Ethanol is a hit at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
After successful tests at Daytona and now Indianapolis, just one more test is planned for the Indy Racing League's new fuel and engine package for the 2007 season.
``So far it's been flawless,'' IRL spokesman John Griffin said. ``We were particularly curious about the cooling system, and that worked flawlessly the first time at Daytona Beach, and we had a chance to put it on the big track (at Indy) this week. All signs point to everything working just perfectly for us.''
This week's private tests were the first time the 100 per cent ethanol fuel has been used at Indianapolis.
Jeff Simmons and former IRL series champion Tony Kanaan drove cars powered by the new 3.5-litre Honda engine using 100 per cent ethanol, a biofuel made from corn and other agricultural products, during Firestone tire tests at Indianapolis on Monday and Tuesday.
Simmons crashed in the second turn during Tuesday's test but was examined and released from the infield hospital with no injuries, Speedway spokesman Ron Green said.
Former Indianapolis 500 winners Helio Castroneves and Dan Wheldon also drove, using the 3.0-litre engine and a 10 per cent ethanol blend in effect last season.
``Everything seemed to go well,'' Speedway spokesman Ron Green said. ``They turned a lot of laps over the two days.''
There was no apparent drop-off in performance with the change to ethanol from methanol, which replaced gasoline in Indy racing more than three decades ago, Simmons said.
``It seems to me, so far, we've got a broader power band,'' said Simmons, who drives for Rahal Letterman Racing. ``We're going through the corners better. It allows us to do some things with gearing whereas you had to be really precise with the gearing last year. We're able to pull some really good speed.''
Griffin said a potential loss of speed was offset by increased engine size, which was done to make the engines last longer and to produce more torque, particularly as the IRL expands its road-course schedule.
``From what I've heard speed-wise and from driver reaction, there hasn't been much of a difference at all,'' he said. ``We're going to have it in Iowa next week for a tire test up there. Then basically we're done. It's just a matter of Honda taking a look at all the data they've collected over these three tests and moving forward with it.''
