NASCAR Official Fuel News
Fuel Prices hitting Race teams too: As gas prices soar across the country, the thought of paying $6.25 a gallon would make any consumer cringe. Yet that's what it costs in NASCAR, where race teams use a special Sunoco 260 GTX unleaded fuel to fill their cars. Although the gas is free -- part of Sunoco's agreement as NASCAR's official fuel supplier -- it doesn't mean car owners and drivers aren't feeling the pain at the pump. "It affects all of us, anybody that's in business," said car owner Richard Childress. "Getting our cars to the racetracks costs a ton in gas money for the haulers. Bringing our people to the tracks, the rising costs of jet fuel. It's very, very expensive to do what we're doing."
Childress, owner of a highly successful race team, isn't complaining. Nor are the drivers who pull in multimillion dollar salaries and don't flinch at $85 fill-ups on their luxury SUV's.
But no one in NASCAR is immune to the weakening economy and rising costs on fuel. Just because they can afford it, doesn't mean they aren't feeling the pinch. Under Sunoco's deal with NASCAR, teams are provided free fuel at any sanctioned test, practice or race for all three top divisions. A company spokeswoman said it's impossible to determine just how much fuel is used per weekend because of fluctuations in schedules, weather and the teams' practice times each week. When teams tested earlier this week at Lowe's Motor Speedway, their gas was once again free. But the good teams test a lot, traveling all over the South to facilities not sanctioned by NASCAR. Sunoco doesn't cover those all-day sessions, and a race team typically brings a 55-gallon drum of gas to get them through the test. Even so, there are critics who complain that NASCAR races are dipping into the national supply. But NASCAR officials claim the amount of fuel being used -- less than 175,000 gallons per year on the Sprint Cup Series -- doesn't come close to the 366 million gallons that Americans average in daily usage. So NASCAR has no current plans to shorten races, as it did in the early 1970s when OPEC hoarded oil to increase prices, causing long lines at the pumps.
But the pain is still felt away from the track, where teams have noticed a significant increase in transportation costs. From sending diesel-chugging haulers across the country to transport the race cars, to the exorbitant jump in jet fuel, costs are soaring in simply getting drivers, crews and equipment to each event. With diesel fuel now over $4.00 a gallon, and each hauler holding roughly 300 gallons, fill-ups now cost more than $1,200 for a truck that only gets between 4.5 and 7.5 miles per gallon. The real pinch, though, comes in jet fuel. Many team owners shuttling crew members, and drivers flying private planes on weekends, are considering cutting down on the luxuries. Many drivers own their own planes and use them for personal and professional travel. But at about $4.30 a gallon, Carl Edwards estimated it costs him $2,000 a trip to fill his airplane -- not worth it for a spur-of-the-moment vacation. Many also consider themselves lucky to be at the highest level of racing. Fuel isn't free outside of NASCAR, and as high as the ARCA level, teams are paying for gas to get to the track and once they get there.(in part from the Associated Press/ESPN)(5-8-2008) Comment here
Chevy pushing for alternative fuels in NASCAR: Chevrolet is continuing its effort to have NASCAR make alternative fuels a priority. “We’re pushing hard – we probably are the instigators a little bit,” Chevrolet Vice President Brett Dewar said during the Texas race weekend. “We believe in green racing, and we believe it is very appropriate to do that … We believe it’s time. We think racing can also be green, and we would like it to be biofuels.” NASCAR executives have indicated that alternative fuels are a priority. “They’re definitely receptive,” Dewar said about NASCAR. “They’ve got fuel providers, and it’s a transition, and I don’t want to mitigate the fact that some work has to get done. There’s modifications to the engines, but we do it to our vehicles today. … We have to reduce our dependency on petroleum products. We just have to. Economically we need to do it, and we’re willing to do it.” General Motors is building cars that can be run on alternative fuels as well as electric vehicles. Dewar said the chairman of General Motors has been among those who has talked with NASCAR officials about alternative fuels. Could that happen in two or three years? “It could be sooner if we all rode together and worked together,” Dewar said. “It’s just a matter of bringing each other [together]. We’re going to meet with them soon to see how their development is coming. but we’re invited to this party. We’re proud to be a member with them from the beginning, General Motors with NASCAR, and we’re very supportive of that. We have to make good decisions.”(SceneDaily)(4-17-2008) Comment here
What happened to NASCAR’s ethanol program? from a Tom Jensen column.... Great question. I [Jensen] spoke with NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp late Friday afternoon at Bristol Motor Speedway and he said NASCAR is deep into alternative-fuel research at its R&D center in Concord, N.C. But making the change requires an awful lot of input from teams, fuel suppliers, engine builders, etc., and NASCAR tries not to rush into these things. I think within the next couple of years, there will be some alternative fuel in NASCAR, but it’s not ready yet.(SPEEDtv.com)(3-16-2008)
NASCAR and alternative fuels? soon? NASCAR's Brian France, meeting here with General Motors’ Brent Dewar, that company’s top racing exec, may be cranking up the wick on an E-85 ethanol-gasoline fuel program. Dewar has been pushing NASCAR to go green, and switch Trucks, for example, to some ethanol-gasoline mix, which he said would be a good public-relations move for the sport. France said that NASCAR has begun a test-car program to see just what it would take to switch over. Ethanol is caustic to normal fuel lines, so different lines, probably Teflon-lined, would be needed, although the cost would be minimal. The problem would come with Sunoco, the sport’s official fuel supplier, which would obviously have to get on board with any E-85 options. Engine builders said that NASCAR officials have asked them for some information on how such a fuel would burn in a racing engine.(Winston Salem Journal)(11-13-2007)
