A Competitive DIESEL at the Indy 500?

While Americans bitterly complain about the rising costs of gas for traditional (or even hybrid) piston -driven cars, a diesel revolution is well under way in Europe. Without much fanfare in the U.S., two years ago, a diesel-powered entry by Audi took first place at the storied 24 Hours of LeMans. This year, as AutoWeek put it, "The Audi pilots drove the wheels off their LMP1-class R10 TDI turbodiesel" to capture the 2008 LeMans race again.

Diesel? DIESEL?

Writing about the 2006 race, one blogger put it this way: "[The 2006 Audi diesel win produced] an important turning point in the perception (held by many Americans) that diesels are noisy, stinky, and slow: the Audis were the quietest, cleanest, and fastest cars in the race. Significantly, they were also the most fuel efficient."

The last time a diesel engine powered a competitive car at the Indianapolis 500 was in 1952, when a turbocharged diesel engine surprised all hands and captured the Pole Position. Track debris clogged up the air intake during the race and ultimately forced the Cummins diesel out, never to be seen again in real competition.

Major props to Speedway guru Tony George for requiring all current Indy cars to run on ethanol, setting an example that vehicles run on alternative biofuels can indeed go very fast. However, once upon a time the 500 was thought to be the top point of automotive innovation, pioneering new technology for commercial vehicles.

With a mind toward further restoring that legendary brand, mayhap 500 officials ought to take a squint at the Indy league rulebook and see if they can open up the door for a diesel engine or two.

If in fact Audi diesels are "the quietest, cleanest and fastest cars," maybe we could do with a few million of those on American roads today. If in Indy cars, perhaps soon on an Interstate near you?