- Feb 23, 2011
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(Video link at the end if you aren't interested in the story.)
I'm friends with an exhibition race team that tours a couple of jet funny cars (and soon to be wheel stander). I'm also a hobbyist photographer, so they are kind enough to give me a crew shirt and let me get up on the line when they come around to one of the local drag strips. Normally I stay off to the side, but this time I got to tick an item off my bucket list and get between them for their run.
If you're not familiar with drag racing, there is usually a lot of activity around the starting line. You have the race crews, the starter, track maintenance crews, media, VIP's, etc. When the jets run, they clear all but the essential people out and remove anything that could either catch fire or be blown away. The typical run has the race crew get the cars fired up and even they vacate the area. All that is typically left is the two drivers and the starter standing between them.
Needless to say, the vantage point of this video it's something very few people get to experience. The sound and feeling of two afterburning jet engines, pushing 15,000lbs of thrust (10,000 HP) each only about 10 feet to either side of you is insane! The best way I can describe it is to imagine a time if you've ever been hit hard enough to knock the wind out of you. Now imagine that impact, only it's on every square inch of your body. That's about what it feels like when they hit the afterburner during the pre-stage show.
The sound is unreal. Most people know what a jet sounds like from a distance. At this close, the pre-stage afterburner pops are like lightning striking right next to you and you hear only the initial crack. When staging and the rpm's are increased to launch power, it sounds like the mouth of Hades opening up. When the light goes green and they hit the afterburner, a thousand shrieking demons come out to consume you. This may be getting hyperbolic, but when you feel the jet blast and debris they kick up as they take off, you'll understand maybe I'm not that far off from reality after all. They clear and sweep the track prior to the run, but there is always little bits of dirt and rubber on it to be blown back. Thank goodness for ear protection!
I shot this video on my LG V60 phone. Unfortunately, age and use has got to it as noted by all the light streaks caused by minor scratches in the lens cover. This was shot in manual video mode, where I could set the mic gain lower and not completely blow out the audio. I set it to -15dB, plus had duct tape over the mic openings for additional sound reduction, and it was still pushing the meter limits. I did some work on the audio in post, but it's a little muffled sounding and you may hear a few crackles of distortion, but I did lower it enough to not blow your ears out at regular volume levels. Enjoy!
I'm friends with an exhibition race team that tours a couple of jet funny cars (and soon to be wheel stander). I'm also a hobbyist photographer, so they are kind enough to give me a crew shirt and let me get up on the line when they come around to one of the local drag strips. Normally I stay off to the side, but this time I got to tick an item off my bucket list and get between them for their run.
If you're not familiar with drag racing, there is usually a lot of activity around the starting line. You have the race crews, the starter, track maintenance crews, media, VIP's, etc. When the jets run, they clear all but the essential people out and remove anything that could either catch fire or be blown away. The typical run has the race crew get the cars fired up and even they vacate the area. All that is typically left is the two drivers and the starter standing between them.
Needless to say, the vantage point of this video it's something very few people get to experience. The sound and feeling of two afterburning jet engines, pushing 15,000lbs of thrust (10,000 HP) each only about 10 feet to either side of you is insane! The best way I can describe it is to imagine a time if you've ever been hit hard enough to knock the wind out of you. Now imagine that impact, only it's on every square inch of your body. That's about what it feels like when they hit the afterburner during the pre-stage show.
The sound is unreal. Most people know what a jet sounds like from a distance. At this close, the pre-stage afterburner pops are like lightning striking right next to you and you hear only the initial crack. When staging and the rpm's are increased to launch power, it sounds like the mouth of Hades opening up. When the light goes green and they hit the afterburner, a thousand shrieking demons come out to consume you. This may be getting hyperbolic, but when you feel the jet blast and debris they kick up as they take off, you'll understand maybe I'm not that far off from reality after all. They clear and sweep the track prior to the run, but there is always little bits of dirt and rubber on it to be blown back. Thank goodness for ear protection!
I shot this video on my LG V60 phone. Unfortunately, age and use has got to it as noted by all the light streaks caused by minor scratches in the lens cover. This was shot in manual video mode, where I could set the mic gain lower and not completely blow out the audio. I set it to -15dB, plus had duct tape over the mic openings for additional sound reduction, and it was still pushing the meter limits. I did some work on the audio in post, but it's a little muffled sounding and you may hear a few crackles of distortion, but I did lower it enough to not blow your ears out at regular volume levels. Enjoy!
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