Gas or Methanol

[LateModel B23]

Just kind of a survey/poll to see what others are running with open type motors. Aluminum head, big cubic inch USMTS/USRA or UMP type motors.

[jrhino33]

Everyone that is competitve is on Gas would be my opinion....the loss of rear percentage is just to much of a change

[Darkstar15]

Been on both, like the way car runs on alcohol, but there is the change of rear percentage. Now on gas, same motor, 400 incher. Have to say its better on gas. Tried a 358 on gas, driver said he needed to drive it harder than 400 to stay up front. Not a bad thing with this car and setup though.

John

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Rear percentage loss isn't a big deal in a 20 lap race, IMO. We use alky with our late model. It is somewhat of an issue for a 50 lapper.

[jrhino33]

Rear percentage is a huge deal in a 20 lap race if your on methanol.....as a rule if you are on alky today you are not winning races...cars today are to sensitive. Just a example.....at 70 degrees methanol weighs 6.589 while gas 5.997 lbs, and we all know you will use close to double alky as gas....so simple math will tell you that in a 20 lap race if you use 15 gal of alky you lose 98.835---if you burn off 7.5 gals of gas that is only 44.9775 lbs....that is a diff of 53.86 lbs....that is huge when it is right over top of the rear end......but what do i know.....

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Rear percentage is a huge deal in a 20 lap race if your on methanol.....as a rule if you are on alky today you are not winning races...cars today are to sensitive. Just a example.....at 70 degrees methanol weighs 6.589 while gas 5.997 lbs, and we all know you will use close to double alky as gas....so simple math will tell you that in a 20 lap race if you use 15 gal of alky you lose 98.835---if you burn off 7.5 gals of gas that is only 44.9775 lbs....that is a diff of 53.86 lbs....that is huge when it is right over top of the rear end......but what do i know.....

All I can tell you is my experience is that we don't use anywhere near that much. How much mud weight do you pick up during the night?

We usually use about 7 gallons or less in 25 laps. I would prefer to run gas, but it is a much larger expense and I don't pay the bills. Would we go from a consistent top 3 to winning more races, maybe. But it isn't any kind of a certainty.

[jrhino33]

All i can tell you is the guy asked which was better, so I gave him facts,,,not opinions....

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

All i can tell you is the guy asked which was better, so I gave him facts,,,not opinions....

Actually he was taking a survey. Fact: You can cool the car with less radiator on alky. Fact: Alcohol costs less. Fact: You will have more weight burnoff. Fact: That burnoff may or may not be an issue in your situation.

[LateModel B23]

I have ran gas only in late models for alot of years and have won probably over 100 races (heats, dashes & features) as a owner. Out of the late model business now and concentrating strictly on modifieds for the 2014 season. So I was just trying to get an idea of what some of the true open motor cars are running. The modifieds I have owned in the past have always ran alcohol mainly for the reasons MasterSbilt listed, mainly the better cooling with the smaller radiator.

Thanks for the thoughts and opinions so far, anyone else? Gas or methanol? Ginger or Mary Ann?

[jrhino33]

lol,,,,def. Mary Ann,,,,good luck

[charcoal01]

Gas. One less variable.

[50j]

IMO it would depend on how hooked up the track is, how many laps, and whether it's hammer down horsepower racing or feathering the throttle on dry slick. Maybe best to have both set ups at your disposal. Ginger AND Mary Ann.

[Wheelman33]

I ran gas in my late model for years. Switched to alky for the torque and not having to come up with $500 for a barrel of LM+. Our motor was dyno tuned with the alky carb and I only burn 1 1/2 times the fuel now. In the long run saves money and produces more torque. Both a plus in my book!

[chapa9]

I won 4 race this year on alky.. IMO you have to look at your situation. I run a "budget" motor under usra/usmts rules and I need the help in power alky offers. My motor would be dead on gas. I'm not running 50 lap features. 20 lap features. I don't notice a huge effect on fuel burn off.
All cars have fuel burn off. Spending the time in the shop knowing what it does to your car is important. Does your cross wt stay the same or change with fuel loss. I had a car 8 years ago that lost a ton of cross and car would be junk at end of race. My current car loses very little cross and I don't feel that huge of a difference in a 20 lap race.. Then maybe I don't have a good feel of the car..

[jsf74]

What is the actual $ savings per night.