Will 5.00 Fuel Prices Hurt Racing Even More? (1 Viewer)

[Muddy]

All of what happened in California in the late 40s, 50s, and 60s is a direct result of the the dry lake beds and the speed trials held there. The manfacturers of speed equipment were first and formost racers.

When NASCAR became so popular the performance manufacturing (mostly ran by the second generation) talent begin to move where the money was being spent. The lack of a competitive business climate also helped accelerate the migration east.

The loss of racetracks had nothing to do with the the migration east. JMHO

 

[Toejam]

All of what happened in California in the late 40s, 50s, and 60s is a direct result of the the dry lake beds and the speed trials held there. The manfacturers of speed equipment were first and formost racers.

When NASCAR became so popular the performance manufacturing (mostly ran by the second generation) talent begin to move where the money was being spent. The lack of a competitive business climate also helped accelerate the migration east.

The loss of racetracks had nothing to do with the the migration east. JMHO

John, while the market in the South is hotter than ever for performance, the Politics of California has done all it could to end the performance car industry!

 

[funnycarguy]

Well everyone,
Arnie has spent a lot of time here in British Columbia (he has a summer home here) and has had a great influence on our provincial carbon tax. As well our premier (governor equivalent) was going to join in to the Hydrogen highway project with Arnie. This was to run from BC to California. Our premier has recently resigned so it may quiet down. Is this project on the radar in Washington and Oregon?

I know some folks may be upset but, the US has the lowest fuel prices on the planet and totally goes against the grain compared to Europe, Asia and Canada. Combine that with debt, debt and interesting controls on the banking industry, it will be hard to hold fuel prices down against a falling US dollar.

Our dollar has been flirting at par in spite of action to weaken the CDN dollar against US currency. Sadly, I am sure the number of racing participants will be effected unless your from Alberta. The money is rolling again as the price of crude rises. Any comments Ken or Nathan?

Fuel prices and carbon brakes will hurt the alcohol and nostalgia fuel cars attendance numbers in my opinion........

that is my 2 cents worth.
thanks
Dale

 

[Fuel FC Fan]

Oil price per barrell is rising because of the weak dollar not oil company greed. The dollar is getting weaker (worthless) because the debt the 111 Congress just ran up and China's resistance to lending us any more money. Because countries don't want to loan the US Government any more money the Fed Reserve is now resorting to monetizing the national debt (printing money that is not backed up by anything) which is the reason the dollar is getting weaker which causes inflation. Look at food prices, too. Anything imported is going to cost more as the dollar takes a dump. And because the environmental wacko's have all but shut down domestic drilling almost all of our oil is imported.

If you want to stop the high fuel prices tell your congressmen and women to #1. stop spending money we don't have, #2. stop borrowing money from other countries who now fear we won't be able to pay it back and #3. tell them to open ANWAR and other land areas the Fedaral Government has illegally siezed in the name of environmental protectionism and start issuing responsible drilling permits so we can get off foreign oil.

Buy gold.

Blatant disregard for this Gov. to allow the U.S. National Debt run itself totally out of control and with ZERO end in sight. Its sickening.

And to think.....every man, woman and child in America tonight each owe this great nation over $178,000.00.
And yes to Gold Mining Claims, Gold Stock....and raw Gold.

$14,000,000,000,000.00 on deck and coming any day now.

The numbers don't lie...and it ain't pretty.
U.S. National Debt Clock : Real Time

 

[twostep]

Is this project on the radar in Washington and Oregon?

It's referred to as Cap and Trade, but it's nothing but another tax disguised as an environmental cleanup plan. It was narrowly passed in the House; then shot down in the Senate VIA filibuster. What it amounts to is a 'Cap', or ceiling, on total allowed carbon emissions by a particular entity, such as a coal-fired electric powerplant. Those who exceed the cap are penalized (read taxed) out the wazoo. Those who come in under the cap are issued carbon credits, that they can 'Trade' to heavy polluters to bring them in line, so they can avoid the penalties. It's being sold as a win-win method of curbing heavy polluters while rewarding those who have already brought carbon emissions in line. All at minimum expense. Minimum, if you call $2 trillion over the next 10 years 'minimum'.

