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Environment-Auto For the environmentalists wondering about the fuel efficiency of my 1987 Buick Grand National, I will tell you this to consider. After replacing the Stage 1 with a Stage 2 Garrett turbocharger and experimenting with various Kenne-Bell computer chips, I found the combination that delivers highway mileage of 35 to 45 mpg. With an 11.338 second quarter mile at the drag strip on street tires. It has a factory installed intercooler that makes all the difference on a cold midnight run. My '87 Buick now gets better mileage than my 2000 Honda Civic. If I was just making a thousand quarter mile runs covering 250 miles, we're talking about 7mpg. That little Easter Basket on wheels some of you are driving should be getting 300mpg. If only the engineers were really trying instead of being discouraged by unknown oil traders possibly in cahoots with the auto industry. There are many ways to increase the horsepower output of an engine without increasing gasoline consumption. A turbocharger recycles the exhaust of an engine to increase pressure on the intake manifold. Intercoolers decrease the temperature of the incoming air from the extremely hot engine compartment. The cooler air is capable of producing more horsepower when mixed with gasoline in the combustion chambers of your engine block. All vehicles manufactured in the United States should be built this way. The engineers factory install these devices as a way to meet fuel mileage requirements with poorly designed engines. If such devices were factory installed on properly designed engines just imagine the possibilities. Why wouldn't the Auto Industry Executives want an energy saving, performance increasing recycling program under the hood of every car? Maybe they have stock in crude oil futures, or they have incompetent engineers. The added expense of a turbocharger and intercooler is probably the reason. Quit using corn to drive cars. Food can be converted into fuel but fuel cannot be converted into food. People are starving on our planet, ethanol is not necessary. In depth examination of the matter will be published in a future edition. ©2009

Day At The Races: Pinnacle Race Course In Detroit

    Nothing like watching the horses run on a Friday afternoon in the woods west of Detroit. Good thing I ran into a friend of mine named Greg, he is the co-owner of a racehorse named Island Heart stabled at Pinnacle. I started talking and missed the window for the third race. My money would have been on the 5 horse but this number 8 horse pictured to the right came in at 24/1. Below are some pictures showing him running away from the field when he turned for home. He was running so fast that when I panned my camera out at the wire I only had a picture of the wire. I snapped two pictures in a row, one ended up with nothing and then the 5 horse on the second picture. I will have some pictures of Greg's horse back in the stables with updates on his racing career for people to follow.

    Pinnacle Race Course might be the friendliest Horse Racing Track you will ever find. I don't know if the track owner pays these people $100 an hour or if they are just happy with the brand new surroundings. It is a new track with plenty of room, and real restaurant style food service with a bar. I have no complaints about any of my visits and I thank the owners for building the track and leaving the trees.

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