NASCAR & Ethanol?

kat2220

kat2220

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NASCAR and Ethanol fuel? The Indy Racing League is leading the way on alternative fuels, beginning a two-year transition to ethanol. NASCAR? Those dinosaurs are still burning dinosaurs. Last year, General Motors officials privately asked NASCAR to consider switching to ethanol. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, made a similar public plea to NASCAR CEO Brian France. Their appeals didn't gain much traction. But that doesn't mean it was a bad idea. "It fits the racing mode, and we would definitely be in favor of any move that moves us away from dependence on foreign oil," said Brent Dewar, vice president of sales, service and parts for GM. Dewar, who became an ethanol evangelist after overseeing GM's successful sale of ethanol-ready cars in Brazil, said the automaker plans another round of lobbying NASCAR to switch.(see full story at the Associated Press), NASCAR will use Sunono unleaded fuel in 2007 after years of using leaded gasoline.
From KnowYourNascar
 
So how can this be a good move? Ethanol can't be refined at a efficient rate to even make a dent in the amount of fuel that the US consumes in a day. I believe that ethanol can only contribute so much to that actual fuel the US needs. Some where i heard, i think it was on CNBC, that the US would have to use half of its entire corn crop just to ge to 10% of what we actually use. Right now we are importing a lot of ethanol, so i can't see why this would be a godd thing?
 
It's that knee jerk reaction to things without people looking at all the facts and figures to see if it is REALLY feasible.
 
Yep typical and then the media grabs it, totally gives it a negative spin.
 
Im for it, 100% Ethanol (or alkyhol) will cuase the motor to run cooler, so hopefully it will keep motors from always over heating. It cost 1/2 as much, but burns twice as fast, so they would have to go back to the big flue cells.

Some gas stations in my hometown of Murray, KY is 10% Ethanol. I say thats a goodthing! I know some people that stoped getting gas there because they think it will screw there car up, but you can put up to 15% in a stock motor (carb FI system) and it run as good as reg unleaded. But if you go over 15% you need to rejet the carb, and re do the FI. but thats no big deal, can be done in an hour or so if you know what your doing.

Plus if they start running alkyhol they would be adding that fuel fragrence that smells like graps, cherrys, fruit punch, and all kind of good stuff! haha
 
Stop useing unleaded? Thats a screw up. Leaded is the best gas for racing, thats what i use in my racecar, tends to run better then unleaded, it boost the compression is the main thing for me.
 
If the US stopped exporting 85% of our corn crops to other world countries, and built more processing plants for ethanol, maybe we could convert a lot, not all, but maybe enough to help our total dependance on fossil fuels. :rolleyes:

God forbid that this country should do something to help the environment!!!!!
:confused: :confused: :confused:
 
i am for ethanol, just because we run it in out late modle and it helps save money. Here in Missouri it is only 1.95 per gallon
 
The reason lead is used in todays race fuel is for it's lubrication properties. Lead lubricates the valves in the guides. Without lead, engines at this performance level will fail due to valves seizing up in the guides long enough to be introduced to the piston.
It took Sunoco a long time to produce an unleaded fuel that would perform under NASCAR engine conditions. Something had to be added to replace the lubrication qualities that left when the lead was taken out.
I don't believe they have the bugs worked out of the unleaded race fuels that have been developed thus far. (Per NASCAR race conditions).
Lead does not raise octane, it is an upper-end lube.
 
Where do I begin on this one? Let's just say that if we all switched to ethanol, we'd have one hell of a recession. This country as well as the rest of the world is based on an oil economy and that isn't going to change any time soon. Everything we use in the way of automobiles are geared toward an oil based fuel and as such, most everything is made for that product. We are just recentely beginning to see products available that can, repeat, CAN use E85 fuels. So what is that? E85 is 80% ethanal mixed with 20% gas, or better, one way or the other. In reality, we could all be making our own fuel not just using corn, but other vegatables as well such as beets. Hey, I've seen where there are able to make ethanol from certain trees. The main thing here is that ethanol is not only a fuel that is readily available and easy to make, but one that can cost must less than any oil based fuel. So what is the problem? Let's just say two words...Big Oil. Now I'm not one to question big corporations in their endevour to make money, but oil has become more than just a big corporation. OIL is life as we know it and those who have it command attention, whether it's Hugo Chavez or the shieks in the middle east. Even our own aspiring superstar, Lappy, is convinced that not only is the oil based product what we must use, but for racing, it must even be mixed with lead in order to work properly. Until we as a society are ready to change our way of living, ethanol, or any other type of fuel will sit by the wayside and rot while we pay out our noses for what we want.
 
Buckaroo, I have no problem in what you present. You're right!!!!! That's the sad part. However the ones that would really hurt the most is the oil barons themselves!!!! Right in the ole wallet!!! The rest of the current oil workers possibly could find work in the new ethanol plants????? Just a thought, mind you, just a thought. LOL
 
It won't happen period. The amount of ethanol we use now is miniscule compared to the amount of OIL and Oil base products (gas,natural gas,Plastics). If we were to try to become an non oil based economy for one , like Buck said, the Oil Giants wouldn't let it happen, and 2 we could never produce enough ethanol in the US to power all our vehicles no matter how many sources we got ethanol from. Why do you think we aren't driving an alternative fuel vehicle right now on a regular basis? Because Big OIL giants like Exxon/Mobil control the world. They are all in cahoots with each other to control the markert price, to control what is refined, when , and how much. It is called power, they have it we don't. The only way this countrys' energy problems will lessen is if we drill in Alaska, drill more offshore, and build about 3 more refineries so we can get the stuff to the pump. But of course the big oil companies have the lobbyists and the politicians in Washington in their back pockets, so getting anything done is almost futile. Then you have the environmentalists telling you all kinds of horror stories about how bad it is for the environment(BS). Sorry for the rant...carry on. :beerbang:
 
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