Will Alcohol have to replace racing gas?

[rocketman]

Although most of us here knows that CO2 is a harmless gas (we exhale it for Pete's sake) My guess is if NHRA is going survive this latest EPA ruling backed up by the Supreme Court, all cars now running on racing gas will have to switch to alcohol if racing is going to even survive at all. And that likely will be the least of our problems.

 

[Larry]

Your Right Rich even though racing is such an insignificant part of polluting the atmosphere .

It might just be the final nail as support is just evaporating while costs continue to escalate .

 

[yoda]

Good thing alky is cheaper than race gas....

 

[rocketman]

I don't think a switch is a bad thing and Canada is already facing this choice. It would be better for NHRA to get ahead of it rather than fight it with an all or nothing attitude. Any racing engine can be converted to run on methanol. To say racing has to die because of a ban on racing gasoline like in Canada is wrong.

The whole climate change is Bull I know, but it's what the sport needs to do in order to stay alive. At least we have alternative fuel that is available to us. What may be worse is all the companies that won't survive this and a bigger decline in sponsors.

 

[turbo ken]

Quite a few bracket racers have been trying, and or switching over to E-85, I'm going to run either E-85, or methanol in my altered.

 

[Toejam]

Lets see what happens to Nascar first, if the Government doesn't go after Nascar over this they certainly won't waste time on Drag racing!

 

[Speed1288]

Most bracket dragsters run on alcohol I know that, mine will overheat if we run anything else

 

[Rajunz]

Racers are survivors, and extremely resourceful people.

 

[DG]

Nitrous Oxide in the atmosphere is also being seriously looked at by the EPA. Look out for over zealous legislation!

DG

 

[DrRocket]

Because of various power mods my son made to his car, ('90 Eclipse with an engine on steroids, still being street driven.) including a tubocharger with a lot more capacity than stock, and a custom engine management computer, my son made the switch to E-85 a year ago. He's had no problems with it at all. He tried a couple of tanks of racing gas, and got better results with the E-85.

 

[Toejam]

Because of various power mods my son made to his car, ('90 Eclipse with an engine on steroids, still being street driven.) including a tubocharger with a lot more capacity than stock, and a custom engine management computer, my son made the switch to E-85 a year ago. He's had no problems with it at all. He tried a couple of tanks of racing gas, and got better results with the E-85.

Bet he gets terrible gas mileage even with easy driving. My brother has an '09 Chevy Impala Flexfuel, and he tried E85 once and his mileage went from 18-20 down to 13-14! He never ran it again!

 

[Fast Al]

And what about all the fine rubber particulates that roll off the tires during a burn-out, not to mention the vapors released into the atmosphere when the track is sprayed with VHT (traction compound) over and over, and what about, and what about-----------ad nausea!!!

 

[yoda]

Back to the caves for all of us... Sticks and stones for all

Oh wait....

 

[d'kid]

Back to the caves for all of us... Sticks and stones for all

Oh wait....

Depends on which stones album....
not to wacked about Styks....

and you know me, Alcohol in any form beats Gas any day...

d'kid

 

[Sean D, shondoo]

Quite a few bracket racers have been trying, and or switching over to E-85, I'm going to run either E-85, or methanol in my altered.

We made the switch to E-85 this year in my Pop's S/G car, and outside of some initial drive-ability issues that were handled with a base plate modification nobody knew needed done, the car ran great.

Oh yeah, it's a fraction of the cost of C-14 with only 30% more usage.

Sean D

 

[Toejam]

We made the switch to E-85 this year in my Pop's S/G car, and outside of some initial drive-ability issues that were handled with a base plate modification nobody knew needed done, the car ran great.

Oh yeah, it's a fraction of the cost of C-14 with only 30% more usage.

Sean D

From that aspect E85 must be a HUGE cost savings over Racing Fuel! Racers may end up voting for E85 with their wallets!

 

[Super Mod]

I think there could be some major problems in Pro Stock and Comp if this comes to pass. Wonder what the VP people are thinking?

 

[sdwarf36]

Depends on which stones album....
not to wacked about Styks....

and you know me, Alcohol in any form beats Gas any day...

d'kid

You win-laugh of the day!

 

[rocketman]

Pro Stock will have an even playing field won't they?

 

[Sean D, shondoo]

From that aspect E85 must be a HUGE cost savings over Racing Fuel! Racers may end up voting for E85 with their wallets!

You're absolutely right, Joe. I haven't checked the price of the C-14 lately, but when my Dad decided to make the switch, it was quite a bit more than the 30% increase in usage. At that rate, it will pay back the $400 - $500 changeover pretty quickly. I was also surprised at how much cooler the car ran. Granted, we didn't get a chance to run it in super hot conditions, but it was still fairly warm out and we never got the car to 200°, which I really liked from a drive-ability standpoint.

As for what the folks at VP must be thinking, all I can say is that if it continues to pan out like it has and word gets out, they had better come up with a cost-effective alternative in a hurry.

Sean D