Latest on the water in the fuel deal at Atlanta: NASCAR officials said Friday morning that water contamination that plagued several cars in last week’s Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway has been traced to a portable fuel dispenser. The cars of #11-Denny Hamlin, #22-Dave Blaney and #16-Greg Biffle were among those to suffer contamination from water in the fuel. Hamlin’s car stalled on a late-race restart that resulted in Martin Truex, Jr., who led the most laps in the race, crashing into Hamlin and out of contention. “Last week's issue with water in fuel during the Nextel Cup race has been investigated and pinpointed by NASCAR and Sunoco,” said NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp. “Our investigation confirms that the fuel was on spec and that the dispensers at Sunoco’s Atlanta track fueling station functioned correctly and was not the source of the contamination. “A failure did occur in a piece of portable dispensing equipment that is sometimes used to supplement the permanent pumps on busy race days. This failure allowed a small amount of water to be dispensed. Portable equipment has been used for many years without problem, and, in fact, this equipment functioned properly during the Craftsman race at Atlanta right before the Nextel Cup race.” According to Tharp, the offending device has been fixed. “Equipment modifications have been made to ensure that this will not happen in the future,” he said. “The portable equipment is not required for the fueling operation at Texas International Speedway this weekend and will not be used.”(SPEEDtv.com)(11-2-2007)
NASCAR studying how Hamlin, Blaney had water in fuel: MORE Denny Hamlin, who thought he had enough gas while leading when his car sputtered and didn't start with three laps remaining in the Pep Boys Auto 500, actually had water in his fuel cell at the time. Whether that caused him not to accelerate and get hit from behind by Martin Truex Jr. is uncertain, Joe Gibbs Racing Senior Vice President Jimmy Makar said Sunday night at Atlanta. But what is certain is that Hamlin and Bill Davis Racing's Dave Blaney had water in their fuel cells, and Roush Fenway Racing's Greg Biffle also might have had a similar situation. NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Director John Darby said that no water was found in the Sunoco pumps following the race. Darby said all of the Sunoco documentation from the weekend shows no water in the tanks.(SceneDaily.com)(10-28-2007)
UPDATE: Water found in the fuel tanks of cars driven by #11-Denny Hamlin and #22-Dave Blaney during Sunday's Nextel Cup race at Atlanta was not isolated to those teams, a NASCAR official said Monday. Water also was discovered in the fuel of the Penske Racing cars driven by #2-Kurt Busch and #12-Ryan Newman after returning to Charlotte, N.C. In addition, water was found in the fuel cell of all three Richard Childress racing team cars belonging to #29-Kevin Harvick, #07-Clint Bowyer and #31-Jeff Burton. #16-Greg Biffle believes his car may have had water in its fuel, although no evidence was found. NASCAR Nextel Cup Series director John Darby said the problem is more widespread than originally thought and that NASCAR has issued bulletins to all Cup and Truck Series teams to check for evidence of contamination so they can locate the source. Darby said everything from the underground fuel-holding tank at the track to the fuel trucks that deliver the gas to the individual gas cans are being analyzed. He said the underground tank is the least likely source because there is an alarm system located that can detect the slightest amount of contamination. Darby dismissed sabotage as a possible explanation, saying too many teams were affected for anyone to have been singled out.(ESPN.com)(10-30-2007)
Alternative fuel in NASCAR's future: NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France said earlier this week the sport is researching a move toward an alternative fuel. It is a high priority for the sport, though no timeline has been set as the research is not far along. However, teams will have to revamp their entire engine program with the introduction of a new fuel. Richie Gilmore, vice president of competition for DEI, estimated the change this year from leaded to unleaded fuel ran his company roughly $500,000 in research and development. France said there is no timeline for any change because there are "eight or nine different versions of what alternative fuels mean to people." One possibility is ethanol, which the IndyCar Series switched to this season.(Richmond Times Dispatch)(7-6-2007)
Sunoco still not happy: Sunoco is still upset about Shell's move into this sport (in which Sunoco is paying NASCAR for "official fuel" sponsorship rights) and is considering legal action against Shell to force it to take down all those Kevin Harvick banners at its 15,000 service stations.(Winston Salem Journal), Pennzoil/Shell sponsor's Harvick's #29 Richard Childress Chevy.(3-18-2007)
Harvick's Shell Logos to be scaled down UPDATE: #29-Kevin Harvick likely won't be wearing his Shell sponsorship logos quite so prominently this weekend at California Speedway. Harvick's team has been asked to utilize logos representing the Pennzoil automotive lubricant part of the company more prominently instead of the dominant Shell logo associated with the company's gasoline in an effort to play down any perceived competition with Sunoco, the official fuel of NASCAR. Sunoco has exclusive rights to the fuel category at a NASCAR track, and company officials raised the logo matter after Harvick won both the Busch and Nextel Cup series races wearing prominent Shell logos at Daytona International Speedway. As a result, Harvick will apparently be sporting smaller Shell logos at this weekend's events at California Speedway. "Obviously we've got a lot of partners and constituencies in the garage area that are important to the entire industry, and when these things come up we want to work through them as best we can," NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said Thursday morning.(SceneDaily.com)(2-22-2007)
UPDATE: #29-Kevin Harvick isn't the only participant to have a new racing uniform for the Auto Club 500 today at California Speedway. His crew has new uniforms, too. The crew uniform, which had the Shell logo as the prominent display on the front and back of the uniform and "Shell" down the pant leg, now has the word "Pennzoil" on the front and back in addition to the Shell logo and now has Pennzoil written down the pant leg. The new uniform is similar to the new one of Harvick's. According to NASCAR Vice President Steve O'Donnell, the Shell sponsorship is supposed to focus on the motor oil Pennzoil and not the gasoline so as not to interfere with official fuel supplier Sunoco's marketing agreement. Shell received incredible exposure with Harvick's Daytona 500 victory last week. NASCAR, which is responsible for enforcing Sunoco's exclusivity deal, required the change in the Richard Childress Racing team's uniforms as well as Harvick's helmet.(SceneDaily.com)(2-26-2007)
