Power output and usage in racing
E85 has been repeatedly shown to produce more power than a comparable gasoline fuel, especially in engines that need high octane fuels to avoid early detonation.[3] Researchers working on the equivalent of E85 fuel for general aviation aircraft AGE-85 have seen the same results with an aircraft engine jumping from 600 hp on conventional 100LL AV gas to 650 hp on the AGE-85. Recorded power increases range from 5% to 9% depending on the engine. [4][5]
Due to pressure to remove leaded fuel even from racing environments, several racing organizations are looking at ethanol or E85 fuels as suitable alternative fuels for high performance race engines.
In 2007, the Swedish Touring Car Championship, STCC, will have cars running on E85.
In Swedish rallying, as of 2006, approx. 30% of competitors were running their rally cars on E85. There is also a rally cup (Ford Flexifuel Cup) using Ford Fiestas in Gr. N, which started in 2006.
In 2006, the National Street Car Association is adopting E85 as an approved fuel for both their American Muscle Car and Street Machine (racing class) eliminator racing classes.
The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) currently allows ethanol as an approved fuel in several of its racing classes. NHRA approved ethanol is allowed in their bracket classes, Hotrod, Modified, ProFWD, and ProRWD classes to name some of the more popular. At this time NHRA has not announced any plans to include E85 as an approved fuel in the classes that are currently limited to "pump fuels".
The Indy Racing League moved to ethanol based fuels in 2006, with a 10% ethanol 90% methanol fuel blend, before switching to a 98% ethanol 2% gasoline fuel in the 2007 IndyCar Series racing season.
General Motors Performance Division's GM Student Cobalt driven by Mark Dickens went 172.680 mph at Bonneville Speed Weeks August 2006, setting a new record for G/FCC class on E85 fuel. This run broke a 19-year-old record of 152.626 mph set by Doc Jeffries in 1987. [6]
There is much discussion of NASCAR also making the switch to an ethanol based fuel in the future. During selected 2006 Craftsman Truck Series races, the Chevrolet Silverado pace truck, such as the one in the GM Flex-Fuel 250, will be fueled by E85, and a marketing campaign with Morgan-Dollar Motorsports resulted in one of their trucks' numbers changed to #85 to promote E85 fuel such as the one used in the pace truck.
In 2006, Shell announced V8 Supercar will use Shell Optimax Extreme, a premium unleaded fuel blended with five percent ethanol.
Interest in E85 is high enough that there are now competitions for engine builders to develop winning combinations for both power and fuel economy on this fuel. One such competition is sponsored by the AERA Engine Builders Association.
