Ironman's Trucks To Run AEM Filters
Ivan "Ironman" Stewart is a legendary off-road racer who started the Baja Protruck racing series. Protrucks are spec trucks that all ride on the same chassis, much like NASCAR stock cars do. Protrucks race at select Best In The Desert and SCORE races. AEM recently teamed up with Ivan to become the official air filter of Protruck. All pro racers will now use off-the-shelf AEM Dryflow filters to protect their trucks' engines.
"We are thrilled to have AEM on board!" says Stewart. "AEM's Dryflow air filters are perfect for our race trucks. They have high dust-holding capability while providing excellent airflow-exactly what our racers need for speed and reliability. Desert racing is the supreme air-filter test, and AEM's unique Dryflow technology offers amazing engine protection. This is even more important when you consider that enthusiasts can buy the exact same part at their local retailer."
For more information, contact Protruck Racing Organization at www.protruck.com.
GM Foots The Bill For E85
On a Tuesday in February, General Motors celebrated the first station to offer E85 fuel in Los Angeles by giving motorists a two-hour window to buy the fuel at 85 cents per gallon. GM has nearly 46,000 flex-fuel vehicles on the road in the area, and the promotion was designed to raise awareness of the alternative fuel's availability. E85 is an ethanol-based fuel that burns cleaner and is a renewable resource.
"At GM, we believe the biofuel with the greatest potential to displace petroleum-based fuels and help reduce tailpipe carbon-gas emissions in the United States is ethanol, and so we have made a major commitment to vehicles that can run on E85 ethanol," says Susan Docherty, general manager of GM's 16-state Western Region, which includes California.
For the Children
President Bush is expected to sign H.R. 1216, a bill that directs the NHTSA to require new-vehicle manufacturers to add some sort of alert system to cars that will tell the driver if a child is behind the vehicle. SEMA estimates that at least 1,350 children have been injured since 2000 as a result of drivers not being able to see them when backing up. Large trucks and SUVs are particularly vulnerable. The NHTSA will have three years to design the requirements, which might also include provisions to have manufacturers change the way power windows work. The windows may have to reverse direction if obstructed by something like a child's arm. Apparently, Bush is in it for the kids.
Washington State Hates Big-Blocks
State Senator Rodney Tom (or Tom Rodney, depending on how you read his e-mail address: tom.rodney@leg.wa.gov) introduced state legislation S.B. 6900 as a misguided effort to reduce vehicle emissions in his home state. The bill will add a progressive tax onto the next vehicle you buy depending on how big the engine is. The bigger the engine, the more you'll pay initially and subsequently at each registration renewal. That's some weak sauce right there. We all know it's not the size of the engine that determines its emission output, it's the tune-up! If you agree with us, please send Tom Rodney or Rodney Tom an e-mail.