NASCAR being lobbied to consider Renewable Fuels: While working for General Motors in Brazil in the 1990s, Brent Dewar got a firsthand look at the country's successful switch from an oil-based economy to ethanol. Dewar wants to see the same thing happen in the United States, and he thinks NASCAR can help. He's lobbying officials to consider a switch from gasoline to ethanol. "We would embrace it," said Dewar, GM's vice president of field sales, service and parts. "We think it would be great on a lot of fronts, because obviously it would send a signal to the public. A lot of people don't understand the benefits of ethanol." Other racing series already are embracing renewable fuels. Beginning this season, the Indy Racing League's IndyCar Series will race on 100% ethanol. And the American LeMans Series will race on a 10% ethanol blend. Now, Dewar and others in the garage said they believe NASCAR should explore alternative fuels. NASCAR is taking one step in the direction of environmental responsibility by getting the lead out, catching up with a change most consumers made in the 1980s by switching from leaded to unleaded fuel. NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said officials are willing to consider renewable fuels, too. "In terms of looking at the next step, obviously we're open to options," Poston said. NASCAR teams also would have to modify their cars to run on ethanol, but Dewar said the switch wouldn't be a "major investment." And he said it ultimately would be worth the hassle. Still, even proponents don't portray ethanol as a magic wand. Despite its benefits - it's renewable, can provide a slight performance advantage, isn't imported from politically volatile countries and burns cleaner - ethanol isn't as efficient as gasoline. Although today's cars can run on 90% gasoline/10% ethanol blends, cars have to be specially equipped to run on heavier blends of ethanol. GM and other car companies sell "flex fuel" passenger vehicles that run on gasoline or E85, an 85% ethanol/15% gasoline blend. But E85 isn't widely distributed in the U.S.(Associated Press)(2-22-2007)
Nextel Cup going to unleaded fuel in 2007: NASCAR will make the transition to unleaded fuel one year earlier than previously announced as it plans to have all three series run almost the entire 2007 season on unleaded fuel. The lone exception, involving the Nextel Cup Series, will be the season-opening Daytona 500. Crew chiefs said Friday at Martinsville Speedway they were informed of the decision this week, and a NASCAR official confirmed the move.(SceneDaily.com)(10-21-2006)
Small Fuel Cells done at LMS; 17 gallons in 2007?: NASCAR Vice President of Corporate Communications Jim Hunter said after the Bank of America 500 [at Lowe's Motor Speedway] that NASCAR will no longer mandate the 14-gallon fuel cells used in the last two races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in place of the normal 22-gallon cells. The smaller cells are designed to force teams to pit every 35 to 40 laps, which in turn reduces the possibility of right-front tire failure.(SpeedTV.com), supposedly a 17 gallon fuel cell will be used at all races in 2007.(10-15-2006)
Fuel Cells at LMS smaller: Nextel Cup teams again will use the 13.8-gallon fuel cell this weekend at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The cells, which hold about eight gallons less than normal fuel cells, were used there in May because of tire concerns with the repaved track. A smaller fuel cell means fewer laps between pit stops and more chances to change tires.(Roanoke Times)(10-12-2006)
NASCAR Pleased with Unleaded Fuel Test so far: NASCAR officials were pleased Monday with their first test of unleaded fuel and remain on schedule to have the gas in all of its series by 2007. The unleaded gasoline was used in Saturday night's Busch Series race in St. Louis, the first of a four-week test run of the fuel. NASCAR competition director Robin Pemberton said there were no major problems reported after the race. "A lot of the engine builders shared information with our inspectors and there weren't any issues," Pemberton said. "You might have seen some extra wear and tear on some internal pieces, but the engine-builders have been working on unleaded fuel since we announced it was coming and no one had any problems." A handful of ARCA cars also used unleaded fuel during Friday night's race in St. Louis, including driver Cale Gale's winning entry. NASCAR had planned to move away from gasoline with lead-based additives by 2008, but is now targeting next season. The Busch cars will continue to use unleaded fuel for three more weeks, and the Truck Series will begin a two-race trial run Friday night in Indianapolis and then in Nashville in August. Following those events, NASCAR will switch back to the regular gasoline while NASCAR, Sunoco officials and team engine builders evaluate the unleaded fuel. Both series will then switch back to the unleaded gasoline on Sept. 23 for the remainder of the season. All ARCA cars will test the unleaded fuel in a race at Talladega to give engine builders a chance to examine the use of the gasoline in restrictor plate engines. A decision on using unleaded fuel in the Nextel Cup Series isn't expected until the end of the season, but Pemberton said the Cup cars won't test it this year.(Associated Press)(8-3-2006)
Unleaded Fuel debuts at Gateway: NASCAR will take its first major step toward switching to unleaded fuel this weekend when the Busch Series cars will run it at St. Louis. The Busch cars will have unleaded fuel for the next four races. The change has created extra work for the engine builders. "We've had to do a lot of work with the valve-face coating," said Chris Robinson, who overseas the Busch engine program at Roush Yates Racing. "The lead in the leaded fuel worked as a lubricant on the valve train, so we've had to go back and make sure the valve coatings will compensate for the unleaded fuel."(Tampa Tribune)(7-26-2006)
Cup to run unleaded fuel in 2007 UPDATE: Nextel Cup cars will be mandated to run unleaded fuel beginning with next season's Daytona 500. NASCAR's Busch Series cars will switch to unleaded fuel on a temporary basis starting with the July 29 race at Gateway International Raceway, before running the brand full-time in 2007 along with the Cup and Craftsman Truck Series. "The plans are for Sunoco to evaluate what they learned for three or four races in the Busch Series beginning at Gateway, then come back later and finish out the [2006] season in the Busch and Truck Series running unleaded fuel," NASCAR vice president Jim Hunter said.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(6-19-2006)
UPDATE: NASCAR announced today a timeline to phase unleaded fuel into its three national series beginning next month. The unleaded fuel will first be used for the NASCAR Busch Series race at Gateway International Raceway on July 29. The plan is to evaluate the use of unleaded fuel over several NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events this season before making a decision on when it will be mandated for all three national series. Unleaded fuel will be used for four weeks before undergoing an evaluation period. After the race weekend at Gateway, the fuel will be used at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis on Aug. 4 and 5 for the NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series; at Watkins Glen for the NASCAR Busch Series and Nashville Superspeedway for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series on Aug. 12; and at Michigan International Speedway for the NASCAR Busch Series on Aug. 19.
