National Hot Rod Association Top Fuel Competition Drag Racing Car, Driven by Gary Ormsby in the 1989 and 1990 NHRA Seasons, 1989

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Artifact Overview

Top Fuel dragsters are the fastest cars approved for NHRA drag racing. Their nitromethane fuel requires less oxygen during combustion, so their engines produce more horsepower than with gasoline. Gary Ormsby drove this car to an NHRA Top Fuel championship in 1989. He used it again in 1990 -- racing at speeds near 300 miles per hour.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Dragster

Date Made

1989

Location

at Henry Ford Museum in Driven to Win: Racing in America

Object ID

2021.46.1

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Metal
Plastic
Rubber (Material)
Cloth

Color

White (Color)
Red
Green
Black (Color)

Dimensions

Height: 7.33 ft
Width: 5 ft
Length: 32 ft
Wheelbase: 25 ft

Inscriptions

on top metal plate, near front wheels: Castrol / VINTAGE DESIGN / INCORPORATED / Castrol / VINTAGE DESIGN / INCORPORATED on top near front wheels: Castrol / GTX on top near windshield: Castrol / GTX / Carter & Stanford / '89 / Ghetti DESIGN on sides: G.O. / Gary Ormsby Racing / CHAMPIONSHIP / NHRA / DRAG RACING (R) / ITF / Winston / Castrol GTX / VINTAGE DESIGN / INCORPORATION on sides of fin: Castrol sticker on back: Strange Engineering Inc. / Strange SERIAL NO. / Evanston, Illinois 60201 on back: Strange on tires: GOODYEAR on engine: Keith Black top of tranmission: Lenco

Specifications

Maker: Chassis Components Corporation, Tacoma, Washington
Engine: V-8, overhead valves, supercharged, 498 cubic inches
Transmission: direct drive
Height: 88 inches
Wheelbase: 300 inches
Width: 60 inches
Overall length: 384 inches
Weight: 1800 pounds
Horsepower: 3000
Pounds per horsepower: 1.7
Competition History: Winner of National Hot Rod Association Chief Auto Parts Nationals in 1989. Winner of Top Fuel class championship in 1989. Winner of six additional national events in 1990.