Jet Engines + Drag Cars + Las Vegas = FAST HEAT

On Saturday during the Top 32 competition of the 2010 Round 5 Formula Drift, the Las Vegas Motor Speedway was also hosting some very fast drag cars. The highlight of the night on the drag strip were 2 separate runs by jet engine powered drag cars.

If you have never seen one of these run, let me tell you that they are F-A-S-T! If you have never heard one of these cars, I can tell you that they are LOUD! I made it to the grandstands, camera in tow, just in time to see these insane jet engine powered beasts nearly fly down the drag strip.

Here are the few images that I was able to capture before I blinked and missed everything...luckily I was able to get a few with the entire car in the frame.

To see the additional images, Click Here

Enjoy.

Warming up the afterburners at the starting grid...


Pre Launch of Black Rat


Finishing 1/4-mile time of Black Rat...5.65 seconds at 283.19 MPH!!!!


For the finale, 2 jet engine powered cars lined up against each other and raced head-to-head.

Warming up the afterburners on the engines...


Both cars on the starting line just before they launch


This in Incinerator as it began to "fly" down the race track. I believe it finished with a 5.50 second 1/4-mile time at a speed over 286 MPH!!

Formula Drift - Round 5 - Las Vegas - After Dark - Las Vegas, NV part 2

Since the previous post was only a sampling of images from Formula Drift in Las Vegas, NV last weekend here are some additional images from some of the hot action on the racetrack.

Click Here to view more images online beyond the blog.

RESULTS:
The Falken Tire team swept the podium with a First, Second, and Third Place finish. Tyler McQuarrie took top spot on the podium, Dai Yoshihara took second, and Vaughn Gittin Jr. completed the sweep with a strong third place finish.

First Place and Round 5 champion, Tyler McQuarrie


Second Place winner, Dai Yoshihara (left) battling Sam Hubinette (right) during the round of Great 8.


Third Place winner, Vaughn Gittin Jr. and his Falken Tire / Monster Energy Ford Mustang GT (right) battling Charles Ng (left) and his 1991 Mazda RX-7.



Conrad Grunewald and his Hankook Tires Chevrolet Camaro SS (right) battling against Joon Maeng and his Nitto Tires / Full Tilt Poker Mazda RX-8 (left)


Justin Pawlak and his Falken Tire Ford Mustang GT (right) battling within INCHES against Tony Brakohiapa and his Cooper Tires / Team X Ford Mustang (left)



Rhys Millen in his Red Bull Energy / Hyundai Genesis Coupe.





Michael Essa and his GSR Autosport BMW 350R. This machine is powered by a V10 M5 motor under the hood.


Ryuji Miki and his 2008 A'PEXi / Hankook Tires Lexus SC430


Robbie Nishida and his Hankook Tires Nissan GTR

Formula Drift - Round 5 - After Dark - Las Vegas, NV part 1

We have returned after a long, extremely hot weekend in the Nevada desert attending Round 5 of the 2010 Formula Drift season. Hosted at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the high speed course was sure to create lots of action and tire smoke as the worlds best drifters invaded Sin City. Temperatures soared in the afternoon to nearly 115-degrees, and track temperature had to be pushing close to 130!!

Here are some shots taken from Fridays action which included practice and Top 32 qualifying rounds for the main event on Saturday.

Click Here to view more images online beyond the blog.