Following those events, competitors will return to their regular fuel for four weeks while NASCAR, Sunoco and team engine builders evaluate the effects of the new fuel. On Sept. 23 the NASCAR Busch Series (Dover International Speedway) and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (Las Vegas Motor Speedway) will resume using unleaded fuel for the remainder of the season.
In addition, NASCAR, Sunoco and NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series engine builders plan to work with the ARCA Re/Max Series at Talladega Superspeedway to study the use of unleaded fuel in engines with restrictor plates. Following the season, a decision will be made on the future of unleaded fuel. NASCAR had previously announced a switch to unleaded fuel by 2008. The current goal is to have all three national series using unleaded fuel fulltime by Speedweeks of 2007.(NASCAR PR)(6-20-2006)
NASCAR sticking with smaller fuel cells for Coke 600: While the cars in the Nextel All-Star Challenge had the smaller fuel cells in them Saturday night, the true test of the change will come in the May 28 running of the Coca-Cola 600. Although drivers have lobbied against the 13-14 gallon fuel cell being used instead of the 22-gallon one, NASCAR will go with the smaller fuel cell. The sanctioning body made that decision before testing earlier this month so that drivers could get the weight in their cars adjusted during their test sessions. "That deal is going to happen," Nextel Cup Series Director John Darby said after the all-star race. "Even now that we've raced it, we had short runs and everything. We still don't have enough true live race data to pull it off."(SceneDaily.com)(5-22-2006)
NASCAR and Ethanol fuel? The Indy Racing League is leading the way on alternative fuels, beginning a two-year transition to ethanol. NASCAR? Those dinosaurs are still burning dinosaurs. Last year, General Motors officials privately asked NASCAR to consider switching to ethanol. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, made a similar public plea to NASCAR CEO Brian France. Their appeals didn't gain much traction. But that doesn't mean it was a bad idea. "It fits the racing mode, and we would definitely be in favor of any move that moves us away from dependence on foreign oil," said Brent Dewar, vice president of sales, service and parts for GM. Dewar, who became an ethanol evangelist after overseeing GM's successful sale of ethanol-ready cars in Brazil, said the automaker plans another round of lobbying NASCAR to switch.(see full story at the Associated Press), NASCAR will use Sunono unleaded fuel in 2007 after years of using leaded gasoline.(5-18-2006)
Unleaded fuel sooner for Busch & Trucks? Before the end of the 2006 racing season, NASCAR officials hope to have both Busch and truck series teams using unleaded fuel. And if all goes well, it's likely that unleaded gas will be used in the Nextel Cup Series beginning in 2007. "We don't know where we're going to be with [unleaded fuel for the Cup series]," Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition, said April 20. "We said by '08. ... If the tests look promising, we will re-evaluate the timeline. We are going to, before the end of the year, run unleaded fuel in some select races, probably in the Busch and truck series. Some of their races are stand-alones, [on] short tracks and things of that nature. You're looking at less mileage, smaller carburetors, less horsepower." NASCAR teams have always used leaded fuel, and is exempt from the Clean Air Act of 1970 requiring unleaded fuel be used in all automobiles. Pemberton said testing with the new fuel has been "on-going" since the 2005 season, both at the NASCAR Research and Development facility in Concord, N.C. and among a number of individual teams.(SceneDaily.com)(4-21-2006)
Smaller fuel cells at LMS and road courses? UPDATE 2: hearing that NASCAR is looking at putting the smaller fuel cells in the cars at Lowe's Motor Speedway to force cars to pit somewhere between 35-40 laps, due to the tire wear with the new surface. NASCAR may also due this in the future at all road races to break up the pit strategies and could also use the smaller fuel cells when they return to Atlanta in the Fall.(4-1-2006)
UPDATE: Smaller fuel tanks might be a way to deal with excessive tire wear at tracks like Atlanta Motor Speedway and the newly paved Lowe's Motor Speedway. The idea is that if drivers ran out of fuel after 30 laps or so, they'd make pit stops before tires could wear to a dangerous point. NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said it's too soon to tell whether the smaller tanks, which are used at Daytona and Talladega to add pit stops and therefore break up big packs of cars, will be used elsewhere. "Our primary focus in preparing for the upcoming races at Lowe's Motor Speedway in May is testing the tires and getting them right," he said.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(4-2-2006)
UPDATE 2: NASCAR will require cars to use a smaller fuel cell at Lowe's Motor Speedway in May, NASCAR Vice President for Competition Robin Pemberton said April 7. The move is designed to make teams pit more frequently and give them a chance to check tire wear on the newly repaved surface on the 1.5-mile track outside Charlotte. Pemberton said the tire Goodyear has decided to use "is a great tire," but NASCAR wanted to enter the first weekend on the new surface cautiously. The fuel cell will be about 13 gallons, compared to the usual 22-gallon cell. Teams will be able to go about 35-40 laps on fuel instead of 60-70 with the bigger cell.
