Drag Race Technology is packed full of technical details on the cars and motorcycles in contemporary competition. This is a must-read for everyone involved with, or interested in, drag racing. The report looks at the whole racing car/bike and how each area of technical ingenuity comes together to create some amazing machinery.
Volume 1 Contents Include:
- Profile: TOP FUEL ENGINES - What it takes to push out 7,000 horsepower
- Profile: PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLES - Steve Tartaglia keeps DSR on track
- Insight: FUNNY CAR CHASSIS - Working to combine safety with speed
- Insight: CREW CHIEF WISDOM - Top tuners share their insights
- Insight: PRO STOCK CARS - The power of painstaking precision
- Focus: THE SPORTSMAN CATEGORIES - Where ingenuity means more than money
- Profile: RUNNING A TOP FUEL CAR - Getting ready for the Big Go
- Report: DRAG RACING WORLDWIDE - The changing face of this global sport
- GRID - Hot issues and innovation
- PS: THE SPIRIT OF DRAG - A whiff of nostalgia
Volume 2 Contents Include:
- Intro: THE EDITOR - Shock and awe is the only way to describe the sight of a Top Fuel car launching down a drag strip
- Grid: IN THE NEWS - The latest news from the fire-up lane
- Profile: DIE HARD DSR FUNNY CAR - Don Schumacher Racing made the first NHRA Funny Car pass in less than four seconds. Jeff Huneycutt reports on how they did it
- Insight: TOP FUEL ENGINES - Oliver Allan looks at the development of the Top Fuel dragster engine from a Formula One perspective
- Profile: STUDEBAKER PRO MOD - Daniel Cooper finds out what went in to making Andy Robinson’s Studebaker so successful on the drag race circuit
- Focus: CHASSIS - Lawrence Butcher takes an in-depth look at what it takes to design and build modern dragster and Funny Car chassis
- Profile: PRO STOCK SUZUKI GSX-R - Anne Proffit finds out how one Louisiana family won the Pro Stock Motorcycle competition – with its youngest champion ever
- Focus: TRANSMISSIONS - Lawrence Butcher examines some of the transmission technology in drag racing’s most popular classes
- Review: TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT - Lawrence Butcher details some of the aspects of drag racing hardware that have seen improvements in recent years
- DRAG RACE TECHNOLOGY DIRECTORY - The drag racer’s resource
- PS: LIFE WITHOUT RULES - What might happen if engineers were left to their own devices?
Volume 3 Contents Include:
- Intro: THE EDITOR - Variety is the spice of life in drag racing
- Grid: IN THE NEWS - The latest news from the fire-up lane
- Profile: ERBACHER RACING TOP FUEL DRAGSTER - European Top Fuel champion Urs Erbacher shares some of the secrets of his success with Lawrence Butcher
- Insight: TORQUE CONVERTERS - David Cooper gives a guide to the torque converter – from the principles behind it to its design, materials, manufacture and set-up
- Focus: SPORTSMAN CHASSIS - Lawrence Butcher delves into the world of Sportsman-level drag racing, with a look at current chassis technology
- Insight: DRIVING - Tiff Daniels reports on the importance of mental focus in drag racing and the methods drivers use to get their focus just right
- Insight: PIT EQUIPMENT - What counts as vital kit for teams on their journey through the drag race calendar? Anne Proffit reports
- Focus: ENGINE SUPPLY SYSTEMS - David Cooper examines the technologies behind the manufacture and design of the range of systems that feed current drag racing engines
- Profile: TOP FUEL HYDROPLANE - Lawrence Butcher investigates one of the fastest boats in the world, Eddie Knox’s ‘Problem Child’ Top Fuel Hydroplane
- TECH REVIEW - Anne Proffit reports on the progress some drag race teams have made during 2012 to give them a winning edge
- DIRECTORY - The Drag Racer’s resource
- PS: THE HEMI - Lawrence Butcher looks at the roots of ‘the’ drag racing engine
Volume 4 Contents Include:
- Intro: THE EDITOR - Pushing the boundaries
- Grid - The latest technical news from the world of drag racing.
