The NHRA Summernationals are scheduled for June 9-12 in Englishtown. Watch video
ENGLISHTOWN -- A 582 cubic-inch Chevy big block engine pushing 800 horsepower. Yeah, safe to say, this is not your mom or dad's sedan.
I had the unique opportunity to ride in a dual dragster at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park. This is a custom-built race car designed to seat a driver and passenger.
It was all a part of an event to preview the NHRA Summernationals coming to town and give members of the media a glimpse into what it's like to get a quarter-mile ride down a championship drag strip.
The folks at Pure Speed Racing out of Las Vegas, Nevada, geared me up in fire-resistant pants, jacket, gloves and a full-face helmet. They offer these ride-alongs to anyone that wants to experience the feeling. The package starts around $150.
"It's the thrill of getting into something that moves so quickly," said Doug Foley of Pure Speed Racing. "It just gets your attention."
I squeezed into the cockpit of the dragster, which sits just a few inches off the ground. No comfy fabric chair here, either. It's basically a piece of flat sheet metal with a fairly sophisticated five-point buckle system. Oh yeah, and arm restraints to keep your arms in the car should it flip over. Great! Thanks for the feeling of confidence, guys.
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I was excited, maybe a little nervous. I was the first run of the day so who knew how it would go? The track officials joked that it was the first time that Jake, my driver, ever driven a dragster. Again, another attempt at making me feel a little less comfortable. All in good fun, though, to help raise my level of anxiety.
Jake fired up the engine and inched our car over a small puddle of water to do a burn-out. This heats up the tires and makes them stick to the track for better traction. You can feel the car rise up as the centrifugal force makes the rear slicks stretch vertical. The sound is deafening.
Now, it was off to the starting line. The green light lit and we were gone.
The sound is powerful, the acceleration is awesome and constant. It felt like my brain was squeezed up against the back of my skull. The vibrations of the car made it tough to focus my eyes as we flew down the quarter mile track. Not sure why, but I remember clearly thinking what would happen if one of the puny bicycle-like front tires were to fly off the car.
Why would I think that?
Anyway, 9.3 seconds later, at a top speed of 145 mile per hour, the ride was over. My adrenaline was pumping, but I'm pretty sure I had a smile on my face ear to ear.
Andre Malok may be reached at amalok@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @AndreMalok. Find NJ.com on Facebook.