Drag Racing Ain’t no Cheap Date

The first three events of the 2018 NHRA Mello Yello National Championship series have seen more engine explosions, fires and crashes in Top Fuel and Funny Car than at any time in recent history. Through the Gatornationals, John Force Racing, Don Shumacher Racing and many other teams have experienced an unprecedented level of carnage, requiring construction of new cars. 

The pro nitro teams are now facing two serious issues. The first is discovering the cause of so many catastrophic engine failures and fires being experienced by even the best funded and maintained nitro race car teams. The second is finding a way to mitigate the cost to nitro teams—even the big three—of replacing/repairing bodies, engines or even complete cars, which seriously affects the operating budgets of all teams, big or small.

Drag Racer thought readers would be interested in seeing the retail cost of the parts and pieces T/F and F/C teams have burned through to restock their trailers in the aftermath of the first three races of the season.

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Chassis

Baseline Top Fuel or Funny Car chassis: $55,000

Body

Carbon-fiber Funny Car body with rear wing, tin and undercoating: $80,000-85,000
Carbon-fiber or titanium Top Fuel body: $22,000-25,000

Drivetrain

Top Fuel rearend assembly, including brakes, with carbon rotors and pads: $25,000-plus
Funny Car reaend assembly, including brakes, with carbon rotors and pads: $25,000-plus

Wheels and Tires

Top Fuel fronts with Goodyear tires: $1,400; rears with Goodyear slicks, $3,500
Funny Car fronts with Goodyear tires: $2,200; rears with Goodyear slicks, $3,500

Trans and Clutch Assembly

Eight-stand titanium six-disc clutch assembly: $19,000
Titanium 9.400 titanium bell housing: $4,000
Clutch cannon with controller: $13,000
1 7/8-inch input shaft: $850
Couplers and driveshaft (Funny Car): $1,500

Engine

AJPE or BAE block with studs and sleeves: $10,500-12,000
Crankshaft Bryant crank balanced: $3,800
RCD bearing support gear drive with pump extension and crank hub: $3,500
Billet core big journal roller camshaft: $1,500
Piston, rings, rods, etc.: $450 each
Morel or similar 1 1/16-inch roller lifters: $1,600 set
16 new Manton pushrods: $500 set
Fel-Pro oil pan with gasket: $450

Cylinder Heads

Bare: $10,000 pair
Rocker arm assembly complete: $8,500
Intake valve titanium: $115 each, $920 set
Inconel exhaust valves with 3/8-inch stem: $58 each, $464 set
Titanium retainers: $495 set of 16
JT Stewart or similar lash keepers: $26 each, $208 set
Head gaskets: $145 pair
Headers: Dragster $1,250, Funny Car $2,500

Oil Pump, Dry Sump System and Oil Pan

P&P or similar dry sump oil pump, large gear/high flow: $1,295
Williams dry sump or wet sump oil pan, billet rail/double wall: $850
Funny Car oil line kit for wet sump: $495
#16 suction line for wet sump dragster pan: $209

Ignition (MSD twin 44-amp mag system)

Generators: $4,390 pair
Coils: $1,540 pair
Control boxes: $1,690 pair
Dual plug wire: $395 set
Dual magneto drive with large drive belt: $1,600

PLUS

Data logger/computer: $16,000-24,000 based on options
Other items, including safety equipment, wiring, hardware, etc., can easily eclipse another $15,000-$20,000.
Estimated cost to build a new nitro race car from scratch: $306,000-plus
Personnel time to construct a new race car is a variable, not included.

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