Quickest Quarter Mile Pass in History

[Syclone0044]

I wondered about this for a few years, and I think I finally got my answer. Anyone know what the fastest quarter mile pass in history is, by a drag car? I will reveal my results tomorrow.

Hint: You might think it is Tony Schumacher's Top Fuel 2003 4.441 ET or his 2005 336.15 MPH pass (from www.nhra.com) but it isn't.

[theavenger333]

a jet car?

[HITMAN]

No time to research it this morning, but I would venture to say it's one of the old rocket dragsters. Insanely quick, but totally devoid of soul. Most boring thing I've ever witnessed going down the track. :yawn:

[animal]

It's GOTTA be this one: :goof :goof

http://www.pissmeoff.info/pics/bigexhaust.jpg

[ScottyB14]

No its not a jet car, Its one of those top fuel dragsters.

[Teufelhunden]

Please tell me this isn't a trick question Josh, I just wasted 20 mins. It better be a drag car not the Space Shuttle or some sh1t like that. :stare :D

Although I stumbled across some electric drag car records: 8.801@137.65mph. Another; 10.550@115.066

[Teufelhunden]

I would also like to comment on the fastest run on an NHRA track. Dave Anderson's speed of 344 mph is not the fastest run on an NHRA track. Ed Ballinger holds the record at 348 mph. Both cars belonged to me when they set the records. If you don't believe me, contact Bernie Partridge. He will tell you about the love letter that he sent me. By the way, Ed shut the car off at least 250 feet before the lights. Kitty O'Neil drove this same car on the Mojave Desert to a speed of over XXX mph in the quarter mile. She backed it up with a XXX MPH, X.XX ET pass. This run was also the quickest quarter mile run in history. The car ran out of peroxide before it went through the 500-meter traps, but it still clocked 450 MPH. We had 1250 PSI in the tank on the last run and burned 30 gallons of peroxide.

I'll let Josh fill in the blanks if this is the record he found.

[Syclone0044]

Yeah Scott, you got it. (and Hitman)

I found the information and was surprised there was so little to search on. I would think something like this would be really significant, but I guess unless you're associated with "BUDWEISER" or "MARLBORO" or some other type of drug that represents billions of dollars of big business, your accomplishments just aren't noteworthy :rolleyes:

Anyways... yeah this is the fastest I could find:

http://www.the-rocketman.com/images/kittycar.jpg

1977 was the year... Kitty O'Neil was the driver...Ky Michaelson was the mastermind...Space Age Racing was the team... a record in the quarter-mile was the goal. Not only did the team reach their goal, they smashed it! Kitty ran the quarter-mile in 3.22 seconds at a speed of 412 mph.
(source: http://www.the-rocketman.com/kitty.html)

:wow Can you imagine 3 second quarter miles?? Or 400 MPH?? :stare

I also found this http://www.draglist.com/stories/SOD%20Apr%202002/SOD-040102.htm which contains the story Scott referenced above.

Interestingly enough, I also found nonchalant references to jet car test passes done at GLD in Union Grove, WI running 4.66 ETs!!! I wonder what the fastest pass ever at GLD was? I wonder when the last 4 second pass at GLD was, for that matter. Was Hwy K always in the same spot? All very interesting to me.

[Crawlin]

it only took me 3 secs to go down "Point of No Return" at noah's ark compared to the 3.5-3.8 i was seeing from othes. i felt good in my accomplishment

[Flight_740]

:wooo :wooo Cool stuff.

You would think any faster, you would be crushed from the pressure.


I have always wondered the same about the hwy in front of the track. You sure don't have a ton of time to slow down. This really maters at 4 sec. ET's. :rolf

[Corvette Jabo]

Was the fastest guy to run at GLD Ed Balinger (spelling)?

Jabo

[animal]

I remember a LONG time ago, I was like 5 or 6 I think we went to great lakes and there was a twin jet dragster. It only ran alone on some exhibition passes but I was way too young to know what a drag racing time was let alone to remember it that long. It seems to me it was faster than the 5.XX times of the normal jet dragsters though.