Nextel Cup teams will test at the track May 1-3, and Busch Series teams will test there May 8-10.(SceneDaily.com)(4-7-2006)
NASCAR to switch to Unleaded Fuel starting 2008: NASCAR will use unleaded fuel for its racecars and trucks beginning in 2008, making the switch from the high-octane leaded fuel that it has used for decades. Gary Nelson, NASCAR's vice president for research and development, said yesterday that the series had been testing a new fuel since the fall and that early results had been promising. The fuel, Sunoco 260 GTX, will be used in Nascar's three main racing series - Nextel Cup, Busch, and Craftsman Truck. Nelson said it was already being used in the Grand American road racing series. "Sunoco came up with a formula that really seems to do the job," Nelson said in a telephone interview. "It does a very good job inside the engine," he said, adding that "we've got more testing to do and more work to do." NASCAR is exempt from the 1970 Clean Air Act, which required the transition to unleaded fuel for all automobiles. But the series has worked to find an unleaded substitute for years. Nelson had said there were problems finding a fuel that provided the same lubrication as lead. The new fuel alleviates that problem without using MTBE, an additive that had been considered in the past but was rejected because it was barred in some states as a health hazard.(New York Times)(1-20-2006)
UPDATE: NASCAR announced that a special unleaded fuel has been developed and will be used by the start of the 2008 season as a result of its partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and its fuel supplier, Sunoco. “We’ve been back and forth to the drawing board for several years to find an unleaded fuel that is compatible with NASCAR engines. NASCAR congratulates Sunoco and is proud of the progress it made on developing a fuel that works in NASCAR engines,” said Gary Nelson, NASCAR’s vice president of research and development. NASCAR tested a number of possible alternative fuels in recent years, but none that didn’t cause engine problems. NASCAR tested an unleaded product in its NASCAR Busch Series in the late 1990s. However, the tests were unsatisfactory and required the sanctioning body to conduct further research. Other fuel solutions were incompatible and led to engine failure. NASCAR began testing the current unleaded fuel, Sunoco 260 GTX, last fall at its Research & Development Center in Concord, NC. The fuel will be used in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.(NASCAR PR)(1-21-2005)
Fuel Comapny Plans NASCAR Promotions: Sunoco is planning two new campaigns this year that take advantage of its status as NASCAR's official fuel sponsor and supplier, Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal reports. Writer Scott Warfield says the Sunoco Spot-A-Winner Sweepstakes will begin in May and have a top prize that will include a lunch with five NASCAR drivers and driving tips from them. As part of the campaign, Sunoco will give away authentic contingency decals at its 4,600 retail sites. The company will also have a second campaign in the fall offering merchandise tied to the Chase For The Nextel Cup.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(2-1-2005)
Unleaed Fuel in 2005? UPDATE: There is word, not confirmed, that NASCAR may be required by the EPA to change to unleaded fuel as soon as next year. Cup garage chief John Darby could not be found for comment, but top engine men say they also have heard talk. Randy Dorton, engine chief for Hendrick Motorsports, said he "would not be surprised" by such an edict, but that he has heard nothing directly from NASCAR. He noted that he and other teams had done a significant amount of work, in cooperation with NASCAR, on unleaded fuel four or five years ago, and that a Busch race at Richmond was run using unleaded, but that the project faded shortly afterward. One issue apparently is the fact that NASCAR now has three races in California, where air-quality regulations are much more stringent than in the nation in general. Sources say NASCAR has both kinds of fuel, leaded and unleaded, at its R&D Center in Concord, N.C. There was no word from series supplier Sunoco as to what it would take to convert to the "clean" fuel.(Speed Channel)(8-21-2004)
UPDATE: NASCAR's John Darby addressed the subject of unleaded fuel Saturday morning, the matter again coming up in garage conversations after a five-year lull. "It's something we have to be prepared for," he said, "but it's not like somebody has got the vise turned up on us imminently. There has been talk that govenment and environmental agencies would require NASCAR to phase in unleaded fuel as early as next year, but Darby did not indicate that was the case. Such a move would require significant changes in engine construction, especially in the valve train, and Darby noted that he'd rather see the change in fuel come at a time of some other major engine change -- perhaps a change to fuel injection? Darby did, however, say the newly-announced gear rule for 2005, intended to reduce skyrocketing rpm, would be of benefit if and when unleaded is adopted, in that, with rpm reduced, vulnerable valves and valve seats would be under less stress. He also said Sunoco, which signed on last year for 10 years as fuel supplier for NASCAR, is "light-years ahead" of street and racing technology when it comes to producing suitable unleaded products, even in the 112-octane range used by NASCAR.(Speed Channel)(8-22-2004)
