This is something that even the most salty, grizzled, drag racing veterans at the Gatornationals had never seen before. Two funny cars exploding on the same run within a second of each other. Below we have video of the insane Robert Hight, Matt Hagan Double Explosion run from the 2018 NHRA Gatornationals. Both drivers walked away from this and incredibly Hagan went to the finals and lost by a narrow margin. The team was able to pull their backup car out because this one was clearly damaged beyond trackside repair.
Explosions have been getting a lot of play in NHRA funny car lately because of what’s been happening to John Force. Well, both of these boomers are different in their causation from Force’s woes. You’ll note that both cars had multiple cylinders out as they were approaching the finish line. That’s the root of these. Those cylinders and their unburnt fuel finally beat the engines up enough that they gave up in spectacular fashion. In qualifying both of these guys would have been out of the throttle or shut off by the crew chief. On race day you get to the finish line first and that’s why these guys were legging them through.
John Force’s issues have been multiple and they have not been the typical thing, dear holes, that kills these engines an cars. Both Hagan and Hight have not suffered much this year in the way of explosions and craziness. It was their turn apparently.
Interestingly, Jack Beckman was set to run in the next pair. He asked his crew guys who blew up. When they responded “both”, he repeated his question. When they said “both” again, even he was kind of stunned. The massive crowd at Gainesville was very reactive as you can hear in the video.
Hague’s only concern once he got stopped and out of the car was about who the winner of the race was. It was him and his team swiftly pulled out their back car and set to thrashing. Hagan ultimately lost to Jack Beckman in the final round.
let all of the Force cars blow up every race . He says he has plenty of money so put some back in the economy and spend it . Dumb ass .
Don’t like successful people, huh, Donny Chops?
I wonder what is being done different that is causing this. That makes Force’s team has done that 3 times this year. I don’t know how many others.Is NHRA setting bombs in the intakes ,just to get people to show up?
Back in the late 80’s, the fuel cars had a problem with blowing up and they fixed it. They will fix this issue as well. Was watching this one on TV- wildest funny car boomer(s) since Mark Oswald’s engine hydrauliced in Texas in the lights back in the early 90’s.
It won\’t be long before the nhra disappears from the scene.
These explosions are the warning signals before serious injuries or worse drives these cars off the track for good.
If the racers can\’t fix the explosion problem, expect the track insurance companies, tv networks, sponsors, and politicians to fix it for them.
It won\’t end good.