I got a free ticket to one of these races and woah... it was unreal. My favorite part was how awful the engines sound while they're lining up to start. They sputter and generally sound like crap until a crew member hits a switch. The engines suddenly settle into some sort of perfectly tuned resonance until the lights turn green and they simply explode down the track.

In the UK we have Santa Pod which runs Top Fuel drag races. Its definitely an experience. I have been to a few F1 races and the top fuel dragsters are noisier.

And the smell. Nothing quite like it.