Anybody get "dizzy" at the STRIP ?

[R2]

Did some racing today,,,,and had a blast...didnt break anything....and got to get the feel for the new Belvedere,,,,,(left the Charger at home)...

Anyways,,,,got into the water box,,,heated the tires,,,,pulled up,,,,staged,,,,,,tree came down,,,,punched it.....and had this sudden sensation of lightheadedness,,,,and the feeling I might pass out.....
Couldnt believe it,,,,thought it would pass after a second,,,,but it didnt,,,and i had to get out of the gas,,,,,for a few seconds,,,,and then got back on it,,,but totally screwed my run....and i still felt a bit dazed by the end of the run  

Not sure if i wasnt "prepared" for the G force when i hit the gas,,,,or perhaps the extra weight of the helmet,,,,made my "melon" feel heavier,,,,
I had this happen before,,,usually the first run of the day,,,and then it was gone after that,,,,maybe i was "used" to it,,,or "prepared" for it...

Anyone else have this happen to them.....

[Ghoste]

No, and I would seriously get this checked out by a medical professional right away!  What happens if it occurs in freeway traffic?  Your health is way more important than racing.

[Charger4404spd]

Is the car solid? No holes for exhaust fumes to enter the cockpit?

[R2]

Thanks guys,,,
I am actually in the medical profession.....and no major health issues,,,,and no problems with routine driving....thank goodness

I think it was the way the car launched,,,and I think it snapped my head (heavy with the helmet) back pretty violently,,,and I wasnt prepared for it.....and i couldnt get my orientation corrected fast enough...

No exhaust fumes in the cockpit,,,,

[Ghoste]

Maybe you need to brace the back of your helmet against the cage before launching the car.  It's hard to tell from the pic, is there a bar on the cage behind you to do this?

[TruckDriver]

I think it was the way the car launched,,,and I think it snapped my head (heavy with the helmet) back pretty violently,,,and I wasnt prepared for it.....and i couldnt get my orientation corrected fast enough...

I can see that would make sence. No different then when you are squatting down then you stand up to fast and all the blood rushes out of your head. I get that every once in a while. Or like jet fighter pilots.

[R2]

I can see that would make sence. No different then when you are squatting down then you stand up to fast and all the blood rushes out of your head. I get that every once in a while. Or like jet fighter pilots

I think thats what it was.......
Was curious if anyone else has this happen....
I really nailed it when the light came down,,,,and it threw me back,,,wasnt expecting it....

[Recharger]

Have you checked your blood pressure lately?   I agree with Ghoste that there might be some health issues involved...(hopefully not)   I know high b.p can cause dizziness to set in easier than it normally would.     Or did you just forget to breathe while you were watching the lights?

[Mefirst]

My guess would be that you snapped your head/neck back at launch it could explane the dizziness, another explanation could be that your blood pressure just momentarily dropped or you were breathing so fast outtaw excitement, that you kinda hyperventilated, this causing the brain to not get enough oxygen.. Im having a hard time believing you had some sort of heart arrhythmia, then again thats possible to...

If you feel those symptoms again my recommendation would be to check your bloodpressure and to check an EKG for arrhythmia's.. just to be on the safe side..

/Tom

[Blown70]

R2,

I have sent you a PM,  I would suggest that I have seen this in patients with ACCEL/ DEACCEL injury.  Often called whiplash.  I would suggest the inner ear may be a problem here.  Remeber the inner ear is responsible partially for balance.  IE, dump some cold water in one ear and see what happens.....

Upon your launch if hard enough would swirl the crystals in the ear too fast an un-balance them.  This happens to racing folks more than you would think.

Let me know if you have questions.

Tom

[firefighter3931]

Doug....quit drinking before you go to the track !        Lay off that Keiths...it's potent stuff you southern boys aren't used to !  

Ron


Ps. Congrats on your first pass with the new car....sounds like it launches real hard. Dizziness....probably low blood sugar. Did you eat your weaties this morning ?

[Charger_Fan]

If you check out ok health wise, go out & get a sticker made that says "this thing launches hard enough to knock you out...yea, baby"!

[R2]

this thing launches hard enough to knock you out...yea, baby

LOL,,,,I will have to get a sticker for the back of the car .......... LOL 

Doug....quit drinking before you go to the track

Did you eat your weaties this morning ?

BINGO....Too much ETOH and not enough Wheaties.......whats a Kentucky boy to do...... 
Ron,,,,you will have to see the post on the Moparts site as well,,,,on how I "watered" down the track.......it was an exciting day.....