Problem is, the EPA will set the emissions ceiling so low, just like Kalifornia has done with auto emissions, that practically no one can come in under the cap, therefore everybody gets penalized. Works out great. Big Oil and Big Utility gets all the blame; the Gov gets all the money. And if the companies know they're going to be penalized anyway, why spend billions on emission control? End result = about 5 million lost jobs, a huge influx of cash for the Uncle to spend as he sees fit (I won't comment on how he sees fit; that would be political), and no reduction in carbon emissions. And you thought the NHRA was doing a poor job controlling nitro oildowns?

It will be back, and soon, perhaps with some modifications that will allow it to pass through Congress.

If you think gasoline, fuel oil and electricity prices are high now, just wait 'till they pass this baby. I may not be certain exactly how much high gasoline prices will affect the little-guy weekend drag racer, but I'm pretty sure I've got it figured out why they're high to begin with.

 

[sdwarf36]

Well--since this has swung into a couple of different directions-I'll add my .02.

Since people are blaming the gov't for $5.00 a gal gas--is there anyone out there willing to give props to them for keeping it at $1.50 for so long?
And did anyone notice that when the prices went crazy, people all of a sudden stopped buying pick up trucks + big cars? And then realized their quality of life didnt drop any if they didnt leave their Hummers idling in front of Starbucks to keep the AC on? And did you notice that the folks who scream the loudest about how the gov't should do something are the ones who refuse to change their ways?
Face it-if we cut how much fuel we use, the prices drop. THATS what brought things back in line-we stopped using as much--and it showed.

Me? I had a cube van I hauled all over the country racing. 8mpg average.
I knew I couldn't keep this up. A few years back I got a VW diesel for next to free-and as a science project I converted it to run on veggie oil. And it worked. I now have 85k running the stuff. I just replaced my hauler-I found a used shuttle bus-powered by a 7.3 diesel. Of course I converted it over to. Yup-it works fine. Saves me $300 per trip-times at least 10 trips last year alone. Best part-being able to say I AM doing something about the problem. I laughed the whole time at people panicing when gas was near $5 before-didn't affect me directly at all. (yes i know cost of everything delivered by truck etc etc) BUT I WASNT ADDING TO THE ISSUE.

I AM a racer-and this was the only way I was able to substain my hobby. I know its not for everyone-but it works for me. Racers race-they always find a way.

 

[twostep]

Since people are blaming the gov't for $5.00 a gal gas--is there anyone out there willing to give props to them for keeping it at $1.50 for so long?

I'd gladly give them props - if they had anything to do with it. I'll say it again; speculators/brokers control the price of crude oil. The government just taxes it, 18.4 cents per gallon for gasoline, whether it's $1.50, five bucks or whatever. I expect that to change (rise) in the not too distant future.

There are those of the opinion that taxing the crap out of crude oil is the only way to convince America to give up its' oil-guzzling habits. There's a topic that could be discussed forever. And I think your veggie trucks, Sherman, are a perfect example of what a person can accomplish when they put their minds to it. Do you simply drive in to Burger King and ask for a fill-up?

 

[vegasnitro]

Do you simply drive in to Burger King and ask for a fill-up?

There used to be several fast food chains that would gladly give away their used veggie oil ... but they have caught on that it has value. Now, either through local regulation (you must be an "approved" disposal/handling service) or some enterprising folks have setup shop to buy the oil from restaurants to re-sell to various enviro-diesel projects, including selling to end-users like Sherman. Still ... very cool Sherman. I work with a guy who has a TDi Jetta that he converted 6 years ago, never has 1 second of trouble. He gets his used veggie oil from a local In-N-Out here in Vegas ...

