We followed the JL Racing season in Canada right through 2007 and I’m very excited to be doing it again in 2008, especially with this latest bit of news.

The following has just hit my inbox:

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New JL Racing BioPower Race Program

Toronto, ON (31 January, 2008).

In partnership with Saab Canada, JL Racing today announced a new BioPower race program for 2008. Building on the success of the 2007 season, the team has begun race development of an E85 fuelled Saab ECOTEC engine for the Saab 9-3. The team will enter the car in the Touring Class of the Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship .

Saab is a world leader in flex-fuel engines and biopower technologies and has championed the development of bio-ethanol as an important step in reducing the reliance on dwindling fossil fuel. Racing is seen as a key part of alternative fuel research as it tests flex-fuel engines at their extreme limits. JL Racing’s E85 program builds on this initiative and will also provide opportunities to test new ideas and processes to improve performance and reliability.

Team Manager, John Lockhart said: “The racing heritage has always been about innovation in auto technology. We believe an E85 race program will not only demonstrate Saab’s key role in biopower technologies to Canadians but also contribute to better flex-fuel engines for the future.”

While team drivers John Lockhart and Jason Sharpe will be driving the 2008 Saab 9-3 Aero cars, team member Diane Dale, will drive the biopower car. An experienced race and championship winning driver, she was the catalyst in launching the Saab E85 initiative.

She commented: “The team will face a number of challenges developing this car but our belief is that alternative motorsports can win championships. I’m absolutely thrilled to be a part of this program and can’t wait to race in the Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship.”

Although JL Racing will be the first E85 entry in the championship, it is expected that more teams will join the worldwide trend toward racing with alternative fuels. GM recently announced that they plan to enter an E85 Corvette in the LeMans series and other manufacturers are planning similar initiatives.

About JL Racing
JL Racing is one of Canada’s premier sport sedan racing teams. In 2006, JL Racing formed a partnership with Saab Canada to race and showcase Canada’s only Saab 9-3 race cars. The team has made headlines several times with a first race, first place finish and subsequent podium finishes in the Saab 9-3.

For more information: www.jlracing.net.