Life in the fast, green lane

Since today's the 92nd running of the Indy 500 in my home town I felt this would be appropriate.

Racing is in my blood, although I never fulfilled my dream of being a drag racer, members of my family have had their fair share of time in the fast lane. My Grandma and Grandpa both raced Porsche's. My Grandpa actually still has two in his garage, a 911 and a 914. My dad also raced, not so legally. He crashed his dad's Porsche into a telephone pole when he was 19 and broke his back, doctors said he shouldn't be alive. Plus, I do live in racing central. But enough about that, just wanted to establish where my love of racing comes from....

The more important issue about this year's Indy 500 is its use of ethanol. The Corvette pace-car this year was run on E85, and the Indy cars themselves use ethanol. Ethanol first came to the Brickyard in 2006 but this is the first year that every car in the race, including the pace cars and show vehicles have been run on alternative fuel.
In fact, the change to ethanol may be one of the smartest yet, Ethanol (and Rahal Letterman Racing) spokesman Eric Mauk said that the transition to ethanol is a resounding success as far as the competitors are concerned: "We haven't had an engine failure (due to ethanol), we are getting better gas mileage so the fuel tanks are smaller, lightening up the cars. At 113 octane -- it was only 107 with the methanol -- that extra octane gives you better response on the road courses. You're quicker off and on the throttle, meaning better lap times on the road courses." So, not only is it better for the environment, but better for the sport. The transition has had another significant impact, making racing fans out of environmentalists and causing racing fans to promote the former "evil" of environment friendly fuels.
Now if that isn't progress I don't know what is.
Right now my man Scott Dixon is STILL leading and all the girls are out, but anyways, happy racing!!