CHAPTER 1 Built for Speed Tia is strapped into the driver’s seat with a harness She wears a helmet Her racing suit zips up to her neck She knows the Funny Car’s engine is roaring But she can’t hear it She’s focused on the track ahead Her Funny Car is as powerful as a Top Fuel dragster But the car’s body is shorter It looks like a bigger version of a regular car Its rear tires are much bigger than regular car tires
Funny cars are similar to regular cars but they are low to the ground and have huge rear tires The chassis is covered by an outer shell Metal bars surround Tia They form a roll cage The bars will protect her if the car loses control and flips Another Funny Car sits next to Tia That’s her competition Drag races are usually between just two cars Racers want to see which car can accelerate fastest Tia takes a deep breath The race begins Tia takes off
Tia is pressed against her seat The car accelerates quickly She holds on to the steering handles She doesn’t need to do much turning The black asphalt stretches out in a straight line Everything outside is a blur Computer timers switch gears for Tia The car accelerates too fast for her to do it herself She nears the finish line As she crosses it a flag waves But she can’t see it She’s still going more than 300 miles per hour 483 km h The track goes on past the finish line She has plenty of room to slow down Even with brakes it takes a long time to stop FUN FACT To Fuel accelerate dragsters from 0 to miles per hour 100 less 160 km h than in 0.8 seconds
Drag racers go so fast that a force equal to five times their body weight pushes back on them
