The Lucas Oil Drag Boat series invaded Lake Havasu, Arizona last weekend to put on a demonstration of just how fast is done, welcome to the insane world of drag boat racing. The Thunder on the River weekend sees four classes of drag boats battle it out over the 1,000 foot course, but it’s the Top Fuel Hydro drag boats that continually blow everyone away.

Presented for your viewing pleasure is the spectacular video of the Top Fuel drag boat Problem Child in action, qualifying for the big finale at 262mph. As her twin counter rotating propellers bite and spin up to 20,000rpm she blasts out of the water and off the line, heaving immense plumes of the wet stuff high into the air behind her. Also included is the Wreck Wednesday playlist, with high speed fails galore. Sit back, relax and enjoy the high octane fun that is hydro drag boat racing.

The Top Fuel drag boats are the pinnacle of speed on water, mind you if you put 8,000bhp in anything and it will go fast, but to go really fast takes control and balance. To go really fast on water now that also requires a healthy dose of crazy and nerves of steel.

Powering the Top Fuel Hydro class is a 500 cubic inch V8 that’s supercharged to within an inch of its life and fed only high octane nitro-methane (65% minimum) and alcohol (pure methanol) fuel. A thunder producing combination that provides in excess of 8,000bhp.

In the qualifying run captured in the above video ‘Problem Child’ blasts its way through the world record achieving a mind boggling top speed of 262mph / 422kph, a 3.5 second run down the 1,000 foot / 300 meter long course. Combine 8,000bhp with a propeller in water and you also get the world’s largest rooster tale spraying up from behind the insane drag boat. Unfortunately Problem Child would eventually go on lose the big race to Nitrochondriac, but that’s racing.

Reference: Lucas Oil Drag Boat Boats
Reference: Problem Child Facebook
Reference: Nitrochondriac Facebook