Nitro Restrictions

[Larry]

Georginna I don't know much but whats on the web site.
Most if not all Nitro is made in China now with the usual suspects being the cause. You know liability , environmental and the little explosion that took out the plant in LA. the limited sales factor.
As far as I know the right to distribute fuel is a purchased deal sold as the sole provider at National Events. Same with the Goodyear tires .
Local tracks all do the same thing except they don't bar a competitor's products from the premises. Don't think it applies to sportsmen.
Looking around I found this on the VP site.
A link to a news release from VP about expanding sales.
VP Racing Fuels - race fuel, unleaded, leaded, street legal

 

[twok4hd]

I ask this......

If I am a General Manager of a NHRA sanctioned track and wanted to book a match race of several of the nitro teams and told them to race it like you want and how you want on a surface that is prepped to national event standards, they would have to refuse the booking because of this restriction?

 

[clwill]

Industrial users have the Angus products available to them. Plus their Nitro plants are in the USA ,and Europe. There is only a shortage of Chinese Nitro for the racing vendors that didn't have the ability to purchase, and warehouse an adequate amount.

All I was saying was that DonS suggested industrial uses in one of the interviews I saw.

 

[FABMAN]

I am just curious so I am going to put a few questions out there...

1.) Who are the principles of VP?
2.) Are they related to or close friends with the decision makers of the NHRA?
3.) From what I understand there was no bidding process for this contract, why not?
4.) Has there been any disclosure about the wording of the contract?
5.) Is it an open contract stating only that VP are the suppliers for or is there a specific amount per racer guarantee clause?

It seems to me that without some of these answers we are just going to keep asking the same questions over & over. Is there a charter in the NHRA bylaws that provision transparency in contractual agreements?

You can find corporate info on this page.

ttp://corporateaffiliations.ecnext.com/comsite5/bin/corporateaffiliatio

This might be easier.

VP Racing Fuels Inc. | ElmendorfTX | company, profile, report, information

 

[Nitrohelper]

Most if not all Nitro is made in China now ..... ...and the little explosion that took out the plant in LA....

I believe that is incorrect, the Sterlington plant was rebuilt, upgraded ,and back to production in 1993. They also added another distilling chain to produce a more pure grade. Angus also has two plants in Europe. They claim to be the largest producer of Nitroparaffin products in the world ,and bigger than the next three producers added together.
All the Nitro for drag racing is made in China, since Angus stopped suppling that market in 2006 (Europe) & 2007 (USA).

 

[PJ]

It seems odd that these places would not sell to racing? With today's economy I think they would jump at more customers, even if its only a 1 or 2% jump

 

[clwill]

It seems odd that these places would not sell to racing? With today's economy I think they would jump at more customers, even if its only a 1 or 2% jump

The liability has got to scare them away. Somebody dies in a racing accident, and the ambulance chasers sue every company that ever supplied as much as a screw to the car. If you have a bazillion industrial uses for your product, and adding 1 - 2% to your market comes with this liability exposure, you'd probably pass too. The Chinese companies have the advantage of an impenetrable legal system...

 

[Jay]

NHRA asks no more warming up in the pits on Nitro. Wow why even go gezz.

 

[unclebob]

I believe that is incorrect, the Sterlington plant was rebuilt, upgraded ,and back to production in 1993. They also added another distilling chain to produce a more pure grade. Angus also has two plants in Europe. They claim to be the largest producer of Nitroparaffin products in the world ,and bigger than the next three producers added together.
All the Nitro for drag racing is made in China, since Angus stopped suppling that market in 2006 (Europe) & 2007 (USA).

Jerry; heard today that there are 60 drums at the distributor in Sydney. The poor planning company called and asked if they'd send 50 up here as their last race of the season is this weekend. They were politely told to pound sand.

Bob

 

[ProNitro Pete]

I know Don said something to the effect of eventually getting to the point where the product would have to be sold to someone. I'm assuming that he has a price in mind for the product, and that for him to sell the Nitro at that price, based on his cost, he can only sit on it for a limited time without raising the price to maintain his return on investment. But I'm wondering, is there a "shelf life" on Nitro where a time constraint could now also be involved?

No Shelf Life Tom, just plain ol' Supply & Demand.
.
Shocking to think that, if VP can find any Nitro..... they are still trumped by the "can" cost today, but be assured, they will not hesitate to continue to put it to the racers that use their product.

 

[none]

It's a small world.
Yesterday for work I went to an industrial solvents company in Melrose Park, IL. ( they manufacture an ecological certified "green" solvent that contains 2% nitro, go figure)
I asked their view on the situation of availability. They said they knew early this year that China was going to halt production of nitromethane for a number of reasons. Pollution, keeping possible explosives out of militants hands being the primary reasons my contacts remembered.
These people said they reacted accordingly by ordering larger shipments to hold them over till after the Olympics.
Sounds like others might have been short sighted.

Lee
Nitroclovers