Goodyear's 3,000 bhp dragster

Posted on October 31, 2009 12:00 AM

4 wheels, 3,000 bhp and gets from standstill to 400 metres in about 7 seconds… what sort of machine would do that, we wondered, when told about the performance of a vehicle Goodyear would unveil. With Goodyear’s past involvement in F1 and other forms of motorsport, it could be some racing car but 3,000 bhp? That’s the combined power output of ten of the engines used in the latest Ford Focus RS.

The mystery finally ended when The Machine was unveiled and it was a dragster, one of those long skinny machines which leave the line with tyres smoking and can reach a terminal speed of a few hundred km/h – and then needs powerful brakes as well as a parachute to stop.

The Goodyear dragster was introduced to the media at Goodyear Malaysia’s factory complex this morning as part of the tyre company’s initiative to promote motorsports in the ASEAN region.

“The reason we brought in the dragster is because it’s an iconic machine that is synonymous with drag racing, and is something most Malaysians have never seen in action before. It is a good ambassador for the sport which we hope will also ignite even more interest for it here in Malaysia,” said Nasution Abdul Rahman, Goodyear Malaysia’s Managing Director.

The Goodyear dragster in action in Thailand

Added Richard Fleming, Managing Director of Goodyear ASEAN: “Goodyear has always had a rich heritage in racing, starting from over a century ago. We’ve been involved in many different kinds of motorsports, ranging from NASCAR and National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) races in the USA to drifting and drag in the ASEAN region. While drag racing may not be as established here now as it is in Thailand, the potential is definitely there.”

The Goodyear dragster has a 11.58-litre Chevrolet V8 engine boosted to 3,000 bhp and its sleek lightweight body runs on Goodyear tyres of course. During the fourth round of the Drag Battle to be held at the Sepang Circuit on the night of Saturday, October 31, Apaspong Premanon (better known as 'Khun O’, Goodyear Thailand’s official drag racer) will demonstrate the sheer power of the vehicle.

Richard Fleming, MD of Goodyear ASEAN

MTM managed to interview Mr Fleming to get further insights into the machine as well as Goodyear’s increasing involvement in motorsports in the region. Extracts from the interview:

Why is the dragster considered an iconic machine when it comes to drag racing?
It’s considered an iconic machine because of its sheer power and speed. It was created for those two reasons alone – with its streamlined shape and massive engine, it can hit speeds of 480 km/h in a matter of seconds, covering a quarter of a mile within seconds.

Why did Goodyear decide to bring the dragster, amongst all other cars, down to Malaysia?
Under the Goodyear Racing umbrella, bringing a dragster here is part of our strategy to promote what we see as grassroots motorsports – something which is accessible to the general public. Drag racing is another motorsport that is gaining popularity in Malaysia. While it may not be as established as in Thailand where there are drag races every weekend at two international standard dragstrips, judging from the races we’ve seen at the Sepang Drag Battle, the potential is definitely there.

Of course, the dragster is an iconic machine that is synonymous with drag racing and is something most Malaysians have never seen in action before. It is a good ambassador for the sport of drag racing which we hope will also ignite even more interest for it here in Malaysia.

One side of the 3,000 bhp V8
How much would a typical dragster cost, like the one brought in by Goodyear?
About US$70,000 (RM239,749) excluding taxes and freight. However, you can also purchase an older dragster of between 8 – 10 years old for as little as US$25,000 (RM85,625). Although the technology is older, these dragsters still have the ability to give a good run.

Do the engines in the dragsters have to be heavily modified?
Yes, they have up to a 16:1 compression ratio, which means that normal fuel is not suitable. Instead, they run on specially blended fuel – nitromethane – which is a mixture of aviation gas, methanol and an additive. That mixture is combined to ensure that the engine does not pre-detonate nor knock. In addition, the engine has an aluminium block and cylinder heads and special aluminium conrods and diamond-coated pistons to deal with the extremely high temperature and stress on the parts. The 11.58-litre Chevy V8 engine in the Goodyear dragster can burn fuel at the rate of 1 litre every50 metres.

The dragster obviously goes very fast in a straight line. Are the brakes enough to stop it at the end?
It relies on both brakes and a parachute to come to a stop.

What are the special tyres that dragsters use and does Goodyear make them?
For dragsters, there’s the Goodyear Eagle Drag Special which is hand-made at our factory in Akron, USA. These are special tyres of bias (cross-ply) construction which are extremely lightweight with high profile. These high profiles provide a lot of flex at the sidewall to allow the tyres to grip. The tyres at the front are very thin (2.5 inches or about 65 mm wide) to minimise rolling and air resistance.


Skinny front tyres	Rear tyres

Does Goodyear plan to promote drag racing in this region with a view of having events organised in the future?
This is the first time that Goodyear has brought a dragster to Malaysia. We would like to be more involved in motorsports and we see more of similar cars coming to Malaysia.

[Choose your next set of tyres at www.goodyear.com.my]