There was a story on the evening news about the XM Satellite Indy 300: the key point was that IRL is running ethanol in their cars, making them eco-friendlier. One of the people they interviewed said that if they can use ethanol in these cars that reach speeds of over 200 mph - "the fastest race cars in the US" - then we should be able to use ethanol in street cars and reduce pollution significantly.

"That's odd," thought I, "I'd imagine that the folks at the NHRA would dispute his characterization of IRL as having 'the fastest race cars in the US'; aren't top-fuel dragsters pushing 350 mph in the quarter-mile these days?"

Needless to say, the reporter - who is supposed to know something about auto racing - failed to mention this fine point.

Sigh.

 

there are street cars running on crappy 93/92 octane that can reach 200mph so that isnt really too fast. and yea, those funny cars do the quarter mile very quickly.

 

what about cars that run the salt flats? Those aren't racing cars?

 

[quote name='S2020' date='Mar 25 2007, 09:34 PM']what about cars that run the salt flats?

 

Stupidity, by it's very quality, knows no boundaries.

Therefore, the dumbest question one can ask is, "How stupid is this thing gonna get?"

 

Top Fuel Funny Cars and Dragsters aren't quite up to 350 mph but they're definitely in the 310-330 mph range. I think the fastest is 333 mph or so at the end of the 1/4 mile.

The only thing quicker than a Funny Car is the needle on a weigh scale when a 400 lb woman steps up.

 

We saw Gil de Ferran hit 241+ in CART qualifying at California Speedway, still a closed course one lap record.