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Top Fuel dragsters are the fastest sanctioned category of drag racers, with the fastest competitors reaching speeds of and finishing the runs in 3.7 seconds. Because of the speeds, this class almost exclusively races to only the distance, and not the traditional . The rule was changed in 2008 by the National Hot Rod Association following the fatal crash of Funny Car driver Scott Kalitta during qualifying at the SuperNationals, held at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ. The shortening of the distance was used in the FIA at some tracks, and as of 2012 is now the standard Top Fuel distance. The Australian National Drag Racing Association is the only internationally recognized sanctioning body that still races Top Fuel dragsters at the earlier standard distance for the majority of races for such events. A top fuel dragster accelerates from a standstill to in as little as 0.8 seconds (less than one third the time required by a production Porsche 911 Turbo to reach ) and can exceed in just . This acceleration subjects the driver to an average force of about over the duration of the race. ==Facts about Top Fuel== Before their run, racers often perform a ''burnout'' in order to clean and heat tires. Additionally, the burnout applies a layer of fresh rubber to the track surface, which greatly improves traction during launch. At maximum throttle and RPM, the exhaust gases escaping from a dragster's open headers produce about of downforce. The massive airfoil over and behind the rear wheels produces much more, peaking at around when the car reaches a speed of about . The engine of a Top Fuel dragster generates around 150 dB〔http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=5759488〕 of sound at full throttle, enough to cause physical pain or even permanent damage. A sound that intense is not just heard, but also felt as pounding vibrations all over one's body, leading many to compare the experience of watching a Top Fuel dragster make a pass to 'feeling as though the entire drag strip is being bombed.' Before a run, race announcers usually advise spectators to cover or plug their ears. Ear plugs and even earmuffs are often handed out to fans at the entrance of a Top Fuel event. Dragsters are limited to a maximum wheelbase of . Currently, the most prolific active driver in Top Fuel is Tony Schumacher, and the most successful crew chief is Alan Johnson, who was the crew chief for 6 of Schumacher's championships, the back-to-back titles won by driver Gary Scelzi and was the crew chief for his brother Blaine for his entire professional career. The first female driver in the Top Fuel category is also the most associated female in the drag racing world, Shirley Muldowney, who won three championships during her career. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Top Fuel」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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