Car weights

[Artist]

Fred Larsen's streamliner and the Poteet-Main Speed Demon are both small block Chevys with rear two-wheel drive, but Larsen's car weighs only 2,000 lbs while the Speed Demon weights 4,500 lbs!

[DanStokes]

I took me a while to wrap my brain around this, but in LSR mass doesn't matter. The DISTRIBUTION of mass matters a LOT as, of course, does aerodynamics. Mass has a huge influence on acceleration but very little effect on maintaining speed once it's rolling. So especially on the salt where there is all kinds of room (translates to time) to get 'er rolling, mass won't effect speed in an appreciable way. What matters is getting the wheels stuck to the salt and both mass and aero play into that. I'd submit that both these teams have found what works for them.

Dan

[OHC 6 Sprint]

And, one of them is faster than the other ... and it's not the lighter one! As Dan points out, it's the more aerodynamic one that manages to combine down force with the lowest drag.

[Fordplay0621]

I agree with the fact you have the time distance part, but at the shorter venues, Id rather be light and get that speed going as early as possible. If I had 700hp pushing the KIA I prob would"nt care.

[YELLA BRICK]

The faster your goal, the more power is required = traction AND acceleration. Hence downforce ie; WEIGHT/WINGS and THINGS is needed to get that traction for acceleration to reach your speed goal within a set distance. Speed Demon and others weigh so much for a reason. Down force wings add drag as well as 'weight' but the drag is not attractive, therefore physical weight is added. Speed Demon is totally slick(no drag) but is Heavy Metal.

[Barry Donovan]

I took me a while to wrap my brain around this, but in LSR mass doesn't matter. The DISTRIBUTION of mass matters a LOT as, of course, does aerodynamics. Mass has a huge influence on acceleration but very little effect on maintaining speed once it's rolling. So especially on the salt where there is all kinds of room (translates to time) to get 'er rolling, mass won't effect speed in an appreciable way. What matters is getting the wheels stuck to the salt and both mass and aero play into that. I'd submit that both these teams have found what works for them.

Dan

in bold is not said very often.

the mass once rolling gets through the breeze.

on a very tiny scale compared to the v8 world, I play with 31 hp per horsepower and have a goal of 135 in the mile.

140 foot pounds and tall gears.

under 3500 pounds and crazy speed is like a paper airplane...even in the LSR world there is desel guys versus screaming motorcycles.

very diverse stuff.