[firefighter3931]

Ron,,,,you will have to see the post on the Moparts site as well,,,,on how I "watered" down the track.......it was an exciting day.....

Let me get this right....you launched hard, allmost passed out and pee'd your drawers all at the same time !      Geez buddy...time to sign up for AA and order up some depends for your next track outing      

Ron

[hotrod98]

Sounds like an adrenaline rush to me. When I haven't run the dragster for a while, I tend to tunnel vision a little, right around 160+. A lot of guys tell me that they get the same reaction when they've been out of thier car for a while.
Back in the 70's when I drove my first dragster for the first time, the stress played hell with my body. My legs shook, my blood pressure went up and I tunnel visioned. It went away as soon as I made the next pass. I had driven racecars before, just not a fast dragster. I think your brain has to get used to the rush. Sold the dragster chassis and now I'm going back to slower door car. May not like going slow but at least it's easier on this old body.

[kamkuda]

Doug, My buddy with the 8 second belvedere uses a neck brace.  I get dizzy playing some video games with my son sometimes.

I hope you work it out.

Rob

[BigBlockSam]

hey
you drinking enough water sounds like your dehydrated. that happened to me at the old time drags two yrs ago but it was real hot. Rene

[Ghoste]

Now this whole thread is making me think about racetrack dynamics and their effect on people.  Drag racing allows for a lot of people to be able to race into a much later point in their life than some other motorsports.  The stories about Garlits detached retinas and so on.  When do you know to quit or slow down?

[bull]

You need to slow down. Keep it in the 14s and you'll be fine.

[Charger_Fan]

Now this whole thread is making me think about racetrack dynamics and their effect on people.  Drag racing allows for a lot of people to be able to race into a much later point in their life than some other motorsports.  The stories about Garlits detached retinas and so on.  When do you know to quit or slow down?

I dunno about you guys...but when I was younger in situations like this, I seemed to be able to tense up & be rigid...sort of "one with the machine" as it were.

Nowdays...although I haven't been in any fast cars recently...on my bike, I've noticed that my actual body seems to feel different than it did even 5 years ago when I launch really hard. Hell, it even feels different when I haul a$$ around some tight twisties through a canyon.

It's like all my innards aren't as tight as they once were...must be all that beer!...nah.


Oh & the bike is capable of 12 second 1/4's

[R2]

Let me get this right....you launched hard, allmost passed out and pee'd your drawers all at the same time !    Geez buddy...time to sign up for AA and order up some depends for your next track outing

LOL.....Ron,,,,TOO FUNNY,,,,,,,,but that about sums up my weekend.....
I laughed out loud when I read your response....

It's like all my innards aren't as tight as they once were

lol I am going to start some "innards" crunch's....to tighten them up...

You need to slow down. Keep it in the 14s and you'll be fine.

Well,,,after i had this dizzyness episode,,,i can tell you my time slip was nothing to brag about,,,,i am going to keep it in the 10's w/some practice.....

Doug, My buddy with the 8 second belvedere uses a neck brace

Rob,,,,yup,,,between a neck brace, Depends(as recomended by Ron above), Motrin for ache/pains, I will just have to put my "rascal 2000" motorized scooter in the trunk to get back to the pits,,,,,sucks getting old ..LOL

Sounds like an adrenaline rush to me. When I haven't run the dragster for a while, I tend to tunnel vision a little, right around 160+. A lot of guys tell me that they get the same reaction when they've been out of thier car for a while.

yup,,this is it,,,last time it happened,,,i got right back in the lanes and ran with no problems,,,i think its just an adjustment thing......and being out of a car for a while.

[firefighter3931]

Let me get this right....you launched hard, allmost passed out and pee'd your drawers all at the same time !      Geez buddy...time to sign up for AA and order up some depends for your next track outing

LOL.....Ron,,,,TOO FUNNY,,,,,,,,but that about sums up my weekend.....
I laughed out loud when I read your response....

Hey Doug, glad you took it that way....it's all in good fun of course.     You haven't been racing in a long time and your charger doesn't 60ft as hard as the new ride. I'm thinking it's a combination of both things. The mistress 60ft's in the 1.40's if i remember correctly from reading Bobby's posts so it has to be pulling some serious g-forces....something you'll need to get accustomed to again. Once you get used to it, it'll probably feel slow and you'll be looking for more power !  

Ron