Special Sunoco Premium Offer: Sunoco plans to sell about 400,000 remote control cars as premiums in its first retail promotion of its sponsorship deal that makes it the official fuel of NASCAR, Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal reports. Columnist Terry Lefton says cars will be offered at Sunoco's 4,500 locations this summer. The three remote control cars will be offered at $9.99 each. A picture shows one will carry the #15 and NAPA logo of Michael Waltrip’s Nextel Cup car. Two will carry paint schemes and the No. 8 of Dale Earnhardt Jr., although the red model will not carry the Budweiser logo because the promotion is aimed at children, the story says. A blue-and-white model will carry the Oreo cookie paint scheme.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(6-21-2004)
Unleaded Gas Coming to NASCAR: NASCAR officials are telling engine builders to prepare, again, for a possible changeover to unleaded racing fuel. And NASCAR is polling teams about switching to aluminum engine blocks.(Winston Salem Journal)(5-29-2004)
Sunoco on the way out? Shell in? DENIED: Is NASCAR ready to bail out of its sponsorship deal with Sunoco as the official fuel in order to make a more lucrative deal with Shell? That's the word on the street. A Shell deal would give NASCAR a much bigger presence out on the highway, because Shell has more than 20,000 service stations in the United States, and that's four times as many as Sunoco.(Winston Salem Journal)(5-23-2004)
UPDATE: NASCAR has categorically denied that Sunoco will be replaced by Shell as official fuel of the sport. A NASCAR spokesman dismissed the story that started this rumor as "rank nonsense." In addition, NASCAR president Mike Helton said the association between the two has never been stronger. "Any suggestion that it isn't, is absolutely false," Helton said. "Sunoco and NASCAR are in the first year of a ten-year commitment for Sunoco to provide the world's best racing gasoline to NASCAR. Sunoco has exceeded our expectations in the quality of the fuel they delivering flawlessly to the race track. In addition, the company is marketing and promoting our sport in new ways, which will help NASCAR to attract new fans and to continue to grow. By all measures, this partnership between NASCAR and Sunoco has been a huge success. NASCAR is looking forward to the next decade together, and hopefully beyond."(NASCAR.com)(5-25-2004)
Fuel Line Problems: With the change in fuel providers to Sunoco this year, some teams have had to change fuel line manufacturers. One engine man said that "a couple of brands have been more sensitive to the Sunoco fuel," so several teams changed lines as a precaution. Some teams have noticed the lines are wearing out faster.(FoxSports/Sporting News)(5-3-2004)
Clean Fuel: Some engine builders say Sunoco's new racing gasoline is cleaner than Unocal's, which makes "reading" sparkplugs more difficult, when determining how to set up an engine. But Jack Roush says he has found no such problems: "When I look at how some people try to read sparkplugs, I'm like the dog that didn't hear the whistle and didn't get to the dish in time."(Winston Salem Journal)(1-9-2004)
Sunoco Picks Ad Agency: Sunoco has picked Ominicom's Millsport to handle development of advertising and promotional aspects of its 10-year deal to be NASCAR's official fuel, according to Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal. Columnist Terry Lefton says Millsport was picked from five agencies seeking the contract as Sunoco replaces Phillps/Conoco/76 as the official fuel.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(12-23-2003)
It's Official Sunoco to be NASCAR's official fuel: NASCAR announced today that Sunoco, the world's largest manufacturer of premium racing gasoline, will become the "Official Fuel of NASCAR," beginning with the 2004 season. Under the 10-year agreement, Sunoco will provide racing gasoline for NASCAR's three national series “ the NASCAR Winston [um, it will be Nextel Cup in 2004] Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series, and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Sunoco, a leading manufacturer and marketer of petroleum and petrochemical products, distributes gasoline to more than 400 race tracks in the United States. Sunoco already has a relationship with NASCAR as the gasoline supplier to approximately 80% of the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series that competes at 75 tracks.
"Because our sport literally runs on gasoline, this partnership is one of the most important relationships for NASCAR," NASCAR President Mike Helton said. "Sunoco has a well-earned reputation for producing the highest-quality racing gasoline and for reliably distributing it to race tracks. In our NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series association with Sunoco, we have been impressed with Sunoco's people, products and passion for our sport. We are proud to welcome them as the Official Fuel of NASCAR."
"While Sunoco is already the authorized gasoline manufacturer for more than 30 racing series, we are extremely proud of this partnership with NASCAR, one of the world's premier motorsports and the epitome of performance-based competition," said Robert Owens, senior vice president, Sunoco. "Sunoco has enjoyed a reputation for producing high-quality race gasoline for more than two decades. Through our dedicated manufacturing facility in Marcus Hook, Pa., Sunoco produces racing gasoline that delivers the exact components, exactly the same way, every time. This partnership with NASCAR is a crowning achievement for our performance products."
Sunoco will replace Conoco Phillips'Unocal "76" brand as the official fuel provider of NASCAR in 2004. After the recent merger of Conoco, Inc. and Phillips Petroleum Company, the company's marketing strategy shifted; Conoco Phillips chose not to renew the 76 fuel supplier contract, which expires at the end of the 2003 season.
"Unocal 76 has been a trusted and valued partner for more than 40 years," Helton said. "We've enjoyed our long and successful relationship, and would like to thank 76 for their support and partnership in helping grow NASCAR through the years."
