NHRA announces jet car program expansion for 2017 season

[mick]

do any of the teams use low-bypass turbo fans? or does everyone still use turbo-jets?

 

[Nick Name]

Don't most use the old J34s? I remember when you could but those new surplus for $500

 

[Nunz]

I don't think the newer, lighter and quicker jets use the J34s. Maybe they are J60s?

 

[.]

do any of the teams use low-bypass turbo fans? or does everyone still use turbo-jets?

Every one of them I've seen in recent years is a turbojet. J-85s seem to be the most popular.

 

[Nick Name]

Arfon's Cyclops used a J79. Years ago I talked with the late Craig Arfons at OCIR at one of the big jet and rocket meets. He had a new, very light dragster .I forget what engine he said it had. He had a problem staging and launching it. He said when he put it in the beams and started to bring the revs up, it would just slide the car forward and red light.

 

[stitcherbob]

 

[vonB]

You maybe right. Could have been certain times of the year that he left the car here in So Cal. It was so long ago and I was so young that i don't remember all the details.

I remember seeing the Mamba in the RCS shop next to your VHS in the early 70's. Indeed those little industrial spaces were dotted with magic and skills that built a culture. I'd pedal my bike all over the SF valley just to get a look at anything drag related.

 

[Leebone]

I'm wondering what's taking Bloodhound SSC so long to get going, funding? That car is supposed to go 1000mph, but it needs 12 miles of desert in South Africa to do it.

 

[CJDeeds]

Super excited that Heartland Park gets the jet cars. Shaping up to be a great event this year.

I'm wondering what's taking Bloodhound SSC so long to get going, funding? That car is supposed to go 1000mph, but it needs 12 miles of desert in South Africa to do it.

Bloodhound SSC locked up the last of the pledged funding it needed. full car test pass in June, record attempt in October. http://www.bloodhoundssc.com/news/bloodhound-supersonic-first-record-attempt-october-2017

 

[Sabrina Jennings-Telles]

Jet cars are amazing.

They're like Flintstone Nitro cars.

Get one and do it all Joan Jett and the Heartbreakers style.

I think NHRA is doing itself a disservice by not sharing them more often on the television.

 

[HEMI6point1]

Well I'll have all access again so I'll see them regardless.

 

[.]

Arfon's Cyclops used a J79. Years ago I talked with the late Craig Arfons at OCIR at one of the big jet and rocket meets. He had a new, very light dragster .I forget what engine he said it had. He had a problem staging and launching it. He said when he put it in the beams and started to bring the revs up, it would just slide the car forward and red light.

I also remember as a kid how much problem some of them seemed to have when staging and wanting to slide through the beams. I don't know what they did to fix it but you never see it these days with the more modern dragsters and funny cars.

Those J79 engines are absolutely huge! I think that's what the Xtreme Machine Jet Semi was running too. J79 engines were almost 3900 lbs and made about 12,000 pounds of thrust. The J85 only weighs about 400 lbs and makes about 5000 pounds of thrust.

 

[Norwalk 358]

I remember seeing bill matio going 323mph back at Norwalk in the 90'S. I'm lucky enough to see Bob Motzs multiple times, sucks he retired. The craziest jet car I ever seen was art arfons jet mud racer in Richfield oh at the ex Cleveland Cavaliers arena in the late 80'S.

 

[megadeth]

Jet cars seriously! Boring!

 

[DrRocket]

I donnu, I like watching them at the end of the day. It's not like they run them all day. You can leave when they bring them up. Plus, I bet they'll be showing a few of them on the TV show.