- Dossier: GREEN GOBLIN - Lawrence Butcher reports on the development on one of Europe’s fastest Pro Mod racers
- Insight: AERODYNAMICS - Lawrence Butcher looks at some facets of drag racing aerodynamics and the particular solutions implemented on Top Fuel dragsters and Pro Stocks
- Tech review: POWERTRAIN - Lawrence Butcher highlights new engine products aimed at giving drag racers a competitive edge
- Tech review: CHASSIS - Lawrence Butcher investigates a new NHRA approved steel for chassis construction
- Focus: SUSPENSION - Jon Scoltock gives an in depth overview of drag car chassis and suspension systems
- Focus: DATA SYSTEMS - Data logging has become vital for crew chiefs, and suppliers now offer hardware specifically for drag racing. Lawrence Butcher reports
- Digest: BLACK CURRENT BEETLE - Lawrence Butcher charts the development of the world’s fastest electric door slammer
- Digest: HARLEY DAVIDSON PRO STOCK - Anne Proffit reports on how Vance and Hines adapted to new Pro Stock motorcycle rules
- Insight: TIRES - Jon Scoltock investigates drag racing tyre technology
- Directory - The drag racers technical resource
- PS: WHAT IF - Lawrence Butcher muses on a study into ground effect aerodynamics on dragsters
Volume 5 Contents Include:
- Intro: THE EDITOR - Variety is the spice of life
- Grid: IN THE NEWS - A suspension revolution in Pro Stock
- Dossier: PRO MOD CAMARO -The UK’s fastest Pro Mod investigated
- In Conversation: JIMMY PROCK - Anne Proffit speaks to successful Funny Car crew chief
- Focus: SUSPENSION, STEERING AND BRAKES - Jon Scoltock looks at drag race suspension, tires and steering systems
- Profile: PRO STREET HAYABUSA - What does it take to build the fastest street legal bikes in the world
- Focus: POWER ADDERS - Lawrence Butcher investigates blowers, turbos and nitrous oxide
- Digest: BEETLE DOORSLAMMER - This diminutive VW is taking the fight to the V8s
- PS: FOUR WHEEL DRIVE DRAGSTER - Tommy Ivo’s four engined monster remembered
Volume 6 Contents Include:
- Intro: THE EDITOR
- Grid - The latest technical news from the world of drag racing
- Dossier: ELITE MOTORSPORTS PRO STOCK CAMARO - The secrets of a double championship winning NHRA Pro Stock racer uncovered
- Insight: TOP FUEL POWER - Exclusive, Top Fuel Dragster power measured for the first time
- Insight: MOTORCYLCE CHASSIS DESIGN - What does it take to build a drag race motorcycle chassis? Rob Moon investigates
- Digest: RED VICTOR 3 - Stewart Mitchell gets under the skin of what could be the world’s fastest street car
- Focus: FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEMS - How does one make sure an engine is getting the fuel it needs for a winning pass?
- Profile: STREET ELIMINATOR SUPRA - Import racers are bringing new technology and techniques to the street and strip
- In conversation: JOHN COLLINS - Anne Proffit talks to John Collins, lead tuner on the DSR Make a Wish Funny Car
- PS: ROCKET CARS - Are we seeing a resurgence of the Rocketeers?
Volume 7 Contents Include:
- Intro: THE EDITOR - Innovation remains rife and refinements are constant in this, one of the world’s great sporting spectacles
- Grid: IN THE NEWS - The quiet revolution in the past few years in clutch systems for dragsters, details of new high fuel-rate electric pumps, and more…
- State of the Nation: PRO STOCK - The introduction of new rules in Pro Stock caught all but one of the teams on the hop but, as Anne Proffit reports, that soon changed
- In Detail: ANTI-SQUAT IN DRAG RACING - Luke Robinson discusses how to calculate a dragster’s instant center as a route to deciding on suspension geometry
- Dossier: JOHN FORCE CAMARO - Mike Magda takes an in-depth look at the development of this recordsetting Camaro-based Funny Car
- Insight: TORQUE CONVERTERS - Lawrence Butcher explains how torque converters are selected for drag racing applications, and how racers can tailor their behavior
- Special Investigation: TRIUMPH ROCKET LSR BIKE - Lawrence Butcher charts the unique challenges – and freedoms –involved in creating a potential 400-plus mph land speed record motorcycle
- Insight: PARACHUTES - The technology behind making and deploying parachutes for drag racing is surprisingly complex, as Lawrence Butcher explains
- Insight: BRAKES - How do the brake systems in drag racing overcome the challenges of the quarter-mile? Lawrence Butcher reports
- Appendix - We explain who the drag racing sanctioning bodies are and what the different classes consist of
- DRAG RACING SUPPLIERS - Our listing of the companies providing products and service for the drag racing community
- PS: THE BIRTH OF NOS - Tracing the use of nitrous oxide to boost performance back to its origins in World War II aircraft
Volume 8 Contents Include:
- Intro: THE EDITOR - A combination of harnessing data and good old-fashioned racing intuition is the key to successful racing
- Grid: IN THE NEWS - What 2018 might have in store as a result of the changes to Pro Stock, fuel flow sensor unveiled for Top Fuel, and more…
