Tag Archives: top fuel

Sticky Surface

I’ve posted a few times about my experience with the drag racing at Pacific Raceway.  One of the things that I particularly was fascinated by was the surface of the strip itself.  I mentioned before the machines that they used for conditioning this surface to ensure that there was maximum traction between the tires and ground.  Periodically, the staff would come on to the track to take samples and measurements to understand exactly how it was performing.  What photos don’t show you, but video can, is just how anything on the surface would stick.  Only when you heard people walking along the track could you get the sound of their shoes sticking to the ground.  Here is a video to explain what I mean.

Tire Ripples

I had seen images from drag racing which showed how the tires get distorted as the immense amounts of torque are transferred through them.  A tire is at its most effective when it isn’t sliding but is in static contact with the ground.  You might recognize this from your own experience.  If you push something across a surface, the resistance reduces once the item starts moving.  The same thing happens with tires.  To get the best out of them spinning is not good.  With the tire gripping the surface but the axle rotating, the sidewall is the area that has to compensate which it does by distorting and then unloading as it drives the vehicle forwards.  I wanted to try and catch this so took a bunch of shots focused on trying to catch this moment.