New Speed World Challenge Rules Allow BioDiesel Entries for 2007

When the start lights went out on Friday's SCCA SPEED Touring Car race at Sebring International Raceway, Jim Osborn, of Ooltewah, N.J., rocketed away from the starting grid in the world's first biodiesel racecar.

Osborn's team, Chili Pepper Racing, recently announced it would run its No. 24 Volkswagen Jetta on diesel fuel for the entire 2007 SPEED Touring Car season, but the announcement today that the team has successfully made the move to biodiesel, has catapulted them from conscientious racers to world leaders.

Following in the footsteps of Audi's diesel racing success and the adoption of Ethanol by both ALMS and the Indy Racing League, Jim Osborn couldn't have picked a better time or place to lead motorsports into the next generation of energy efficient racing. The SPEED World Challenge is a production-based car series and Osborn's Jetta isn't much different from those on showroom floors across the country. Osborn hopes his performance at the internationally famous Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring event, will inspire consumers everywhere to explore the possibilities of alternative fuels in their own cars.


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AMGC55 - 3/20/2007 1:14:21 PM

-1 Boost

wheres the lexus hybrid race cars?? right lexus fans....haha

chewy - 3/20/2007 1:14:50 PM

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Good. Bio diesel is nearly 4 times better than bio ethanol. Bio ethanol provides only 25% more energy than required to make it (farming, fertelizer, production, other) Bio diesel on the other hand created 93% more energy than you put into it. Basically it almost doubles the energy that you put int. Like putting 1 dollar into a vending machine and getting 1.93 dollars back.

budfrogS4 - 3/20/2007 1:37:32 PM

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Actually, the 25% net energy gain is somewhat outdated data. Newer farming and processing technologies have increased the net energy gain to a whopping 34%. However, the same source reports a net energy gain of 220% for biodiesel...ie 6.5 times better than bioethanol.

One day, Chewy, people will listen...one day.

chewy - 3/20/2007 2:13:40 PM

+1 Boost

I think it varies based on studies. Heck, ethanol might do even a bit better if it wasn't made from corn. Corn is likely to be one of the worst crops to make ethanol out of, but those corn lobby people won't say that. Still, biodiesel is much better.