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Originally Posted by AU N EGL
Then we should not bring up that NASCAR still uses LEADED race fuel.
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I think they changed this year, which utterly stunned me as I couldn't believe they hadn't changed twenty years ago.
Back in 1974 during that energy crisis, autoracing suffered a great deal. It was a highly visable actvity using fossil fuels at a time when the regular US public has having trouble finding any fuel for their own automobiles. Remember also that autoracing at that time was much less visable and mainstream then it is now, and yet you had the cancelation of the 24 hours of Daytona and the Daytona 500 being shortened to about 420 (don't recall exact figure).
"We" should have gotten smart on this subject ages ago, and incentivised development of methods to reduce consumption of fossil fuels and the production of emissions. It should have been along the line of 'we will put a man on the moon within this decade.' It would have been hugely difficult, would have demanded a huge sum of money, and at the same time would have expanded all sorts of new economic segments, developed a cavalcade of technology and helped to ensure a savings of expense due to hastening climate change. That climatic change, and I do believe the data on it, is going to cost untold sums. The methods and production of food are likely to be impacted. If we are facing a rise in oceanic levels, which we are measurably seeing now, of the nature that is predicted, vast areas of land, including buildings will be under water. If you look at the Gore film and you see the map showing the impact of water levels rising on the East Coast of the US, you see huge areas along the coasts which includes everything from Miami to New York being under water. Since vast sums of money are invested in those areas in land and building costs, and those areas produce huge levels of economic activity, you then face total collapse of economies. Floridians face huge home insurance cost and availability problems now after the recent active hurricane seasons and the economic damages resulting from those storms. Just the wiping out of Miami by a rising sea would take down the US economy because of all the lost investment. Imagine New York City....
A close friend of mine is stunned that I am an environmentalist but that I also love motor racing. Motor racing is not the problem, it will however be a very visable target for critics.
I live in an area where lots of people drive huge hulking SUV's. Those people will demand that any racing activity be curtailed before long before they are required to park their SUV's.
So, I am a 'greenie,' 'tree hugger,' etc., but I hope with all my being that my children's grandchildren will still be thrilled to both be able to go catch a fish in clean waterways, but also be thrilled that racing cars hurtle along Mulsanne at night.
robert