Corn–there’s nary a product made today that’s not in some way related to the yellow, kernel-producing grain. Now, it seems Corvettes have joined that group, and they’re being diverted away from the grocery store and over to the race track.
The National Ethanol Open, which took place over this past weekend in Kearney Raceway Park in Kearney, Nebraska, saw some high-speed action that attracted enthusiasts and newcomers for miles around. The event was put on by Nebraska Corn Board, Nebraska Ethanol Board, and KAAPA Ethanol as a fun way to show what all the maize-produced fuel could do, not just as an environmentally friendly substance, but as a performance fuel as well.

Another famous ethanol-powered C6 is this 2007 model owned by Jay Leno, pictured here at the 2007 SEMA Show.
“By using E85, these Corvette owners are enjoying more horsepower and a cooler-running engine,” said Grady Koch of Upland with Kearney Raceway Park. “The Corvettes are seeing 1,000 horsepower, thanks to high-performance E85 fuel.”
Part and parcel of that claim was the black ZR1 you see above. It reportedly achieved 198 miles per hour at one time during a competition, adding fuel to the fire of the gas versus ethanol debate.
That debate has been one of serious contention over the past few years, and is likely to keep right on going, even as gas prices are seeing a national drop over recent weeks. However, if these are the kinds of numbers (1000 horsepower, 198 miles per hour) folks can see from an E85 conversion, perhaps GM and automakers in general will give the fossil fuel alternative another go-around in coming years.
What are your likes and dislikes regarding E85? Would you find it distasteful to use in a future Corvette model? Let us know what you think in the comments below.