Obviously nothing like a 3.xx tho :wow

[Teufelhunden]

Was the fastest guy to run at GLD Ed Balinger (spelling)?

JaboI believe GLD has that info on website? MMA?

[Syclone0044]

Was the fastest guy to run at GLD Ed Balinger (spelling)?

Jabo
Sounds incredibly familiar. That may be the 4.66 guy?

[Flight_740]

It's GOTTA be this one: :goof :goof

http://www.pissmeoff.info/pics/bigexhaust.jpg


Not to whore this up but thats Toyota celsior. In the states it's a Lexus LS400. Can look really nice done right.

http://www.brewcitymuscle.com/forum/showthread.php?p=92412#post92412

[Teufelhunden]

Not to whore this up but thats Toyota celsior. In the states it's a Lexus LS400. Can look really nice done right.

http://www.brewcitymuscle.com/forum/showthread.php?p=92412#post92412

I think Chris was looking for LS400 much like the first pic Mike. :thumbsup

[Syclone0044]

Was the fastest guy to run at GLD Ed Balinger (spelling)?

Jabo I dunno, but I just did some more searching and found this:

http://www.draglist.com/lists/rkt.txt

In 1978, Ky Michaelson set Union Grove track records when he ran 4.455 @ 374.00 in his Conklin Comet! :stare :wow

Holy ****! Boy I'd imagine that record could very well still stand?? Hard to believe!! How come nobody else talks about this stuff?

[Greg@GLD]

I think this is kinda funny actually...

A week ago Josh is wondering who Don Garlits and Broadway Bob and Arnie Beswick are and now he's posting drag racing trivia... :goof

Did you watch that tape I got for you yet Josh???

Our quickest pass ever at GLD was a 4.92@321.xx by Billy Mattio in a jet dragster...

We have a 300 MPH "speed limit" at GLD. So you better turn the boost down Josh, or we'll have to kick you out. :devil

[GTSLOW]

Not to whore this up but thats Toyota celsior. In the states it's a Lexus LS400. Can look really nice done right.

http://www.brewcitymuscle.com/forum/showthread.php?p=92412#post92412

:sgay :rolf

[Greg@GLD]

I dunno, but I just did some more searching and found this:

http://www.draglist.com/lists/rkt.txt

In 1978, Ky Michaelson set Union Grove track records when he ran 4.455 @ 374.00 in his Conklin Comet! :stare :wow

Holy ****! Boy I'd imagine that record could very well still stand?? Hard to believe!! How come nobody else talks about this stuff?


Ray just gave me the info I posted... Shows what he knows, about his own facility!! :chair:

[Syclone0044]

I think this is kinda funny actually...

A week ago Josh is wondering who Don Garlits and Broadway Bob and Arnie Beswick are and now he's posting drag racing trivia... :goof

Did you watch that tape I got for you yet Josh??? Aw c'mon, I never asked who they were, I asked what makes Broadway Bob a legend... I watched the video last night from start to finish. That's what got me looking into the records, sort of. The video still left some of my questions unanswered so I searched for Broadway Bob on the net and came across something else that gave me the idea to search for the fastest pass ever, anywhere, (though I also was curious how fast anyone's gone at GLD.) -- the results of which obviously lead to this thread. To keep this post on topic, I will comment on the video in the Labor Day thread in a little while for ya, Greg :)


Our quickest pass ever at GLD was a 4.92@321.xx by Billy Mattio in a jet dragster...

Ray just gave me the info I posted... Shows what he knows, about his own facility!! :chair: LOL that's funny! Billy's 4.92 pass sounds like one of the fastest jet passes ever, judging by the info here: http://www.draglist.com/lists/jd-alltime.htm

I also found this list of Rocket cars All time Best Performance here: http://www.draglist.com/lists/rkt-alltime.htm which was interesting.

Greg, I wonder if you could ask Ray and/or Bob again if they recall what the fastest pass at GLD was, or at least if they think it was from a Rocket car (hydrogen peroxide later banned from the US) rather than a Jet car.