- In Conversation: TIM WILKERSON - Anne Proffit finds out how the owner of this one-car band keeps giving the big names in Funny Car a run for their money
- Dossier: VANCE & HINES SCREAMIN’ EAGLE STREET ROD - Lawrence Butcher talks to the men at the sharp end of this Pro Stock Motorcycle outfit to find what it takes to stay at the front of the field
- Overview: REAR GEARS - Lawrence Butcher introduces the key components in the rear drivetrains of drag racers, focusing on those for the Ford architecture
- Digest: PROCK PERFORMANCE DRAG RADIAL CORVETTE - Jeff Prock gives Lawrence Butcher an insight into his approach to running a high-performance, radial tire car
- Insight: TRACTION CONTROL - Luke Robinson explains how drag racing traction control and wheel speed management systems work, and how to get the best from them
- Insight: NITROUS AND EFI - Jeff Prock provides Lawrence Butcher with an insider’s take on the use of nitrous and EFI in modern drag racing
- Digest: ROBERT TIGHE RACING SCION - Lawrence Butcher charts the development of this Import drag racer, which has had its Honda I4 replaced by the iconic Toyota 2JZ
- Insight: DYNAMIC RIDE HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT - Luke Robinson reports on the air dumps system, the latest development in Pro Stock ride height adjustment
- APPENDIX - Details of the drag racing sanctioning bodies and what the different classes consist of
- DRAG RACING SUPPLIERS - Our listing of the companies providing products and services for the drag racing community
- PS: BOB GLIDDEN AND DAN GURNEY - Our tribute to these legends of racing, who died in late 2017 and early 2018
Volume 9 Contents Include:
- Intro: THE EDITOR - The appeal of drag racing without complying with a specific set of regulations is clear, something the NHRA and its ilk should note
- Grid: IN THE NEWS - The impact of the trend to lay back Funny Car exhaust headers, what the NHRA needs to do to keep Pro Stock alive, and more…
- In Conversation: RAHN TOBLER - Anne Proffit charts the career of this doyen of the dragstrip, in particular his move from Top Fuel to Funny Car
- Dossier: JEFF LUTZ ’57 CHEVROLET - Lawrence Butcher finds out how one man built this hot rod that can be raced on dragstrips as well as driven legally on the roads between them
- Insight: LIBERTY EXTREME-T TRANSMISSION - Luke Robinson explains the workings of this transmission, which is designed for use with torque converters
- Digest: RED VICTOR 3 - Peter Donaldson reports on Red Victor Racing’s work to win back the title of the world’s fastest Pro Mod down the quarter-mile
- Focus: SAFETY EQUIPMENT - Safety equipment for drag racers is improving all the time. Peter Donaldson reports on the latest advances
- Insight: NOONAN 4.9 HEMI ENGINE - Luke Robinson explains how this new Hemi engine differs from the original design, and the advantages it offers
- Digest: MEXXSPEED GHIA PRO NITROUS - An almost obsessive attention to detail is the hallmark of the creator of this dragster, as Lawrence Butcher explains
- Insight: HONDA S-DREAM BONNEVILLE STREAMLINER - Lawrence Butcher recounts the development of this compact roadcar into a land speed record challenger
- Appendix - Details of the drag racing sanctioning bodies and what the different classes consist of
- Supplier directory - Our listing of the companies providing products and services for the drag racing community
- PS: ROCKET MEN - We look back at some of the arguably crazy – and definitely dangerous – ways of adding power to drag cars
Volume 10 Contents Include:
- Intro: THE EDITOR - We celebrate those modern-day heroes to whom speed – and escaping its established limits – means everything
- Grid: IN THE NEWS - Toyota partners with ExxonMobil to make Mobil 1 the official oil for Kalitta Motorsports, veteran tuner Mike Neff joins Tasca Racing, and more…
- In Conversation: DAVID GRUBNIC - John Force Racing’s crew chief for Brittany Force takes Anne Proffit through the key stages of his career so far
- Dossier: RICKIE SMITH PRO MOD CAMARO - This serial NHRA winner is keeping the nitrous injection faith with his latest Pro Mod contender. He tells Lawrence Butcher how it was developed
- Digest: WAIRUA SPIRIT - In a first for a New Zealand team, CMR is building a unique streamliner to set a new land speed record at Bonneville. Lawrence Butcher reports
- Insight: PROCHARGER - Luke Robinson investigates the implications of the arrival of a centrifugal supercharger in NHRA Pro Mod
- Insight: DUSTIN LEE HAYABUSAS - Tim Hailey investigates the start of the art in Sportsman motorcycle drag racing
- Focus: CHASSIS MATERIALS AND FABRICATION - Luke Robinson discusses the current state of the art in chassis materials and construction techniques
- Digest: ELITE PRO STOCK - Lawrence Butcher reports on how Rick and Rickie Jones have battled back to take Elite Racing back to the top slot in Pro Stock
- Supplier directory - Our listing of the companies providing products and services for the drag racing community
- PS: PRO STOCK EVOLUTION - The NHRA’s director of engineering Timothy White gives us an inside view of the evolution of Pro Stock