NHRA Funny Car engine explosion

**Jon** · Jan 19, 2017, 10:34 PM

NHRA Funny Car engine explodes. Driver walks away unharmed. GIF and short video.

https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net/funny_car_fire.gif

**marksbug** · Jan 20, 2017, 02:45 PM

weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee boom.poop. hurry up fix it!!!

**PJs** · Jan 21, 2017, 01:15 PM

Thank goodness that blower didn't hit him in the face...Package check!

**Jon** · Jan 22, 2017, 12:55 PM

Just following up on this. 2:36 interview with the driver Jack Beckman after the explosion.

Turns out Beckman is a former Air Force sergeant and drag racing teacher. One thing I didn't realize is the hazard created by the motor oil that the explosion throws onto the tires and the driver's visor.

**PJs** · Jan 23, 2017, 09:03 AM

Impressive guy and for once a good interviewer! Really amazing the way he broke that down and his calm demeanor considering what he just went through. Thanks for the follow up Jon!

**gunsgt1863** · Oct 30, 2017, 03:57 PM

"MOPAR", well that explains it. I heard somewhere that dragsters tune their engines to the point of exploding and then back it off just a bit. Guess he didn't back it off enough.

**marksbug** · Oct 30, 2017, 05:37 PM

Originally Posted by gunsgt1863

"MOPAR", well that explains it. I heard somewhere that dragsters tune their engines to the point of exploding and then back it off just a bit. Guess he didn't back it off enough.

not really quite like that, they tune it to make the run they think they need to make to beat the guy in the other lane.if the guy in the other lane is running 4.20's all weekend there is no reason to tune for a 3.70 run when a conservitive 4.10 will do just fine. All of those parts are highly stressed and it dosent take much for it to go boom.if everything go,s good there is no issue, if you spin the tires that unloads the engine and nitro dosent fire with no load.so all that fuel is just being pumped in and not spent.that can do many things including hydraulically lifting the cylinder head right off the engine, pushing a rod out,pushing the crank out,spliting the billet cylinder block ,or nothing but lost horsepower and slower run. there is no reasom to run balls out every run.that waste $$$ and parts and looses races. a 3.70 run may be just fine and the 4.20 guy may end up like fast jack did. **** happens fast around 300mph. it's usualy the less expensive parts that fail and cause issues when a part fails. air hose leeks/breaks and no clutch management..boom.

**Frank S** · Oct 31, 2017, 11:30 AM

Loved the comment we have other engines and more bodies and a couple hours to get it back together

**marksbug** · Oct 31, 2017, 04:08 PM

??? hours??? no, 45 min nowdays to totally rebuild the car, or build a new car.( yes new cars are sometimes totaly built when a winning car is crashed byond repair, but!! the new car can be a used car or a totaly new car but not run at that paticular event,new rule this year) 2 weekends ago just that thing happened to the top fuel points leader ( cap co car), they had to build a totaly new car from a bare frame after the other one was totaled out just past the finish line.I think it was texas or kansas I dont remember....wasent there so it's kinda fuzzy...last time I ran in tex was a blast though and pissed off some of the texans when we won thier "engine builder shootout" sponsored by sunset engines,,,and there was a sunset car(their car I think) in the other lane in the finals in topsportsman next to ours...witch we won...that was truly sweet. and we only had a small Fulton motor....well it was smaller than our big one.... the tv schedule has screwed over the racers at those events. it's get it out there weather it's safe or not...thans not good,but the safty equip is very good.