Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) Executive Director Tom Slunecka made the announcement at a press conference today announcing the 2007 lineup for the Rahal/Letterman racing team. Jeff Simmons will again drive the No. 17 Team Ethanol car. He took over last season for Paul Dana, who died in a March accident at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Simmons will team with IndyCar veteran Scott Sharp.
Renova Energy is the parent company for Wyoming Ethanol LLC, a 12 MMgy plant in Torrington, Wyo. The company is also planning to open a 20 MMgy plant next fall in Heyburn, Idaho, according to EPIC.
IndyCar used a blend of 90 percent methanol and 10 percent methanol in 2006. The Indy Racing League (IRL) and Honda have been testing 100 percent ethanol in Honda’s 3.5-liter V-8 engines. Honda is the IRL’s sole engine provider this season. “Tests so far on 100 percent ethanol have gone very well,” said Bobby Rahal, part owner of the Rahal/Letterman team.
Article Continues After Advertisement
IRL previously used Honda’s 3-liter engines. Les Mactaggart, IRL’s senior technical advisor, said the switch wasn’t due to ethanol. The move is aimed at increasing the amount of torque because of IRL’s decision to add more road courses. “We needed a more adaptable engine,” Mactaggart said.
The new engines will operate in excess of 630 horsepower. Mactaggart said testing has gone well and has required few technical changes. “It’s been an almost seamless transition,” he told EthanolProducer.com.
The biggest changes were as a result of ethanol burning hotter than methanol and ethanol’s ability to provide better fuel mileage, Mactaggart said. Methanol provided 2.2 miles per gallon (mpg), while ethanol is testing at slightly more than 3 mpg.
The increase in fuel mileage may have created the biggest hurdle, if only because it required modifying the vehicle to retain the typical pit stop schedule during races. Fuel tank sizes were reduced to maintain the same refueling windows.
The reduction in fuel is expected to improve the vehicle’s handling consistency, since there is less of a weight reduction as the tank empties, Mactaggart said.
Ethanol is also expected to be safer to handle compared to methanol. The ethanol will have a 2 percent denaturant, which will allow the flames to be seen in case of an open fire, Mactaggart said.
Another modification to the vehicle was an increase in air flow capacity to the cooling system. Ethanol burns hotter in IRL engines, requiring a 30 percent increase in heat rejection, Mactaggart said. The biggest challenge may be road courses, which don’t allow for the air velocity seen in oval track races.
Mactaggart stressed that the changes won’t be noticeable to spectators. “We look at these as adjustments more than challenges,” he said.
Slunecka told EthanolProducer.com that the IRL’s success with ethanol is stirring the interest of other major racing leagues. He said EPIC has been in contact with “every major racing league or series” to discuss ethanol since IRL made the switch last season. NASCAR recently announced it is switching from leaded gasoline to unleaded gasoline for the 2007 season.
Dave Nilles is Online Editor for Ethanol Producer Magazine. Reach him at dnilles@bbibiofuels.com or (701) 373-0636.
Posted: 2:38 p.m. CST Thursday, November 9, 2006
