GM executive, others urge NASCAR to switch to Ethanol

[Ming]

GM executive, others urge NASCAR to explore renewable fuels



DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- While working for General Motors in Brazil in the 1990s, Brent Dewar got a firsthand look at the country's successful switch from an oil-based economy to ethanol.

Dewar wants to see the same thing happen in the United States, and he thinks NASCAR can help. He's lobbying officials to consider a switch from gasoline to ethanol."We would embrace it," said Dewar, GM's vice president of field sales, service and parts. "We think it would be great on a lot of fronts, because obviously it would send a signal to the public.

A lot of people don't understand the benefits of ethanol."Other racing series already are embracing renewable fuels. Beginning this season, the Indy Racing League's IndyCar Series will race on 100 percent ethanol. And the American LeMans Series will race on a 10 percent ethanol blend.Now, Dewar and others in the garage said they believe NASCAR should explore alternative fuels; and no, not the kind Michael Waltrip was caught with in Daytona.

"Without a doubt, I think we should look into it," driver Jeff Burton said. "Although our impact on environmental issues is probably very, very small from an actual use standpoint, from a marketing standpoint, we could have a major impact."Driver Kyle Petty says NASCAR's marketing horsepower might drive alternative fuels into the mainstream, helping consumers get over the image of hippies tinkering with their 1980s Mercedes to make them run on vegetable oil.

"I think once you start seeing alternative fuels show up in places like racing and places where you least expect them, then you don't think about that guy with the Volkswagen van that runs off of whatever," Petty said.

NASCAR is taking one step in the direction of environmental responsibility by getting the lead out, catching up with a change most consumers made in the 1980s by switching from leaded to unleaded fuel.

NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said officials are willing to consider renewable fuels, too."In terms of looking at the next step, obviously we're open to options," Poston said.

Petty figures the whole country will switch to renewable fuels at some point, so it makes sense for NASCAR and its official fuel supplier, Sunoco, to lead the way."You would like to think that they would take a leading role in it, especially through Sunoco's involvement," Petty said. "Because I know Sunoco's taken a huge step in that direction."
NASCAR teams also would have to modify their cars to run on ethanol, but Dewar said the switch wouldn't be a "major investment." And he said it ultimately would be worth the hassle.

GM and other car companies sell "flex fuel" passenger vehicles that run on gasoline or E85, an 85 percent ethanol/15 percent gasoline blend. But E85 isn't widely distributed in the U.S.

In Brazil, gas stations carry regular gasoline and 100 percent ethanol. Most of the country's cars can run on either fuel. Given fluctuations in fuel prices, Brazilian consumers must make an informed choice every time they fill up. Dewar said gasoline is about 20 percent more efficient than ethanol. So if ethanol is more than 20 percent cheaper than gasoline, ethanol makes economic sense, as well as environmental sense.

Dewar was in Brazil in December and said ethanol was 50 percent cheaper than gasoline.Technological innovations also could drive down the price of ethanol, he said. Today, most ethanol in the U.S. is made from corn. In Brazil, ethanol is made from sugar cane. Some research indicates certain kinds of grass and even wood chips might be better suited to making ethanol. Researchers also are working to develop enzymes, Dewar said, that break down waste products into ethanol. In five years, Dewar expects cars to literally run on recycled garbage.

Source: http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.a...20362&nav=0Rce

[red_xtreme95]

that sounds like a good idea

[F@#$IMPORTS]

It would make things tougher with the poor fuel milage.

[spaz]

the nextel cup series is going to run unleaded fuel for the first time this weekend.

[jbernie]

Originally Posted by F@#$IMPORTS

It would make things tougher with the poor fuel milage.

That depends, Saab is introducing bio-fuel vehicles into Australia even though the fuel really doesn't exist there, when running on the bio fuels they get a pretty good boost in HP.

Also with the fuel being renewable and as more and more things can be used to create the fuel (not just corn) the more fuel that can be generated. Also don't under estimate the desire of the American people to not send their money to the middle east. Maybe brazil can start exporting some fuel to the USA and we can help their economy?

The biggest problem with getting E85 to take hold is the number of vehicles that support the fuel. If every main stream manufacturer makes every mainstream model E85 capable then the potential market will increase very quickly.... hopefully at about 75% of the consumer sales market every year. In 5 years you have a pretty sizable market to go to.

[LAMRONH]

It would probably rev up the pit crews, with maybe a 50% increase in fuel stops.
Don't know that this is the type of publicity that ethanol needs, but progress marches on anyway.

[symbioted]

I've seen a report on Daily Planet about the IRL and they said the 100% ethanol (really 98%E 2%fuel) is giving them better mileage, they switched from a 33gal to a 22gal tank. They also said the cars were more powerful.

[escaladelover]

Thank God NASCAR is going Ethanol, I Truly believe that it is time.

[ChevyPV]

Originally Posted by LAMRONH

It would probably rev up the pit crews, with maybe a 50% increase in fuel stops.
Don't know that this is the type of publicity that ethanol needs, but progress marches on anyway.

It wouldn't be anywhere near a 50% increase, maybe 20%, and they could just give them back their 22 gallon tanks at the big tracks, and give them a 25 gallon tank at a short track. I know theres room there for an extra 3 or 4 gallons, it would just come off of the weight they have to add to the car.

[Ming]

Wow, the Daily Planet is real?

Originally Posted by symbioted

I've seen a report on Daily Planet about the IRL and they said the 100% ethanol (really 98%E 2%fuel) is giving them better mileage, they switched from a 33gal to a 22gal tank. They also said the cars were more powerful.

[gardnet1]

This would be great because then toyoduh would have to leave NASCAR or buy engines from GM+C or Ford

[nadepalma]

Originally Posted by spaz

the nextel cup series is going to run unleaded fuel for the first time this weekend.

Holy CRAP, they're still using leaded gasoline up to this point?

You know, I see the old reasons for keeping things old school. It used to be that the reason was so that NASCAR was "affordable" --- but that isn't the case anymore. I remember reading a article that said it has gotten so expensive to race in the US that we need to go back to a bare-bones series that you could get into for under $200K and race competitively. It's certainly an interesting idea.

So now unleaded fuels? Before you know it there might be OHCs and then we'll really see stuff change!

[chakis24]

i could see a switch possibly next season or the year after that, but not midseason. theyre just switching to unleaded now, another switch would be at least a year or two away.

[Slowrider5]

Originally Posted by symbioted

I've seen a report on Daily Planet about the IRL and they said the 100% ethanol (really 98%E 2%fuel) is giving them better mileage, they switched from a 33gal to a 22gal tank. They also said the cars were more powerful.

It doesn't surprise me at all to see that. I'm not going to claim to be an expert, but basically it comes down to race engines are totally different animals. Part of the reason for poorer fuel economy in normal cars is due to the high-octane rating of ethanol (isn't e85 like 115 octane?). Generally speaking, the higher octane fuel generally requires more energy to ignite. In a normal car, that means you have to use more higher-octane fuel to get the same amount of output as regular gas (87 octane). In racing, we're talking high-compression engines that are specifically designed to use high-octane fuel. They would probably barely run on regular gas due to early detonation.

[spaz]

and remember nascar has a contract with Sunoco as their officia fuel supplier, so it would have to be Sunono cooking up the ethanol. It would be pretty unlikey since they've been promoting their new unleaded 260GTX unleaded 104 octane racing fuel at nearly all NASCAR sanctioned tracks across the country (including the local saturday night bullrings)
http://www.aaoil.co.uk/pdfs/SUNOCO%2...X%20290906.pdf