SONOMA, Calif. (KGO) -- Fans gathered in Sonoma on Friday night to see the world's fastest cars face off in the NHRA drag races. The technology under the cars' hoods make them just about fly down the track.
The cars go fast, really fast. "These are pretty sophisticated machines, you know? They're the fastest accelerating race car on planet Earth," driver Richie Crampton said.
Topping out at well over 300 miles per hour, there's a reason the dragsters are called Top Fuel.
"It's attributed to the nitro-methane fuel that we use, which is basically a rocket fuel," Crampton said.
All that's needed is a tiny spark and a whole lot of oxygen.
"When I hit the throttle in the race car, it opens up these butterflies here, which allows the air to go into the supercharger," Crampton said.
He said that superchargers are one of the biggest advances in race car technology, and so is the way that they're set up.
For every race, an engine is built to match the weather.
Crampton worked seven years in the pits before making the move to the driver's seat.