[Car Guy]

I must say this is one of the most interesting posts in awhile, really gets ya thinking......and it amazes me that in 1977 someone went 3.32 @412!!!! Would have lost money on that bet....!!!!

[Syclone0044]

From http://www.the-rocketman.com/thunder_memories.html

http://www.the-rocketman.com/Thunder_Photos/comet_raceday.jpg
CAPTION: Ky giving last minute instructions to Capt. Ed Ballinger in the Conklin Comet Rocket Car at Grate Lakes Drag ways, before making a record run of 348 MPH.


Wow, you won't beleive this find!
From http://the-rocketman.com/space-age-racing.html
http://the-rocketman.com/images/GREAT-LAKES-DRAGWAY-AD.jpg
CAPTION: Great Lakes Dragaway 1978 newspaper ad

They still have the same phone number. :D


I found more still.
From http://the-rocketman.com/jet_cars.html
http://the-rocketman.com/rocket_cars/FRED-SIBLEY-US-1_lg.jpg

Check out the sign in the background. Wisconsin's Largest Speed Shop. Milwaukee / West Allis. That's also gotta be GLD!

I'll bet this one is too. I can read "Capitol Drive." on one of the signs.

http://the-rocketman.com/rocket_cars/JET-ART-ARFONS-J79-CAR-U_lg.jpg

Boy, there's a handful more that are obviously GLD at http://the-rocketman.com/jet_cars.html if you go through the 3 sets of photos. Awesome!

[HITMAN]

:wooo :wooo Cool stuff.

You would think any faster, you would be crushed from the pressure.


I have always wondered the same about the hwy in front of the track. You sure don't have a ton of time to slow down. This really maters at 4 sec. ET's. :rolf

Rocket cars just weren't that safe. It wasn't only the explosive pressure, but the cars accelerated so hard the drivers typically blacked out during a pass. The most critical things for a rocket car were pointing it in the right direction and setting the timers for the burn time and parachute release.

The reason I said rocket cars were boring is because they would just push them up to the line, get everything set, and just push some button and the car would take off like a bottle rocket. At GLD, they wouldn't even accelerate down the full quarter. The motor would shut off at about half track and the car would glide the rest of the way. While sitting at the starting line the car was absolutely silent, and the only visual you had was some vapor bleeding out of the fuel tank. :yawn: The car didn't even make a proper roar (ala jet dragsters) when it left, it just made a big hissing noise. That was the most disappointing thing of all; no eardrum shredding blast-off. Just silence, then shoooooop till half track. I think I'd almost rather watch flies fu<k then witness that again. :rolleyes:

[Prince Valiant]

You mean it wasn't a hemi? :confused

:goof

[Al]

:wooo :wooo Cool stuff.

You would think any faster, you would be crushed from the pressure.


I have always wondered the same about the hwy in front of the track. You sure don't have a ton of time to slow down. This really maters at 4 sec. ET's. :rolf

That kind of acceleration is deadly when it is directed straight down your spine (blood not getting to head). If you are being rocketed forward and you are sitting upright, the worst that kan happen is the blood flows out of your legs and into your torso.

Surprizingly, the human body can handle much more than it is given credit for. It takes over 100gs to cause a concussion. In most cases, this force is instantaneous. Another good example is when you lock your knees for landing after doing a 2-3 inch hop. The jump is short, but the energy sent back through your body is very intense, but short lived.

Another great example are those guys who break bricks with their heads. They know that the weight of their head alone will not break the bricks, but 50g's of acceleration plus extra force from their keck muscles will get the job done.

[Corvette Jabo]

Thats right "Capt. Ed Ballinger", I met Capt. Ed in the late 90's. I work for Johnson Controls Inc. (JCI) and at that time I was in the Battery Division. JCI sent me out to CA to check the battery needs for the Spirit Of America team that was trying to set a world land speed record.
Then a few months later JCI sent me out to Black Rock Desert where the Spirit Of America (SOA) and The British Thrust SSC teams were out in Black Rock Desert making sevral runs each day getting the bugs out of their car and ramping up their speed with each run. I saw the SOA do about 650 MPH and SSC do about 700 MPH. I missed the SSC set the land speed record because SOA broke down and I flew back to MKE. I have 2 videos of the SOA car, 1 from inside the car on a run and another down track as the car is coming towards me. I would love to post them but don't know how to convert them from VHS to a file. I also have a photo from an ultralite taking a picture of SSC breaking the sound barrier (754 MPH) with the shock wave coming off the car.

