Canadian powers up in all-electric series
Some day in the future, our basic mode of transport will be powered by an alternative to fossil fuels. This appears to be certain.
And what also appears to be certain is that vehicle competition will follow right behind.
We may not witness auto racing with steam- or hydrogenpowered engines in the near future, but electric-motored cars have been with us for a couple of years — with F1 taking the lead in green racing with its present hybrid race cars.
Formula E, a series comprised of battery-fed full electric cars, was organized in 2014.
Prominent automakers such as BMW, Nissan and Audi have actively embraced this new form of racing — cars are capable of zero-100 km/h times in under three seconds and top speeds of 280 km/h.
Another big player in Formula E is Jaguar. But this British firm has taken racing closer to everyday consumer driving with its I-Pace eTrophy Series.
Now halfway through its inaugural season, the I-Pace series features Jaguar’s battery-powered, zero-emission four-door sedans, although Jag markets the car as an SUV.
The vehicles are race-prepared versions of the 394-horsepower I-Pace you can purchase from Jaguar, and is the first competition car ever using production electric-powered vehicles.
The most recent race was held through the streets of Rome, with Edmonton’s Stefan Rzadzinski driving for the ChineseTiger based TRW Techeetah taking fifth behind winner Sérgio Jimenez of Brazil.
Former IndyCar driver Katherine Legge is also racing in the series, taking a fourth at Rome for Rahal Letterman Racing.
Legge’s teammate, Bryan Sellers, took second and Simon Evans of New Zealand was third.
The swoopy race cars in the Formula E series may be the pinnacle of upcoming road racing, but the I-Pace Series, a series that features electric cars that look and perform like the ones we can buy for the street, is giving us a closer peek into the future.
We may not like it, but the odours of 116-octane gasoline, nitromethane or alcohol in our favourite race cars is starting to fade.
History was made at the recent Mopar Express Lane NHRA SpringNationals in Houston over the weekend as John Force qualified No. 1 in Funny Car and daughter Brittany qualified No. 1 in Top Fuel Dragster. This was the first time the father and daughter qualified No. 1 at the same event.
Brittany did go on to win TF at Houston, but dad John finished third, although winning FC was Force teammate Robert Hight, so the top two wins were taken by JFR.
Eric Latino of Port Perry made the show in the tough Pro Modified division, but was taken out in first-round action.
Next stop is the NGK Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway near Charlotte, N.C. April 26-28.
Flamboro Speedway is scheduled to open its 2019 season May 4 with a regular card of racing in five divisions, but the Waterloo Regional Kart Club will take to the track first for its 38th season with practice and driver training April 27 and 28.
The WRKC was organized in 1981 and has called the paved oval in Millgrove its home track since 2007.