Sorry fact is that until ~ 1965-67, at Indy (USAC) ANY fuel was legal. Cummins Diesels, Granitelli's Turbines, Gasoline, Benzene, Ethanol, Methanol, Nitrobenzene (POP), whatever. The "safety" issue is the excuse tossed about as to why methanol was chosen and required. Water will put out a methanol (and ethanol) fire. There was a fatal crash and fire in ?1964? that killed a couple of drivers, one was Eddie Sacks. Ford was running a modified version of their 260/289 stock block (This Ford program eventually became the Foyt). Their strategy was to run slower, and on gasoline, and Firestone(?) made them special harder tires, so they could possibly make only one pit stop the entire race (This was also the strategy of the turbines). Most others were burning Methanol. At that time, there was also no limit on how much fuel one carried in the car. Indy racing was then a very dangerous and bona fide testbed of NEW innovations and ideas. The current version is a sad, choreographed fake of what it once was.
Kevin