Sunoco, Inc. (NYSE:SUN), headquartered in Philadelphia, Pa., is a leading manufacturer and marketer of petroleum and petrochemical products. With 730,000 barrels per day of refining capacity, approximately 4,500 retail sites selling gasoline and convenience items, interests in almost 11,000 miles of domestic crude oil and refined product pipelines and 34 product terminals, Sunoco is one of the largest independent refiner-marketers in the United States. Sunoco is a growing force in petrochemicals with approximately 6 billion pounds of annual sales, largely chemical intermediates used in the manufacture of fibers, plastics, film and resins. Utilizing a proprietary technology, Sunoco also manufactures 2 million tons annually of high-quality blast furnace coke for use in the steel industry. For additional information, visit Sunoco's Web site at www.sunocoinc.com.
Sunoco Performance Products, with a distributor network selling and promoting three racing gasoline brands “ Sunoco Race Fuels, Turbo Blue Racing Gasolines, TRICK Racing Gasoline “ offers information on these products on the following web sites: Sunoco Race Fuels at www.racegas.com, Turbo Blue at www.turboblue.com and TRICK at www.trickgas.com.(NASCAR PR)(8-15-2003)
Major NASCAR Announcent Friday UPDATE: Major NASCAR announcement with NASCAR President Mike Helton, NASCAR Chief Operating Officer George Pyne at 10:00am/et on Friday, Aug. 15 at MichiganInternational Speedway media conference room. AND SPEED Channel will cover Friday's NASCAR Press Conference LIVE from Michigan, beginning at 10:00am/et. SPEED's Bob Dillner will be reporting.(8-13-2003)
UPDATE 2: the announcement is aired on Speed from approx 10:30 to 10:35am/et, the blackout caused some problems with the initial broadcast due at 10:00am/et. No word on any re-air's, look for it in part on tonight's Totally NASCAR on FSN/Speed.(8-15-2003)
could it be....
Fuel Supplier Chosen? a correction UPDATE 3: it was reported earlier that ExxonMobil had won the bid to become the official fuel supplier for NASCAR next season, however, there was some changes [not sure what], and being told that now that ExxonMobil has NOT signed with NASCAR, and remains one of three companies vying for the fuel deal.(8-11-2003)
UPDATE: hearing it will be Sunoco and there will be an announcement at MIS this weekend.(8-12-2003)
some NOTES: the Exxon post was removed from the Sporting News article on their site, but the old one is still posted at Fox. MSNBC and Yahoo. What I posted is an update to that. ALSO, some folks are getting confused over the Mobil ads that proclaim them as the "Official Lubricant of NASCAR", it has been the case since the beginning of 2003 [see Exxon PR or my NASCAR Sponsors page dates 11-7-2002] and has nothing to do with the Fuel deal, which is currently supplied by Unocal 76. Like I said, been told it is Sunoco and will be announced at MIS this weekend.(8-12-2003)
UPDATE 2: Sunoco has emerged as the favorite to replace Unocal 76 as NASCAR's fuel supplier. Unocal, which has one of racing's longest-running sponsorships, is leaving.(Tampa Tribune)(8-13-2003)
UPDATE 3 hmm...heard this someplace before:.....Sunoco will replace Union 76 as the official fuel of NASCAR's top three series, beginning in 2004. An industry source, who spoke Thursday to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity, said Sunoco will supply all the fuel used in NASCAR's Winston Cup - which will become the Nextel Cup next year - Busch and Craftsman Truck Series. NASCAR planned [planned? or plans?] to make the announcement at a news conference Friday at Michigan International Speedway. ConocoPhillips, owner of longtime fuel supplier 76, informed NASCAR it would not be continuing the relationship because of a shift in its marketing strategy and focus after the merger of the two companies last year. The 76 brand, which had several different owners during the period, was the official fuel of NASCAR for more than 40 years. The source said several other companies were interested in replacing 76, but NASCAR chose the Sunoco brand "because of its longtime racing involvement, supplying fuel for about 30 different racing series." The deal with Sunoco is "long-term," but details were not immediately available.(ThatsRacin.com/AP - only posting this to stop all the email about it)(8-14-2003)
NASCAR Seeking $150 Million Fuel Deal: NASCAR's asking price to replace ConocoPhillips' 76 as its official gasoline brand is $15 million a year in barter and cash for at least 10 years, Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Journal reports this week. Staff writer Terry Lefton says the current deal is valued at $5 million to $6 million a year, mostly barter as fuel for the Winston Cup, Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series. The story says the probable contenders include ExxonMobil, Shell, Sunoco and BP/Amoco.(Winston Cup Scene Daily Newsletter)(7-14-2003)
No More Free Fuel? The identity of the official fuel of NASCAR for 2004 is still not known, but whatever company it is, the gasoline may no longer be free.(Winston Salem Journal)(5-18-2003)
Announcement 'Fuels' Speculation: With NASCAR’s current fuel supplier announcing intentions to make its way out of the sport at the end of this year, there’s little wonder that the engine builders in the sport are showing some early anxiety signs. Fuel, which in NASCAR-style racing dictates engine builds, is one of the often-overlooked commodities in racing. Tosco [76], the current supplier, offers remarkable consistency from track-to-track. Therefore, it’s very easy for engine builders to take the engine to the limit every week. In this costly process, all of the fuel used in NASCAR’s top series is made in one Texas-based refinery, then shipped directly to each track for dispensing to the teams gives the teams. But with a new entry on the horizon, that could change. However, NASCAR Winston Cup Director John Darby gives an emphatic “No” to a change in blending from the new official supplier, which is scheduled to be named sometime later this year. “Our goal in bringing a new fuel supplier on board would be that the competitors realize there’s a different sign at the fuel pumps and everything else is the same as it’s always been,” Darby said regarding his goals for the supplier change. “A lot of that process is going on now with the fuel suppliers that we’re talking to, which there are a number of right now,” said Darby. “One of things they’re most amazed about is the accuracy and consistency of our current fuel from track-to-track-to-track all the way across the country. Darby told TFR that NASCAR hasn’t given out a recipe or formula for the fuel to any possible supplier, adding, “We’re not chemists. Anybody can go get a fuel sample from any one of our race tracks and they can figure that out. We don’t need to do that for them.” Darby added a “No,” reply to a possible switch to a no-lead blend during the changing of the fuel guard.(Ford Racing)(5-14-2003)
