2010 Green Grand Prix: Saturday May 8, Watkins Glen, NY -pics/results posted

[Wonderboy]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Oh, wait: I think it's because they're categorized by EPA rating. Bruce's is an HX and Will's is the Si.

Mine's an EX not an Si (Si had DOHC). I actually wasn't bummed too much about not having the CRXFi ready for the GGP because I still got to use the same car and test to see if my driving skills had improved.

The only things different about this year's run:
-A lot more wind - very fierce westerly wind for a primarily northward, then southward route.
-I've gotten a bit better at P&G
-Used big air dams in front of wheels
-Power steering delete
-Did a little bit of masking tape over gaps
-Darin wasn't competing this time to make me nervous

Last year my scangauge read 46MPG (pump said 57), but since I'd added a WAI the day before the event, the car's idea of how much air was being consumed was skewed, and I'd estimate I got about 51.

This year the Watchdog gauge read 63, which I believe is correct... Still quite a bit better than last year whichever number you look at. I'm proud that I was able to improve by so much. P&G is where its at with this car. When I'm done with the CRX swap I'll be a little sad to see her go. Very good balance of creature comforts, cornering, pep, and MPG... I can only imagine what the HX is like, and what I'd be able to pull off if I were driving that!

[RobertSmalls]

Will, nice job with the 20% improvement versus last year in much more adverse conditions.

I believe that P&G is a more efficient way to do an economy run than lean burn, and that lean burn engines really don't have an advantage in these scenarios. You could probably do almost as well with an EX engine vs. an HX.

That would explain my Insight's ... ah... underwhelming performance at both of the economy runs I've brought it to. Don't get me wrong, it's very good, but in the Subaru I saw > 200% of EPA. Not so in the Insight.

[MetroMPG]

Watkins Glen's Festival of Green

Watkins Glen, May 19, 2010: The whine of Electric racers mingled with the smell of wood power at the 6th Annual Green Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, NY. On May 8th. There was truly something for everybody as hybrids and hydrogen met propane, biodiesel, solar, electric, and natural gas-powered vehicles in this yearly road rally and fuel economy competition held on scenic public roads that inspired the first Grand Prix here a half-century ago.

[...]

Perhaps the most interesting enthusiasts participating in this year’s Green Grand Prix were the Ecomodders; who tweak existing cars for maximum efficiency, with impressive results, often a full 20 mpg over EPA ratings.

From: Watkins Glen's Festival of Green - TheAutoChannel.com

[Gasoline Fumes]

Does anybody know who the film crews were and where (or if) it's being broadcast?

[MetroMPG]

Oh right!

Yes, that was Discovery Channel Canada. They had phoned me a couple of months before the GGP asking to do a piece on my prototype boat tail. I declined (camera shy), and suggested they come to GGP instead, where there would be more than a few DIY EcoModder type vehicles to look at and willing owners to talk to them.

Not sure if you can watch it from the US, but try: Discovery Channel Video Player

Navigate to Video Library > Daily Planet > May 13 2010 > Clip 4

In today's Alan Nursall Experience, follow Alan to New York where a unique Chip Truck fuels itself on a very different kind of chip. Then, catch up with tech news in Planet You.

Or try Discovery Channel Video Player

I'm looking for the footage of Tom's diesel Porsche right now...

EDIT: Hey! Will and Mike are in the gassification demo section of that vid. Yer famous! Mike has a speaking line!

[MetroMPG]

No sign of the Porsche segment though. Tom - did they tell you when it'd be on?

(Though there is a good segment on the X-Prize shakedown round under May 17.)

[NeilBlanchard]

I cannot see the video (on either link).

[moTthediesel]

There was a film crew there from the Canadian Discovery Channel. They said they planned to broadcast it in "3 weeks or so" on the "Daily Planet" show - in Canada only, I'm afraid.

I let the on-air guy, Alan Nursall, drive my car for filming, and I think he drove the wood-gas Trooper too.

[MetroMPG]

I'll contact the producer to ask if there's a way we can share the clips.

[RobertSmalls]

Those media types sure do want to see boat tails, don't they? Maybe they should build their own.