_Chris_
01-17-2008, 11:00 PM
This sux...
The End of Canadian Drag Racing?
Racers, it seems the sky is truly falling. The Government of Canada is planning to implement a total and permanent ban on the use of leaded fuels for competition purposes, effective January 1st, 2009. ]If this happens, Professional Drag Racing in Canada is over. Immediately, completely and forever. This isn't the same as the challenges we've faced in the past. This time, they're dropping the 'Big One'. No Pro Mod, No Pro Stock, No Top Fuel or Nitro Funny Car and no American competitors in any of our sportsman classes. Only Alcohol Funny Cars would remain unscathed. Although many Canadian sportsman competitors run their cars effectively on unleaded racing fuel or methanol, any of our competitors using leaded fuel have two choices. Change or quit. The legislation arrived in our office last week. We took the time to read the document from start to finish to make sure we weren't overreacting. Then we talked to fuel suppliers, the IHRA and local politicians, including London's Bud Polhill, a long-time drag racing advocate in the Canadian fuel wars. What makes this bill viciously unfair is that they indicate that there may be increased health risks associated with leaded fuels than previously thought, and are advocating this change without any actual testing or proof. The US, Britain and Australia must not put much faith in this new information as they have no changes planned in their Leaded fuel for competition vehicles policies at volumes 10 to 100 times the annual Cdn. volume. Also the passing of this bill does not eliminate leaded fuel, it only eliminates our portion, which is 1.5% of the leaded fuel consumed in Canada (these are the Govt's own numbers right in the report – see Industry profile) the remaining 98.5% is used as aviation fuel and they have been given a permanent exemption. (Which includes private pleasure planes, etc.)
Bottom line, it's as bad as it seems. The Canadian Government is legislating Canada's largest racing facilities out of business. The document can be found on the Government of Canada website, under Canada Gazette Part 1, Dec. 22, 2007. The link to the document is:
http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partI/2007/20071222/html/regle1-e.html (http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partI/2007/20071222/html/regle1-e.html)
The End of Canadian Drag Racing?
Racers, it seems the sky is truly falling. The Government of Canada is planning to implement a total and permanent ban on the use of leaded fuels for competition purposes, effective January 1st, 2009. ]If this happens, Professional Drag Racing in Canada is over. Immediately, completely and forever. This isn't the same as the challenges we've faced in the past. This time, they're dropping the 'Big One'. No Pro Mod, No Pro Stock, No Top Fuel or Nitro Funny Car and no American competitors in any of our sportsman classes. Only Alcohol Funny Cars would remain unscathed. Although many Canadian sportsman competitors run their cars effectively on unleaded racing fuel or methanol, any of our competitors using leaded fuel have two choices. Change or quit. The legislation arrived in our office last week. We took the time to read the document from start to finish to make sure we weren't overreacting. Then we talked to fuel suppliers, the IHRA and local politicians, including London's Bud Polhill, a long-time drag racing advocate in the Canadian fuel wars. What makes this bill viciously unfair is that they indicate that there may be increased health risks associated with leaded fuels than previously thought, and are advocating this change without any actual testing or proof. The US, Britain and Australia must not put much faith in this new information as they have no changes planned in their Leaded fuel for competition vehicles policies at volumes 10 to 100 times the annual Cdn. volume. Also the passing of this bill does not eliminate leaded fuel, it only eliminates our portion, which is 1.5% of the leaded fuel consumed in Canada (these are the Govt's own numbers right in the report – see Industry profile) the remaining 98.5% is used as aviation fuel and they have been given a permanent exemption. (Which includes private pleasure planes, etc.)
Bottom line, it's as bad as it seems. The Canadian Government is legislating Canada's largest racing facilities out of business. The document can be found on the Government of Canada website, under Canada Gazette Part 1, Dec. 22, 2007. The link to the document is:
http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partI/2007/20071222/html/regle1-e.html (http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partI/2007/20071222/html/regle1-e.html)