Drag Race Car Tires Wrinkles? 🤔

Credits:
Driver61 on YT
Sholar_Racing on YT
MuscleCarHeat on YT
BuiltDieselMafia on YT
NHRA on YT
RaceCarRichie on YT

Did you know that when cars are launched in a drag race, their tires get wrinkled? You see, dragsters are some of the fastest accelerating machines globally, producing up to 11,000 horsepower. To put that into perspective, it's more than 12 F1 cars combined. They use specialized soft tires with low air pressure to maximize grip. When they are launched with that immense torque, the tires undergo some serious wrinkling, causing the diameter to shrink by 8 inches. What's even more impressive is that as they pick up speed, their tires actually expand due to centrifugal force

[JasperStorm]

Credits:
Driver61 on YT
Sholar_Racing on YT
MuscleCarHeat on YT
BuiltDieselMafia on YT
NHRA on YT
RaceCarRichie on YT

[Gojira]

For anyone who has never been to a top fuel drag race, I highly recommend it.

[GODFEARSME]

Did you know that each cylinder in a top fuel produces over 1200+ horse power.

[indridcold]

In the 1970s, the tyres were not underinflated. The rear wing was also very low. Thus, at the Christmas tree green light they back bounce all over the place and the cars took off much slower. After under inflating the tyres and making the higher fleet air wing, things got a lot faster.

[JasperStorm]

As the tires shrink during the launch, it effectively works like reducing the gear ratio by about 20%. As these cars gain speed, centrifugal force causes the tires to increase in size, thereby increasing the gear ratio for better top-end performance at high speed. This means that most top fuel dragsters use a single drive gear and don't require gearboxes.

[Foxbody]

The beadlocks stop the wheel from spinning inside the tires.

[supercharger]

Side note: the change in diameter also serves as the dragsters "transmission" since the engine is directly connected to the wheels, the car only has one speed*.
However, as the tire diameter shrinks, the final drive changes for better acceleration. As the diameter expands, it increases the car's top speed.

Edit: *I am referring to the NHRA Top Fuel class, slower classes do indeed use regular transmissions.

[peanutinatree]

And when rock crawlers, some of the slowest accelerating vehicles in the world, go up on some rocks, the sheer grip and weight from the car or wheels csn cause the tires to wrinkle.

They use special tires that give them lots of grip on steep surfaces, and have very low air pressure to provide more surface area on any terrain.

Also the fancy shmancy rims both these kinds of cars use are called beadlocks. If you look at the rim you can see the bolts. They aren't there for looks, they are there to hold a plate on the inside of the tire that keeps it from falling off the rim at such low pressure.

[migueljenkins]

They're not just Dragsters they're a different types of Dragsters the one you are talking about is a Top Fuel dragster or any type that needs that big of a slick

[isitjustmeorwhat]

My wife notices how much I expand due to cylindrical force. I also shrink afterward. 😂😂

[yrusonoz]

If the tires aren't aired up correctly with even pressure it can cause shaking so violent that it can give the driver a concussion...or so I heard
Also the chute opening can cause a stopping force so violent that it can separate your retna from your eyeballs...or so I heard

[fieldnstreamer]

Nothing can prepare you for the first time you witness a top fuel launch. It's the most radical combo of Shockwaves and decibels that you can witness shy of being under a space shuttle launching.

[Tamarikankuro]

It's faster than electric cars too, no electric dragsters can compete

[ZeroTempz]

Not only due to centripedal force, theres a lot of heat generated, and the air expands. Combined with the turning force, it expands the tires upwards.

[traindawg]

If you haven't been to one of those top fuel Drag races its like anything you've ever felt. The power those things put out you can feel it in your heart.

[pantherplatform]

_"Shrink by 8 inches"_ is my excuse too lol

[tren]

And as their tires expand as they go down the track it effectively increases their gear ratio by 30%. It’s crazy the science in these drag cars!

[jameschamberlin]

Huh so squishy tires act like a passive CVT in a way

[PartyPhil]

If you try to squish one of those tires, it’s much easier than normal tires, but still pretty difficult. That’s how powerful those cars are.

[HaiSaidon]

Watch some kid still say that a stock MK4 or a civic with a laptop is both quicker and faster