What Is a Slingshot Dragster?
During the pioneering days of drag racing, Top Fuel drivers sat behind the engine instead of in front. In terms of weight distribution and traction, the idea had merit. In reality, an on-fire Hemi hosing partially ignited nitromethane into the driver's face at 220 mph made for some show-stopping top-end safety violations. Early dragsters were stripped-down lakes roadsters or modified sprint cars powered by Ford flatheads or four-cylinder engines. As trap speeds increased, racers looked for aerodynamic advantages and weight distribution for traction. In 1952 Mickey Thompson drove the Lakewood Muffler Special, a car with an aerodynamic body and the engine and drivetrain moved closer to the rear wheels. This was arguably the first slingshot, but photos of the day depict several combinations where the driver was seated over or behind the differential with the engine directly in front of the driver. The combination of aero, driver position, and engine placement is what made the car a slingshot. See all 16 photos See all 16 photos  Thompson had also discovered nitromethane and superchargers were good ways to pack enormous amounts of air/fuel into an otherwise mortal naturally aspirated engine. These design improvements, combined with a lightweight set of tubes or "rails" and a set of retreads, allowed dragsters to approach 150-mph quarter-mile trap speeds. The peak of this insanity was in 1964-65 when the NHRA lifted a ban on nitro that synchronized with the introduction of the Chrysler 426 Hemi, Ford 427 SOHC, and the 427 Chevy. Elapsed times dropped into the 6-second range with 220 mph quarter-mile trap speeds. These ultra-light and ultra dangerous rails defined the top classes of the NHRA. In 1970, the Slingshot era came to an end when the Swamp Rat VIII grenaded its transmission, injuring Don Garlits and inspiring him to design the rear-engine dragster you see in Top Fuel today.