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For instance, if you have NO traction, your trap speed will be ZERO because you'll never even get to the end of the track. When you see those top-fuel dragsters on TV, they do a burn out before the race. Maybe they even go approximately 60' (or more) down the track during these burn outs. The speed they reach during a burn out isn't NEARLY as fast as their speed during the regular race. The difference is the presence of traction in their run. For those ridiculous cars with 300+ mph trap speeds, they don't get there on skinny-ass little tires. In order to optimize trap speed, you need to maximize acceleration the entire length of the track. When traction is lost, while shifting gears, you're basically wasting valuable feet of track length coasting...NOT accelerating. Acceleration is a function of applied force. The maximum force a car can use to accelerate is that due to friction of tires contacting the road. The static coefficient of friction between the tires and road (seen when good traction is had) is GREATER than that of the tires' kinetic coefficient of friction (burning out). Back me up guys...there are enough smart people around here to develop compelling arguments that traction helps EVERYTHING about 1/4 times. (I still don't understand why drag racing is so fun though. hee hee hee) Lets hear it!! :)
That's me on the left, and Chuck (ChazzB) on the right.
His car is nicer than mine : P |
