Fuel-Saving Lessons Learned from Endurance Racing

Fuel economy is about more than just saving money at the pump, or using your vehicle less. It means maximizing energy efficiency, which comes from three things - driving habits, vehicle maintenance, and strategic planning. And while the type of vehicle is possible the singe biggest influence on fuel economy, we are assuming that not everyone can just buy a new car, so we will focus on the other two factors.

Racing Driver Skills = Real World Fuel Savings

Even in racing, fuel economy matters, especially in endurance racing, in which AutoPerformance Motorsport won a national championship in. Why, you ask? The main reason is that the more fuel efficient you are, the longer you can stay out between fuel stops, and if you can minimize the number of fuel stops, you will maximize your track time and maximize your lap count. Even in Formula 1, teams try to have the minimum amount of fuel loaded in the car to save weight and lower lap times. To achieve this, drivers have to master skills such as throttle control, preservation of momentum, and anticipation - skills that translate directly to driving on the road. In fact, learning these skills might be the most important change you can make to extend intervals between visits to the pumps. So take these racing skills and apply them to your fuel economy runs:

Drive smoothly

In racing, we avoid sudden steering inputs, abript acceleration, and hard braking to manage weight transfer and maximize grip, epecially in the corners. This smoothness translates directly to improved fuel economy. Gradual speed changes reduce fuel use and wear on your vehicle. Imagine the throttle pedal as a dial rather than an on-off switch. The more gradual and gentle the increases and decreases of throttle application, the better.

Maintain a steady pace and observe speed limits

Being able to keep your engine rpms steadily at a relatively low speed can improve fuel economy a huge amount. Also, fuel efficiency drops sharply at speeds above 60 to 80 kph due to increased aerodynamic drag. If your car has cruise control, use it.

Anticipate traffic flow

A keen awareness and the ability to anticipate the moves of cars around you are the basis of racecraft. By thinking a step ahead, you can avoid possible bottlenecks where crashes occur, and find openings to overtake in or defend from. On the streets, look ahead and anticipate what the drivers ahead will do to avoid bringing your car to a full stop. Using your momentum to your advantage and coasting to decelerate uses less fuel than braking and then accelerating.

Limit idling

Turn off your engine if you expect to be stopped for more than a few minutes. Idling burns fuel, all while the car isn't moving. That said, we do not recommend shutting down your engine if you are in stop-and-go traffic.

Keeping Your Car Well Maintained Means Fuel Savings

As a racing driver, your performance is limited to what the car car do. And a poorly maintained car doesn't perform, whether at the track on on the streets. Even the greatest racers in the world can't win if they don't have a car capable of victory. With this in mind, we always ensure we keep our racecar in tip top shape, using the best available parts with the correct specifications to ensure maximum performance, reliability, and efficiency. And here are some of the most impactful things to check on your car to improve fuel economy:

Keep tires properly inflated and wheels balanced and aligned

Under-inflated tires increase rolling resistance, which then increases fuel consumption. We recommend checking tire pressures every month, and sticking to the manufacturer's recommended tire pressures, to ensure the best possible results. Aside from tire pressure, having the tires balanced and aligned reduces drag and increases rolling resistance, both of which have negative effects on gas mileage. These tips also extend the lifespan of your tires, which is another nice money saving bonus.

Change engine oil regularly

Having fresh engine oil reduces engine friction, increases efficiency, and improves performance, so be sure to follow the recommended service interval as shown in your owner's manual. Using the correct specification also matters a lot - some engines need specific grades of oil to be at its best, and some engines have varying viscosity grade requirements depending on the ambient temperatures. We also recommend fully synthetic motor oil for modern engines, as they typically have the best additives for fuel efficiency, and generally are lower in viscosity than semi-synthetic or mineral oils, which reduces engine load. Don't forget to use a high quality oil filter, and if your owner's manual recommends it, fresh oil for your transmission or differential may also help a little!

Replace air filters

Dirty air filters restrict airflow, forcing the engine to work harder and burn more fuel. High-performance air filters often boast that they can improve fuel economy, but in practice, their benefit is usually only felt at wide open throttle, when the increased airflow from the filter matters more, and in the context of saving fuel, having a wide open throttle is not what we want.

Check spark plugs

Worn or dirty spark plugs cause incomplete combustion, reducing efficiency and increasing fuel consumption. Replacing spark plugs are relatively inexpensive compared to the amount of extra fuel you'll use by leaving old, fouled plugs in.

Use recommended fuel grade

Using higher-octane fuel than your engine requires usually does not improve efficiency or performance, and costs more. So best to just look up the recommended spec in your owner's manual and stick to that.

Keep your vehicle light and aerodynamically slippery

When you see a race car, you will see it has only the absolute bare necessities for it to perform at its best. This minimizes weight, and maximizes efficiency and performance. In road cars, you can remove unnecessary weight such as body kits or heavy items in the trunk. A heavier vehicle will always consume for fuel. Get rid of unnecessary spoilers or body add-ons, as increasing downforce or increasing frontal surface area means increased drag, and that means more fuel consumption. If you don't use your roof rack on a daily basis, take it off, and then re-attach it when it's needed. Another tip is to avoid heavier wheel-and-tire combinations, or combinations that have a significant difference in total diameter, as these can increase un-sprung and rotating mass, which are killers of fuel efficiency.

Strategic Thinking Means More Savings

In motorsport, strategy can often mean the difference between winning and losing. In the same manner, strategic thinking can make the difference between saving money on fuel and having huge fuel bills:

Plan trips efficiently

Combine various errands into one trip to avoid multiple short drives. This reduces the total number of kilometers you drive, which reduces the fuel you burn. Also, a cold engine uses more fuel than an engine in proper operating temperature, so shorter intervals between the car being shut off and started again are better than long stop times.

Avoid driving in traffic

In racing, we try to time pit stops so that we are releasing the car where there is the least amount of other vehicles (known as clear air), where the car can take advantage of ideal track conditions and perform at its best. And in the real world, driving in heavy traffic wastes the most fuel, since you are burning gas while not moving at all. If possible, travel during off-peak hours or use alternate routes when on the road. Using apps like Waze and Google maps can also help guide you as to the best times to go out, and the best routes to take.