IndyCar and NASCAR – get your head out of the sand

UPDATE Another reader writes, Dear AR1: Ditto re: thanks for alerting your readers to Jim Billmaier’s great book, JOLT! and for advocating that motorsports lead rather than follow with this technology. Thankfully there is some significant movement already underway. The only exception I take to the comments below is that Scott Atherton and ALMS are in fact leading the way in the US for cleaner racing technology are far ahead of IndyCar and, of course, NASCAR. Other seriously active proponents are the Motorsports Industry Association with their European Clean Racing Technology Conference next week (see www.the-mia.com) and of course the only world class all electric racing series to-date, the TTXGP (www.egrandprix.com) So there may be (battery powered) light at the end of the tunnel. Ron Landthorn

01/04/11 A reader writes, Dear AR1.com, I was glad to see you highlight the Jolt book (The impending dominance of the electric car) on your Home page. I had read this book and it was a real eye opener. This message goes out to Randy Bernard, Bernie Ecclestone, Brian France and Scott Atherton – you all had better read this book (download it to your iPad or Kindle) and understand why the electric car is mankind’s future, and the transformation might happen sooner than you think.

Racing has always been the test bed for motorsports. Well guess, what, the automotive industry is rolling out electric cars as we speak and all four of you are asleep at the wheel. By the time you pull your head out of the sand and realize that electric motors and batteries should be added to all your race cars (in a hybrid design) so your race series can be a test bed for the auto industry, the opportunity will pass you by and your race series will become increasingly irrelevant. Dan Bush