Usually the conversation around alternative fuels concerns what we should be using to power the world and our cars, in order to reduce emissions. It’s the most relevant discussion right now, as we face down a future climate that looks grimmer by the day. How do you take that tag line – a discussion on alternative fuels – and make it as irrelevant as possible? Turn the subject from sustainability, to drag racing. So in the spirit of Goodwood Elevenses, here is a video on alternative fuels… for bespoke dragsters. This is the battle of jet fuel versus diesel.
As you’d expect, it’s really quite dramatic and er, shall we say, not in line with the sensibilities of those who normally take part in conversations about alternative fuels. Nitro Madness at Texas Motorplex is the venue and this dragster is quite unlike anything we’ve seen, rolling coal to the roar of a heavily turbocharged straight-six. By rolling coal, we mean chuffing some seriously aggressive fumes directly up into the sky, out of the waste gate. And that’s only while it’s brake boosting. Once it leaves? It’s a veritable smokescreen. Then we have the jet dragster, which is as it says on the tin, a jet engine strapped to a drag racer. They line up and face off in a battle of the world’s craziest dragsters. The result is surprisingly close…
Welcome to Goodwood Elevenses, a mid-morning helping of motoring-related amusement to help break up your day. Watch the last video: Screaming an Austin Healey 3000 around Australian roads
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Drag racing