 

[sdwarf36]

Usually the big chains are locked in with a service-but theres an endless supply of mom + pop pizza places-chinese resturants-seafood place-etc. out there. 10 gallons a week is normal for even a small place.
Strange thing-when diesel hit $5 a gallon, it actually got harder out there to get grease. Depending on whatever deal the place cut with the dumspter folks, over the years some had to pay to get it removed-they just made their money on making the gooey stuff disapper.
Making biodiesel isnt cheap - $4 or so to make a profit. But all of a sudden it was cheaper than diesel! Fill-ur-up! Now the grease renders were able to sell the dumpster contents-they started cutting deals-paying 20 cents a gallon or more-biodiesel makers were paying good money for the stuff. Some people lost accounts they had for years to the renderers.
Funny thing-when diesel went back to $2.50, the demand for Bio D dropped like a rock (people only worry about saving the planet when the $ is right )
Contracts were reneged on left+ right from the renderers!

 

[rocketman]

1000 scientists debunk man made global warming:

http://cds024.sj1.hwcdn.net:80/g9z6...d4890&dopsig=efb1ee04e6af3072737d8d4608e25ec9

 

[mick]

gasoline is sold in a global marketplace and is priced by whatever it's
users will bear.
there are no excess supplies of oil as there once was; no oil producing
countries or nationalized sytems (opec) has the ability to set prices, as was
once the case in the 70's........demand now keeps pace with supply.
the only way we will ever see a significant decrease in gasoline prices is
a sharp decline in demand.
the US has enjoyed the lowest prices yet consuming the most, but our
falling dollar has a direct effect on escalating prices at the pump.

 

[Smiley]

gasoline is sold in a global marketplace and is priced by whatever it's
users will bear.
there are no excess supplies of oil as there once was; no oil producing
countries or nationalized sytems (opec) has the ability to set prices, as was
once the case in the 70's........demand now keeps pace with supply.
the only way we will ever see a significant decrease in gasoline prices is
a sharp decline in demand.
the US has enjoyed the lowest prices yet consuming the most, but our
falling dollar has a direct effect on escalating prices at the pump.

I won't question your highest consumption thoughts, but we are definitely not the lowest price. Most oil producing countries charge their citizens less. I believe that over half of our prices are taxes (local and federal).

CNN/Money: Global gas prices

Cost in USD per US Gallon:
Saudi Arabia Riyadh $0.91
Kuwait Kuwait City $0.78
Egypt Cairo $0.65
Nigeria Lagos $0.38
Venezuela Caracas $0.12

Edit: my bad, that was 2005, these are more recent...
World Gas Prices By Country | Gasoline Petrol Price & Hybrid Sales

United States * $2.62 * 02/15/2010
Ukraine * $2.48 * 02/19/2008
Trinidad * $2.42 * 10/26/2008
Guatemala * $2.42 * 04/14/2009
Burma * $2.27 * 11/21/2008
Guyana * $2.27 * 02/14/2009
Indonesia * $2.23 * 07/16/2009
Mexico * $2.12 * 07/13/2009
Malaysia * $2.04 * 09/01/2009
Ecuador * $2.01 * 09/03/2009
Nigeria * $1.67 * 12/25/2009
Iran * $1.51 * 06/28/2009
Egypt * $1.21 * 05/06/2008
Oman * $1.17 * 02/28/2007
Kuwait * $0.87 * 09/06/2006
Turkmenistan * $0.83 * 02/18/2008
Algeria * $0.79 * 12/15/2009
Saudi Arabia * $0.61 * 07/31/2008
Libya * $0.57 * 06/01/2008
Venezuela * $0.19 * 03/20/2009

 

[mick]

i stand corrected.
some countries on your list do subsidize energy, so the low prices are
directly effected by gov't. intervention.

 

[Smiley]

i stand corrected.
some countries on your list do subsidize energy, so the low prices are
directly effected by gov't. intervention.

Can't really day though that I would care to live in any of them for the discount on gas!!

 

[yoda]

Speculators on the move again folks... Price at the pump here in Tucson up 20 cents in a week..

No recent natural disasters, no additional incidents going on in the Gulf (either one)- only thing I can see happening is the additional use of heating oil in the Northeast because of the weather, and a few connected folks seeing the ability to start gouging the American public for a few more dollars in stock profits by driving up the cost of a barrel artificially so they can pad their bank accounts with a bit more insulation while some other folks decide if they can afford to run the heater for maybe 20 days this month....