The first picture is me standing next to the car.

The second picture below is a picture of Captain Ed checking the fuel (with the stick) on the SOA car.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v515/corvettejabo/SOA/JABO.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v515/corvettejabo/SOA/CHEKFUEL.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v515/corvettejabo/SOA/SOA1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v515/corvettejabo/SOA/FUELING.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v515/corvettejabo/SOA/DUCT.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v515/corvettejabo/SOA/COMP.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v515/corvettejabo/SOA/TOWED.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v515/corvettejabo/SOA/TOWING.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v515/corvettejabo/SOA/WHITE.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v515/corvettejabo/SOA/DUST.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v515/corvettejabo/SOA/1BURNER.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v515/corvettejabo/SOA/DEPART.jpg

Jabo
:)

[Teufelhunden]

Those are some awesome pics Jabo and a great story to tell the grand kids.

[Greg@GLD]

Good stuff for sure but...
Josh, Broadway Bob has an incredible collection of memorabilia from the time when he owned/operated GLD, going back decades. That video I gave you was created out of some of these things.

I think you would be facinated by much of it.

Sorry for hijacking your topic...

[Flight_740]

Greg, have anything viewable by the internet?

[Greg@GLD]

Yea, we have some of the snippets from the video I gave to Josh on our website, but a lot the clips are .avi files. They may not run on some machines.
I have to get my ass in gear and convert them to more web-friendly formats.

[HITMAN]

It wasn't only the explosive pressure, but the cars accelerated so hard the drivers typically blacked out during a pass.

It appears that this tidbit of information is erroneous. It was something I heard or read many years ago, and it turns out to be crap.

Also, the reason the cars I saw only burned to half track was because of some bullshiznit speed limit they had on rocket and jet cars in the past. It seems that exhibition cars that run on explosive fuel cause major headaches for the companies that insure drag strips.

[Syclone0044]

3 years later. I had a lot of fun re-reading this. Hope someone else does, too. Bump! :)

[Car Guy]

HOLY OLD THREAD BATMAN...!!! How did you manage to dig this one up out of the archives...??? I started reading it from the beginning thinking it was a new(er) thread that I somehow missed :stare. That is until I read a response from someone who hasn't been on here in quite some time, yeah I felt a little.....:durr

However now it has me thinking again, because I remember being at GLD about 12 years ago with my brother (awesomears) and seeing a pass by a jet car that was supposed to of set a record at the time. If I remember right it was the Hooters jet car and I swear it was a sub-5 second pass, by quite a bit too. I have a VERY good memory and I remember the announcer saying that it was some sort of a record or the fastest 'something' in a jet car at GLD (at the time).....

If anyone remembers that also or can chime in with any additional info I would appreciate it, because now I'm really curious about it.....:)
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[Syclone0044]

It came up in a conversation over the weekend so I set out to find this post again, because I remember spending a lot of time doing the research since it's such a rare topic.

You could be totally right about the 4 second Hooters jet car pass, but at the same time let me relate a little story. About 2-3 years ago (possibly at an RSD) a jet car made a half pass and the clocks malfunctioned and said it was something like 560 MPH. But the announcer went nuts and was broadcasting to everyone how "560 MPH! That's a new track record!" etc.. I thought it was kind of embarrassing because anybody that knows enough, knows that a 560 MPH pass is wildly unrealistic. Not to knock GLD or anything but it goes to show you can't always trust what the announcer says when it comes to stuff like this.

[BAD LS1]

Way to make love to a dead corpse Josh! LOL!! Seems GLD has quite a history of unique stuff being there at one time.