IndyCar Makes Switch to Ethanol

Washington Post ^ | March 21, 2007 | Liz Clarke

[thackney]

When Ray Harroun won the inaugural Indianapolis 500, he roared across the finish line in a 1911 Marmon Wasp that was believed to have been the first car with a rear-view mirror.

On Saturday, Indy-style racecars once again will attempt to point the way for mass-produced passenger cars, staging the first automobile race run on 100 percent field-grade ethanol. The IndyCar series plans to run its entire 17-race 2007 season, which kicks off at Homestead-Miami Speedway, using ethanol, making it the first series in motorsports to compete on a renewable fuel.

To mark the milestone, Indy Racing League President Tony George and driver Jeff Simmons (who pilots the No. 17 racecar sponsored by Team Ethanol) will join Indiana senators Evan Bayh (D) and Richard G. Lugar (R) at the Capitol today for a round of handshakes, photographs and interviews.

"This shows average Americans what they can do to help meet the energy challenge our country faces, and it makes the point in a way a politician never could," Bayh said in a telephone interview yesterday. "If a racecar going 220 miles an hour can be powered by 100 percent ethanol, the family car can be, too."

The open-wheel Indy cars have run on methanol since the late 1960s. The two fuels share many qualities; both are alcohol-based and have a higher octane rating than unleaded gasoline. But methanol is made from natural gas, a nonrenewable fossil fuel, while ethanol is a renewable fuel made from agricultural products such as corn.

Moreover, there's no performance drop-off with ethanol, according to Simmons, who used the fuel in his racecar last season, as well. Simmons says that his racecar, powered by a Honda V-8 engine, actually accelerates better with ethanol. It also gets better fuel mileage, which has enabled the Indy Racing League...

[thackney]

Note this is a change from methanol to ethanol, not from gasoline.

[cpdiii]

Note this is a change from methanol to ethanol, not from gasoline.

Correct! They are doing this because both will support extremely high compression ratios. It does not have a damn thing to do with the environment. If horse piss would support a compression ratio higher than ethanol and also burn they would use horse piss;

[biff]

The real reason is the "ethanol association' or whatever it is called coughed up the money to Tony George(owner of the Indianapolis speedway and the Indy Racing League)for the changeover. Sponsorship, sponsorship, sponsorship.......show me the money. It has nothing to do with renewable resources, efficiency, or environmentalism.

[mikeybaby]

George has almost single-handedly screwed up open wheel racing. OE support (engines) waning, customer counts (crowds) down, teams going broke.
Living in Indy for fifteen years, I have seen auctions for IRL teams for the first time in memory.
I wouldn't walk across the street to p*ss in his mouth if his teeth were on fire.

More money for the NASCAR guys, I guess.

[leadhead]

Hope it works better than in my outboard. The 15% ethanol stuff is leaving crystal of something in the carb after every hour of running.

[JoeGar]

"If a racecar going 220 miles an hour can be powered by 100 percent ethanol, the family car can be, too."

Only if we convert our entire food crop to ethanol production.

[libertylover]

If a racecar going 220 miles an hour can be powered by 100 percent ethanol, the family car can be, too.

Yeah, but the family car's engine doesn't get torn down and rebuilt every 500 miles.

I tried ethanol back in the '70s and the car ran awful, just awful. However, with my newer computer controlled fuel injection cars I'd be willing to try it again if it were available in my area.

[nascarnation]

Wow I didn't know Robin Miller was on FR........

[biff]

Thems fight'n words nascarnation! After all a little fight'n might do nascar some good just like the WWF. They are cousins, ya know?
Nascar seems to have a real bad problem with debris on the track now days, especially with 10 laps to go when Jimmy Johnson, Jeffy Gordon, or Jr. are in the lead. They just gotta learn to keep the hot dog wrappers off turn 3 with 10 to go.

[thackney]

They are doing this because both will support extremely high compression ratios.

Methanol was brought to Indy Car racing primarily due to fire safety. A seven-car crash on the second lap of the 1964 Indianapolis 500 resulted in USAC's decision to mandate methanol. Eddie Sachs and Dave MacDonald died in the crash when their gasoline-fueled cars exploded. The gasoline-triggered fire created a dangerous cloud of thick black smoke, which completely blocked the view of the track for oncoming cars. Johnny Rutherford, one of the other drivers involved, drove a methanol-fueled car which also leaked following the crash. While this car burned from the impact of the first fireball, it formed a much lesser inferno than the gasoline cars, and one that burned invisible. That testimony and pressure from the Indianapolis Star writer George Moore, led to the 1965 alcohol fuel mandate. Both methanol and ethanol burn at lower temperatures than gasoline, and both are less volatile, reducing the risk of explosion or flash fire. Both ethanol and methanol contain less energy per gallon.

[ApplegateRanch]

George has almost single-handedly screwed up open wheel racing...
I wouldn't walk across the street to p*ss in his mouth if his teeth were on fire.

Careful, now; some may think you're unAmerican, since it was the 1776 Model George who supposedly had the flammable choppers.

Other than that, behind you 100%.