Senators ask NASCAR to convert to Ethanol
Quote selected text Published May 25th, 2007 in NASCAR News
On the eve of the biggest weekend in auto racing, two United States Senators have asked NASCAR to consider joining the IndyCar Racing League by converting to the “fuel of the future,” American-made ethanol.
With the eyes of the world on auto racing, U.S. Senators John Thune (R-SD) and Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN) today sent a letter to NASCAR President Brian France, asking that NASCAR begin considering the conversion of its fleet to high-powered U.S. ethanol and the long-term promotion of American-made ethanol.
Bookmark to:
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- France meets with GM to discuss Ethanol switch
- Ethanol: A great political scam?
Wow, this is great I think, they are referring to Octance 120 ethanol, which even yourself can ferment corn and produce it for less than a $1.20 a gallon; and with alot of GM vehicles becoming ethanol acceptable, you should consider it. It is also better on the engine and produces 30% more horsepower, I say that restrictor plate changes would happen yet again at Dega and Tona and that general tracks speeds elsewhere will increase. Also would be better on the smaller team operations on engine costs. Two Thumbs Way up!
GOOD!
This isn’t as easy as some would want you to believe. It was a no brainer for Indy since they already have electronically fuel injected engines and the fuel they were using was highly inefficient to begin with, as someone else pointed out in a previous article. For NASCAR the fuel cells will have to change, pit stop frequency will probably increase, engines will have to be redesigned for a higher compression ratio. Change is good but a whole new can of worms will be opened up with programmable chips being needed on the cars for electronic fuel injection. NASCAR will need to get alot of other things straight before they can simply switch fuels.
Pure ethanol is 120 octane by default but the energy of ethanol is around 30% lower compared to an equal volume of gasoline. Restrictor plates would completely disappear with electronic fuel injection which wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing, but its just too easy to change things when tuning comes down to a computer chip. Also, a computer chip is capable of holding alot more than just routines for mixing fuel and air properly (namely traction control). Bottom line: Costs will increase all around, at least in the beginning and NASCAR will have to define a whole new set of rules.
Plus the overall positive enviromental impact of replacing petroleum with ethanol in NASCAR’s stock cars would be next to nothing. It would give the fuel needed attention but I have a feeling that’s the only thing these two Senators are looking for with this… Something to get their names out there and seem relavent to their voters. I really wouldn’t pay attention to what a senator in South Dakota has to say about pollution or auto racing… Since they have almost none of either. And, the one in Indiana (or maybe both) probably has an agenda with the corn producers. I do like the thought of us not relying on foreign oil but I bet in the long run the ethanol production will be outsourced over seas and we’ll be back in the same boat. Basically what I’m trying to say… NASCAR is the last place anyone should be focused on getting to convert to a biofuel. Focus that energy somewhere else.
I think this would be a great move for Nascar. The point I think of the US senators was too promote the use of E85 by having Nascars run a E85 like fuel. It would be like sponsoring every car with E85 but at no cost to the corn growers, and gas stations. Because every body know that JR has the bud car so let’s drink bud, and if Jr has the E85 car so will everybody else in America. This could be a big deal if they switch and permote it.
It aint gonna bring OUR gasoline prices down
nor will it bring NASCAR ticket prices down.
Even still, very interesting
and it sounds like a good idea still!
anyway, them senators should be working out a way for
US POOR WORKIN FOLKS to be able to afford to get
to WORK so we can pay our TAXES!
Good idea or bad, I can’t help but think that the Senate has better things to do with their time than poke their nose into the sports world. It started with baseball and now racing. War, healthcare, social security etc….. Ridiculous!!!!!!!!