Fuel additives are technically banned by the CCR, but the ability to use any "commercially available" gasoline or E85 really undermines that. So, I can't just add whatever I want to my fuel, but I can still buy fuel from a distributor who has done that for me. VP Racing SR1 fuel would be one example... it's only 91 octane and is designed around SCCA fuel rules so that it "produces more power than any other fuel that has to meet these rules".

NASA's CCR does not have those restrictions, so we could even have people going further and using their more aggressive blends. The NASA Spec Miata rules have been changed to keep this under control... I think we should copy them.

"12.8 Fuel (Effective October 1, 2008)
Fuel usage is restricted to unleaded gasoline commonly found at retail pumping stations (Shell,
Chevron, Citgo, etc.). Octane is limited to a maximum of 93 (R+M)/2 as labeled on the pump.
Race fuels such as, but not limited to, ERC brand are prohibited. All fuel additives are illegal, per
the CCR. Note- event supplemental rules supersede this section."


We can really learn a lot from Spec Miata, for this issue, as well as others. As our class continues to become larger and more successful, we're going to have more people looking for an edge and we need to keep that reasonably under control. I don't have any reason to believe that anyone is cheating, but there certainly are ways to get more out of the rules than intended.

GaryM05 wrote:
[quote]Yeah, non-POG is a big problem in the Miata class – in addition to the HP issues, lots of those guys complain about the bio effects of driving behind somebody running non-pump gas (watery eyes, burning throat, etc. from the emissions of a car in front running non-POG.)

Is that why my eyes hurt on Sunday or is it the adult beverages from Saturday night!

944cer wrote:


Maybe we should ask what kind of secret racing gasoline Chuck used to start that fire we were playing with... I think we should require POG for cooking.

WooOOOOOO SHHH

Monitoring fuel is a real pain. It is easy to test specific gravity, color and oxygenation (pump gas is oxygenated) but anything else is high tech and will require expensive equiptment.

In Kart racing there is a spec fuel for each event or series. It is easy to monitor for color and gravity. Not really feasable for us.

My vote is to go with any fuel. The guys who will cheat will figure a way around any rule you make. Just the way it works IMO.

Charlie Buzzetti

Monitoring fuel could be required if needed. However it is pain and I have heard of guys in SM being DQed since they got fuel their local corner gas station not the one near the track so they fuels tested "different".

Seems like a realy pain to monitor and I rather not find more ways to DQ someone for stupid stuff. Now we have yet to see and issues with fuel. Some guys run race gas and other guys don't. I run 91 pump gas mostly from Costco pumps since it the cheapest around. The guys that toss in race gas are only fast when burning throught they wallets.

Also just because the Miata guys can run exotic fuels for 1 hp gain does not mean our motors will take to them. Now if someone wants to play around with these fuels and finds an edge.. Well then they screwed it up for all of us and we will clamp down. Till then I see no need to screw around with it.

BTW... If you want to convince me do the following.

Take a legal car and run it on dyno with pump gas. Then toss in your super exotic power gainer fuel. Compare the dyno runs. If the power curve shifts then show me the data and based on that you may have an argument.