At 73, Bernie Plourd is preparing to enter professional Top Fuel racing in Las Vegas with his own car, following an unexpected journey. Top Fuel is the fastest drag racing format globally and the highest recognized speed class. The fastest racers can exceed 547,2 km/h and complete the 304,8 m track in just 3,641 seconds.
A Top Fuel car can accelerate from 0-160,9 km/h in only 0,8 seconds – less than 33% of the time it takes a commercial Porsche 911 Turbo to reach 96,6 km/h. It can also exceed 478 km/h after traveling only 201,2 m. This subjects the driver to an average acceleration of about 4g throughout the race, sometimes peaking at over 5,6g.
According to the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), Plourd may be the oldest racer in history to receive a Top Fuel license. His 476 km/h run took exactly 4,06 seconds – a convincing answer to those who doubt the ability to withstand pressure and speed at this age. This is not his first time behind the wheel of a race car, although the last time was long ago.
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Returning after more than three decades
Plourd's desire to race in his seventies was not a whim. He won the Winternationals in 1992, when Top Alcohol cars typically completed the track in over 5 seconds at speeds around 365 km/h. However, that was also his last victory before he retired in the early 2000s.
To return to the sport, he had to make a serious commitment, secure substantial funding, and find a suitable machine. Surprisingly, Plourd initially had no intention of going that far.
His initial goal was simply a one-day driving experience to get licensed, prove he could still control speed, and fulfill a long-held wish. But the weather repeatedly ruined his test appointments with racing teams. Realizing this, his wife, Ronna, encouraged him to buy his own car.
Plourd decided to purchase a 2010 race car from the Don Schumacher Racing team, adding a trailer and all operating equipment, and upgrading it to NHRA standards. He then partnered with engineer Austin West to tune the car. From merely wanting to drive for hire, he became the owner of a true Top Fuel racing team.
A new milestone at 73
"It was terrifying", Plourd shared with NHRA about his 476 km/h run. "I didn't expect it to shake so violently and explode like that."
After completing his license, his next challenge is actual competition. Plourd is expected to debut at the Mopar NHRA Las Vegas Nationals (29/10-1/11), before participating in the season finale at Pomona (12/11-15/11).
How Plourd will perform when he hits the throttle alongside competitors on the track remains a question. But so far, at 73, he has built his own racing team, prepared his own car, and earned a Top Fuel license at speeds approaching 500 km/h.
My Anh (according to Carscoops)
