reaction videos. I think we all went through the same emotions the first time we heard a fuel car.

 

[rocketman]

These photos capture a potentially big problem for us that I have been concerned about for a while now. Our sport needs to address this problem before the Government does. These cars never used to emit this much. All it takes is for the wrong person to see this on TV or in person. In these days of global warming scares, EGS credit scores, and environmental sustainability, these tune-ups are not doing us any favors in expanding our fan base or attracting new sponsors. Let me just say this if they are willing to go after our gas stoves and leaf blowers they will have no problem coming after us with this.