Refueling the Indy 500

Science World, May 7, 2007 by Cody Crane

Start your engines! This May, cars racing in the Indianapolis 500 will be going green--running on 100 percent ethanol.

This fuel is made from plants like corn and wheat. It is better for the environment than methanol--the fuel used by Indy race cars in the past. That's because when burned in car engines, ethanol produces fewer toxic pollutants.

Plus, plants are a renewable resource. Additional corn or wheat can always be grown to make more ethanol. Compare that with methanol made from the nonrenewable fossil fuel, natural gas. Once a fossil fuel is used up, it takes millions of years before more can form deep underground.

Another bonus: When cars burn corn-based ethanol for fuel, instead of producing smelly exhaust, "it smells like popcorn," says Jeff Simmons, an IndyCar Series driver.

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