-
The Warsaw Area Career Center and the Transportation Systems classes were able to experience the sheer brute energy of a 3,000-horsepower Fire Breathing Nitro Hemi shoehorned between the frame rails of the iconic Chi Town Hustler funny car owned by Troy Martin. The Chi Town Hustler, originally own by Austin Coil (later to become John Force's crew chief and wrenching him to 16 national NHRA championships), Pat Minick and John Farkonas, was the best-known Funny Car from a bygone era. It was a time when funny cars were paid a flat performance fee to compete in ‘match races’ at drag strips from East Coast to West. On Wednesday, Martin and his right-hand man, Tom Gray, brought the Hustler to school for the students to get a close-up experience of what a real rapid transit system, drag racing style, is all about. Martin explained all the different systems from safety to engine and drivetrain, to data collection that are needed to compete at more than 240 mph. The Hustler’s acceleration off the starting line is so aggressive that its speed exceeds 60 feet in less than a second and has traveled the one-fourth mile in 5.9 seconds. Considering that ‘back in the day’ this particular Hustler (there were six different versions) never broke 6 seconds, technology from then to now has made a big difference.
