And that's about the most official research that's ever been done.

So, the Top Fuel cars' rankings on the earthquake scale are somewhat low, but the fact remains that these are cars that were once officially and scientifically compared to earthquakes. That's equivalent to a minor quake, the kind that might go overlooked by some people in the vicinity, but others will definitely feel it. The NHRA once allowed a team of seismologists to stand at the starting line to measure the race the way they would measure an earthquake - the two cars rated a 2.3 on the Richter scale. If it was under a hood like a normal car, there'd be at least some insulation to muffle the sound however, it's completely exposed, and all the engine's workings are right out there - oh, and there are no mufflers either. Top Fuel dragsters are the NHRA's loudest cars, in part because of the way the engine is mounted. And Top Fuel dragsters are the worst noise offenders out there.

Hearing damage is usually permanent, and once it starts, it's irreversible. That's not a lot, as you'll see, but it's better than nothing. Easily obtainable foam earplugs, like the kind that you'd wear to catch some sleep on a long plane trip, can cut the sound by about 20 decibels. Motorsports fans are advised to wear some kind of ear protection when they're watching Top Fuel racing live.

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