Fuel Problems? Sources at Talladega Superspeedway told teamfordracing.com that the fuel Unocal has provided since the announcement that they were leaving the sport might have some consistency problems. This, according to a leading engine builder in the sport, is leading to some interesting finds during post-race engine tear down. “We’ve even questioned here lately with Unocal moving out how the fuel … We’ve seen some funny things on our parts after the race and for some of us fuel quality is changing on us,” said the engine builder. “So yeah, it’s a big issue and we’ve been talking about it quite a bit.” Fuel is a vital part of the Winston Cup engine builder equation as the additive packages are what help hold a motor together during a race. Fuel chemistry changes can lead to premature part failure. NASCAR hasn’t let the teams know what will be pumping in 2003, which is making the engine builders nervous. Variances with the chemistry and consistency of blend will be needed soon as it can take six to nine months to match the engine package to the fuel package. One big question that’s not been answered is whether the fuel will be of a leaded blend, or no-lead. There is concern that if the sanctioning body goes the no-lead route that engine failure could rise dramatically due to leads lubricity qualities, or the capacity for reducing friction. Unocal, along with NASCAR and the teams, tried a no-lead blend several years ago in the Busch Grand National Series. Those experiments ended after the exhaust valves beat the seats out of the head. Unocal, to help solve the problem, suggested that the teams move to titanium vales. That suggestion angered the involved engine builders as they’d been using titanium for several years, and were surprised that Unocal engineers seemingly didn’t know what was in a motor for which they were blending fuel.(Ford Racing)(4-12-2003)
76 Gasoline Gone at the end of 2003 in NASCAR UPDATE 3: ConocoPhillips, owner of the 76 gasoline brand, said on Tuesday it will end its more than half century-long relationship with NASCAR auto racing at the end of the year. The familiar 76 gasoline logo -- an orange ball with the number 76 in blue at its center -- has been a fixture at NASCAR as "the official fuel of NASCAR." But 76's Houston-based parent company said it will end the sponsorship deal of more than 50 years by Dec. 31. ConocoPhillips said 76 will fulfill all of its contractual obligations, including supplying racing fuel at all Winston Cup events and at NASCAR's other circuits -- the BGN and CTS -- before returning its official fuel rights to NASCAR at year's end.(Forbes.com/Reuters)(1-28-2003)
UPDATE: NASCAR Statement Regarding ConocoPhillips: NASCAR and ConocoPhillips continue to enjoy a strong working relationship and look forward to another great season in 2003. NASCAR has enjoyed its longstanding relationship with the company and wishes it all the best in the future. While we will be saying goodbye to ConocoPhillips, we look forward to welcoming a new official fuel supplier to NASCAR in 2004. We are already in the process of identifying the new official fuel supplier and will make an announcement regarding that supplier at the appropriate time.(NASCAR PR)(1-29-2003)
UPDATE 2: hearing Exxon-Mobil is getting set to announce that Mobil will become the official fuel and lubricant/oil supplier of NASCAR.(1-30-2003)
UPDATE 3 - Exxon-Mobil to be new official fuel of NASCAR? The battle now over "the official fuel of NASCAR" is reported to be between Mobil and Exxon. Unocal's declining markets, primarily on the West Coast, has lessened that company's promotional viability, and last week NASCAR, after years of negotiating, finally bought out the contract. Unocal, when it was still Pure Oil, was one of the first major sponsors for NASCAR, and Unocal helped provide the financial backing for the France family to build Talladega.(Winston Salem Journal), NOTE: Exxon and Mobil merged a few years ago, so there is no 'battle', maybe a decision within the company, but rumor has Mobil being tagged.(2-8-2003)
UPDATE 4: The debate now is whether those advertising balls will be painted ExxonMobil red-and-white or Shell yellow. Those are the two companies expected to make the biggest offers to NASCAR for the marketing rights. Why would ConocoPhillips [76], the nation's third-largest oil company, give up NASCAR rights? Company officials say it's because they plan to continue to market regionally with their various brands, not nationally.(Winston Salem Journal)(2-11-2003)
ExxonMobil Official: NASCAR named ExxonMobil's Mobil brand of products as the "Official Lubricants of NASCAR" beginning in 2003. The announcement was made during the 2002 Automotive Aftermarket Parts Expo (AAPEX) in Las Vegas. An industry leader in the development of innovative, problem-solving lubricants, including synthetics, the Mobil family of automotive lubricants includes motor oil, transmission fluid, gear lubricants and greases, and will join a list of performance products endorsed by the nation's number one motorsport -- NASCAR. A long-time supporter of NASCAR racing, this marks Mobil 1's 12th season as a major sponsor of Penske Racing South with veteran driver Rusty Wallace and rookie sensation Ryan Newman.(Exxon Site/Business Wire) NOTE: this does not cover gasoline.(11-7-2002)
