Whether you're driving an electric vehicle or filling up with E85 ethanol, there is always more of an environmental impact than you might think. For example, the electricity that powers some of today's vehicles has to be produced somewhere. In the United States, most of our electricity is generated from fossil fuels and about one third comes from coal-fired power plants (which are our nation's leading source of carbon emissions). Moreover, corn-based ethanol competes with our food crops, doesn't get as good of gas mileage and has to be distributed via road or rail transport. Reduce the Junk in the Trunk There is so much talk today about making a smaller environmental footprint that it is easy to lose sight of what each of us can do to limit air pollution. Being a conscientious driver...

Engine surging is usually a warning sign that your car or truck is having combustion problems. Since a vehicle's ignition wires and spark plugs play a major role in proper engine performance, it is likely time to check your engine's electrical components. Each spark plug delivers current from the ignition coil via your vehicles spark plug wires to an individual cylinder's combustion chamber. The electrical impulse transmitted through the plug jumps the gap at the plug's firing end to ignite a compressed air/fuel mixture. Bad Plugs Can Cause a Misfire Each cylinder has a spark plug and a piston. The electrical voltage needed for combustion varies with different spark plugs. Intense heat causes the electrons following through the ignition system to jump the plug's gap and ignite the...

Coming into final NASCAR Cup cutoff race for the "Round of Twelve", Martin Truex, Jr. didn't feel a lot of pressure to win at Kansas. Having claimed a victory at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, the Trenton NJ-native had ensured the No. 78 Toyota Camry for Furniture Row Racing would advance to the next round. However, that was not the case for a handful of contenders, who along with Truex Jr. had suffered major damage and lost valuable playoff points at the crashed-plagued Alabama 500 the previous weekend. Roger Penske's lead driver, Brad Keselowski, eventually survived the 15 caution flags at Talladega to win his way into the "Round of Eight." Based on the 2017 NASCAR rules, all a driver has to do is "Win and You're In." Without a win during any given round, drivers have to rely on...

The Circuit of the Americas in Austin TX hosted the seventeenth of twenty rounds for 2017 Formula One Championship this past weekend. Opened in 2012, the spectacular racing facility is the first venue in the United States built specifically for F1 racing. In previous years, racing's elite world sanctioning body held F1 championship events at Watkins Glen, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the street circuit at Long Beach CA. The 3.4 mile Austin track has been praised for its natural topography and dramatic elevation changes with a steep, uphill run into Turn One. Track builders also used signature corners from other Formula One venues as inspiration for the 20-turn course that runs counter-clockwise. After early rounds of practice saw annoying bursts of rain that made the slippery...

The development of laser radar technology that will allow vehicles to understand the obstacles around them is one of the hottest products in global research and development. This autonomous technology is known as "lidar", which maybe short for light detection and ranging or light/radar or laser interferometry detection and ranging, and will allow vehicles to travel safely from point A to point B. Similar to the laser speed detector used by law enforcement, a lidar device emits an infrared light. Using a specialized GPS receiver with optical remote sensing, the device can measure variable distances in real time. Quebec City-based LeddarTech evolved from a Canadian government-funded research facility called the National Optics Institute. The company has since become a global player in...

Ridesharing is an Internet-based service concept that arranges for one-time shared rides on very short notice. Uber and Lyft are two well-known rideshare apps that allow persons needing a lift to use the Internet for instant connectivity. This popular mode of modern transportation has taken cities across the nation and around the world by surprise. In some cases, municipal transportation systems have already embraced the concept and are creating their own apps to improve the flow of mass-transit. But, along with innovation comes the need for regulation. According to rstreet.org,* the states listed below have either enacted legislation, pending legislation or no legislation regarding rideshare companies like Uber or Lyft: Alabama: Enacted Legislation (SB...

Ponte Vedra, FL, (October 19, 2017)…E3 Spark Plugs has eased the rules for signing up for the ‘Why I Run E3!’ contest that launched September 1 during the 2017 Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals.   Now to enter contestants only need to sign up via the company’s Facebook page by 1) Liking E3s page, subscribe to E3’s You Tube channel, follow E3 on Twitter, and provide the entrant’s name and email address. All entrants must be 18 years of age or older to win. Signing up for the company e-newsletter is optional. The contest ends November 13, 2017.   One grand prize winner will receive a 2016 Commemorative NHRA Drag Racing Helmet signed by top NHRA drag racers in addition to winning two VIP tickets to the NHRA race of their choice. The...

Engine tune-ups and ignition system services are vital to keep your car or truck operating at peak performance. Refer to your owner's manual for recommended tune-up intervals, but be aware that it's in your best interest to routinely check that your vehicle's working at peak efficiency. Before you start work on your vehicle's electrical system, please be aware that there are components that you shouldn't attempt to deal with yourself unless you've worked on them before. Ignition system service is often overlooked, which could prove to be a serious mistake. Ignition cables (also known as spark plug wires) are an important part of your car's ignition system. Since these wires transfer the spark from the ignition coil, there performance is critical to thoroughly ignite the air-fuel...

What's ten minutes southeast of Waxahachie TX? Locals and E3 Spark Plug drag racing fans know that it is Texas Motorplex, home to the quickest and fastest form of motorsports. Drivers, teams and sponsors have looked forward to the NHRA Nationals at the all-concrete facility for more than three decades of racing. Opened in 1986, it was the first super-stadium built specifically for drag racing and has seen all the great names in the sport burn rubber in championship-clinching performances at the historic track. With drivers hitting 0 to 100 mph in less than half a second, it all happens in the blink of an eye at the 32nd Annual AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals. This year's fourth round in the Countdown to the Championship was no exception. On Friday the 13th, Texan Steve Torrence showed...

Robert Yates, a longtime NASCAR team owner and engine builder, lost his battle with liver cancer Monday night after months of immunotherapy. The 74-year old son of a Baptist minister is probably best known as the guy who was always looking for a competitive advantage. Having won the NASCAR Cup Championship as a car owner in 1999, Yates was probably stock car racing's most elite engine builder and co-founder of Roush Yates Engines. From 1983 to present, Yates engines rolled into the winner's circle 134 times. A pioneer in the sport, Yates began his NASCAR career working for the legendary team at Holman Moody Racing. In 1988, he invested everything to purchase Rainer-Lundy Racing and put a budding young star, Davey Allison, behind the wheel. Allison drove the No. 28 Texaco-Havoline...