JD's Blog

Couple weeks ago I got an email from David Powers Motor Sports inviting me to talk "weather" with them when they came to Houston. The Powerade NHRA racing series was headed to Baytown for the 20th annual O'Reilly Spring Nationals. I went out to Houston Raceway Park and learned how they use weather data in their sport. I spent most of my time in the pit for Whit Bazemore. He drives the Matco Tools top fuel dragster. His crew chief Lee Beard showed me their weather station and discussed the different climate conditions that are most studied. Temperature and humidity are watched the closest. When the weather is cooler and dryer they can burn more fuel and create more power. When there is a lot of water in the air it becomes more difficult to light the fuel mixture in the cylinders. You have to take some of the fuel volume out and that makes less power from the motor. The weather of course is different everywhere they go but they want to have the same horse power from the motor. The clutch system works best if you have consistent horse power and Beard showed me their computer software that helps them to know what adjustments to make to the motor.

Greg Ramirez was my photographer and did a great job both in the pit and out on the track.  If you get a chance, ask him about having to wear a gas mask while shooting.

This was my first time to an NHRA event. And I must say, I will be returning again. You know there are some things that are just not the same on TV. In person this sport is incredible. You can't appreciate 7000 horse power until you can smell and feel it.
Be sure and watch the video story on our weather page.

Thanks to Whit Bazemore and his team...
http://www.davidpowersmotorsports.com/whitbazemore/defa
ult.aspx