It did catch you, but at 3 seconds, the vette is still traveling forward @ 200mph = 293ft/s. you still have another 1.428 seconds of travel at that velocity before the top fuller passes the finish line. 1.428s x 293ft/s = 418.404ft.

418.404' + 879' = 1297.404

1320-1297.404 = 22.6' between you and the line when the dragster wins

It's still a pretty close race...

Final vette time = (1320ft) / (293ft/s)= 4.505 sec

 

The physics I have taken has all been calculus based.... other than what I took in highschool...

I dont take dynamics til next year....

 

Didn't go to college. Wish I had. Still time I guess.

 

If the dragster passed the Vette 3 seconds after the Vette crossed the start line, that was 441 feet from the finish line at 293 feet per second x 3 seconds for the Vette.

I never said the dragster beat the Vette by 441 feet.

 

Oh I know that's not what you ment, was just stating that it was still a close race is all

 

I guess when I think of the word passed I think of every day driving where the car actually goes completely by you. but I guess when you talk of a drag race. Passing would probably mean the front of the car is just a fraction of an inch in front of the tip of the bumper ( wheels or what ever). That being said the dragster is probably longer than 21 or 22 feet. Yes, close finish. Still fun to take a statement and run the numbers to look for inconsistencies.

 

Racers definition of second place.
Second place is just the first loser.

If I gave someone a 200 MPH rolling start to my standing start in the quarter mile, if I only beat them by 2 layers of chrome on the bumper it is a remarkable feat.

And it is still a win.

 

Very true. It don't matter if you win by an inch or a mile. winning's winning.