Race Gas - Fuel 101

One of the most common threads running across all classes of motor racing is that we all need fuel. It does not matter if the fuel is gasoline purchased from the corner gas station, gasoline developed for racing engines, or even alcohol-fuel is a common thread.

As racers, we need to be careful about how we get our fuel to the track. We must remember that we are dealing with a very energy-rich substance. Gasoline and alcohol are, first and foremost, fuels. As such, we need to exercise a respectful amount of care when handling and storing these fuels.

The first thing we need to do is transport fuel only in containers that were designed to carry it, and it should be kept in a well-ventilated area. If you store your fuel containers in your trailer, you need to make sure there is enough airflow even when at rest so there is not a build-up of vapors. If all you smell is gasoline when you enter your trailer, it may be time to look into installing some vents. Don't turn it into a combustion chamber.

Just as you spend money on safety equipment such as helmets and harnesses, you need to think about safety equipment for fire prevention. You should have at least two easily accessible fire extinguishers in your trailer, and it is also a good idea to have a fire extinguisher readily available in your pit spot.

For the purposes of this discourse, we really need to concentrate on the "hows" more than the "whats" involved with fuel. If there is a demand, I will be more than happy to develop a full-blown story about the manufacture of racing gasoline, the role and the specific chemical nature of fuel, how it is blended and manufactured for racing applications, and why these requirements are different from highway gasoline. For now, the more important issues are not the chemistry that makes up the fuel, but the development of the processes and methods we apply to select the fuel we use. After selecting a fuel, we need to understand the correct way to store, transport, and handle it.

There is not a class in racing, at least none that I am aware of, that does not have some very specific rules that surround the fuels used to power its vehicles. Even Top Fuel drag racing has specific rules for the content and make of the fuel used in those engines. The classes at the local dirt track may have a spec fuel that you have to run, which makes the selection process easy for the racer. If you are in a class that is designed around gasoline and the fuel used must be gasoline, the selection processes are a bit more difficult.

The term gasoline is a very generic term that the rule makers intended to be very specific. There is a plethora of fuels that can be classified as gasoline. For example, the fuel used in F1 racing is called gasoline, but try to buy some. It would be easier to get a date with Jessica Simpson for next Saturday night than to purchase 20 gallons of gasoline that the Ferrari F1 team uses.

As local racers, we need to be more concerned with the type of fuel we need rather than the type of fuel we think we need or want. If you are racing in a Hobby Stock or a Bomber class and using a slightly modified or very stock engine, buying a special racing fuel would be a waste of your money. In fact, it might even slow down the car. If the engine you are running has a compression ratio that is less than 10:1, the gas available at the local corner gas station will be more than adequate. There is no need to spend nearly double on racing gasoline.

For the purposes of illustration, let's say that you race in a Hobby Stock class at the local dirt track. Your race car has an engine that has its origin in a mid- to late-'70s pickup. The rules disallow aluminum intake manifolds, so that means you are using a stock cast-iron four-barrel intake manifold. Instead of using the good performance iron heads available, you have some truck heads. No port work is allowed, and you have to use flat-top pistons. You have installed a more aggressive camshaft and upgraded the ignition. You are not allowed to use headers, so you are using the stock cast-iron exhaust manifolds. The remainder of the exhaust system is routed into a collector that exits on the left side of the car. You may have milled the heads, but the compression ratio is still less than 9:1

Given those parameters, what kind of gas do you need to use? Based on the formula described, which is for a textbook entry-level racer, using pump gas from the local station on the way to the track will be more than sufficient for that engine combination. This engine is not a candidate for racing fuel. Save your money and spend the difference on tires.