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**** l \ Hfei'U&j*-*1 Vi v .; ii i'\ v Z 1 1 ^ • * % . . * * • » • - » * V * 4 . V » * - n « • - r * % * « t 9 - . * r % • * - . t M * - * ? £ m v * PAGE 3 - PLAINDEALER - FRIDAY. OCTOBER 12.1*79 *-* r » » m » ••* .« m ^ » *500* driver says... Indy racers have fuel-saving tricks 6n track and at home Clean inside, too byTOMSNEVA Undertaking a 500-mile trip with a 200-gallon fuel supply might seem like luxury in these days of gasoline scarcity. That is unless the trip is the In­ dianapolis "500," the richest prize in all of auto racing. Up until several years ago, there was no fuel limit at the Indy "500." After the Middle Eastern oil crisis of the mid- 1970's rules establishing a limit on fuel were set. That's one reason why we in racing--the drivers, the mechanics and the pit crews--have suddenly be­ come conscious of fuel conser­ vation. I've seen cars stop short of the finish line because they ran out of gas. It's my job to see it never happens to me. I can pass these fuel-saving tips-on to you. 1. Any car I drive, whether at Indy or my own private car, is in best possible shape. I don't Waste a drop of fuel because of an untuned engine, improperly inflated tires, faulty brakes, or any other malfunctioning part or system. The average motorist can't say the same. If he has neglected maintenance, he is wasting costly and scarce fuel. 2. Driving fast is the name of the racer's game, and race driv­ ers have the skill to do it safely. But racers don't drive any fast­ er than absolutely necessary to win, especially in these days of fuel limits. And' that's part of the secret of driving with gas economy in mind. Driving at the 55 mph. highway speed limit is not only safer but it is more fuel efficient for motorists. Reducing your highway speed from 70 miles TOM SNEVA INDY '500' VETERAN per hour to 50 can save you more than 20 percent in fuel. With gasoline prices the way they are, you're saving almost four gallons or close to $4 per tankful by cutting speed. 3. If you've ever ridden with a professional race driver, you know that he is an extremely smooth driver. He doesn't in­ dulge in gas-wasting jack- rabbit starts. He keeps a light, steady foot on the gas pedal, doesn't pass erratically or lane hop. All these maneuvers con­ sume fuel unnecessarily. 4. The successful race driver always anticipates traffic pat­ terns. If you do the same on the road, you'll save gas. Try to "play" traffic lights and don't tailgate which may cause sud­ den stops and starts. 5. None oLyou are likely to experience the pit stop where your tank is filled and tires changed in less than 20 sec­ onds. But avoid, if you can, long periods of idling, at a ser­ vice station or any other place. If you have to wait in your car for more than a few moments, turn off the engine. This holds true at a railroad crossing while waiting for a train or at a mar­ ket waiting for someone to come out of the store. The way you drive can affect fuel mileage more than five percent. Keeping speeds reasonable, driving smoothly and avoiding long periods of idling can save fuel as well as money. Let me pass these other fuel saving tips on to you. If you could eliminate just one of every 20 car trips you take through car pooling, taking mass transit, walking or just deciding the trip isn't neces­ sary, you could sav^ five per­ cent of your fuel bill. Proper maintenance'can ac­ count for an additional savings of five percent. A recent survey showed that nearly 80 percent of the cars on the road today are wasting fuel due to lack of maintenance. In many cases, the owners are not aware their cars are wasting fuel. An esti­ mated 312,000 barrels of gasoline a day could be saved in the U.S. if all vehicles were kept in proper tune. So, saving gasoline through more thoughtful use of the car, using good driving practices, and better condition of the car can easily save 15 percent of your fuel bill. That's the kind of edge I'd gladly take in auto racing. After you've spent part of Saturday waxing your car, youHl stand back and admire the restored beauty. Time for a cold drink, yes. But also time to get busy on the interior because everyday use of the car can take its toll, points out the Automotive In­ formation Council. Opholstery and carpet mate­ rials are far more durable than they were in the "good old days," but they still need some care, says AIC. Getting in and out of the car can track in an accumulation of dirt, mud, moisture and sal.t from melting snow. Tobacco smoke may have formed a film on the inside of the glass, along with producing a smell disa­ greeable to some. Pets and children and their assorted spills and messes can also be hard on the interior of a car. Any car, wjth a little elbow grease, can be restored to almost-new condition. Start by vacuuming the rugs and up­ holstery. The hose attachment of the vacuum and a small brush will get into the small comer areas and the crevices in the seats. For stains on carpet or up­ holstery, try to scrape or blot off as much as possible before following the procedure out­ lined in the owner's manual for your type of upholstery and carpeting. In general, most vinyl up­ holstery and interior trim can be cleaned by wiping with a mild soap solution and then towel- dried. Excess suds and mois­ ture should be wiped off with a damp cloth and then wiped with a dry towel. Household upholstery clean­ ers can be used for most auto seats, and special cleaners are available for velours. Follow the advice in the manual. The last step should be to wash the interior surface of the windows. Use a commercial glass cleaner or a vinegar-water mixture. This should remove the smoke film from the inside of the glass and reduce the odor associated with smoke. Wipe dry to prevent streaks or spots. Air fresheners or an unwrap­ ped bar of soap tucked under the seat can be used to restore and keep a fresh smell in the car. While a clean car is obvi­ ously more pleasant to drive in, AIC says the real reward may come at trade-in time. A cleaner cat could mean more dollars for the car. Gas cap must match vehicle During this period of fuel uncertainties, many car-owners are buying lock-type gas caps. Be sure that the cap selected is designed for the specific make, model and year of the vehicle on which it is to be used. Different models of autc various gas tank or cap ventifr systems. 4- \ Use of an improper cap can create a vacuum as fuel is drawn from the tank by the fuel pump. This could result in the serious consequence of a col­ lapsed gas tank. Just because a gas cap- fits doesn't mean that it will func­ tion properly on your car. 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