Championship Cars have been clocked at more than 245 mph, a tribute to their aerodynamic features which allow the cars to stay on the ground at speeds higher than those needed for Boeing 747 jumbo jets to take off. On superspeedways such as Michigan, Championship Cars post lap averages in excess of 240 mph. The fuel used to propel a Championship Car. Methanol consists of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Methanol is commercially manufactured by heating hydrogen and carbon monoxide under pressure.
Methanol requires less oxygen to burn than gasoline.
From the CART standpoint, methanol was chosen as the fuel because it has a high octane rating which provides good flame control. Water is an effective methanol fire fighting agent. Because methanol can be made from many materials including wood and garbage, it is considered a renewable resource. CART requires fuel consumption meet a minimum of 1.85 miles per gallon. Maximum race car fuel cell capacity is 35 gallons.