[QUOTE=Pull Up Now!;11898938]I One of the reasons race cars use it is because it's safer in an accident. I could be wrong, as I'm not an expert ...
Gasoline was used at the Indianapolis 500 until 1964, when a horrific crash & fireball in the first turn of lap one took the life of two drivers, including the really popular Eddie Sachs. They switched to methanol because it is much less volatile than gasoline (has a lower vapor pressure), has a much higher "lower flammability limit" (6% in air vs 1.4% for gas), can be put out with water, etc. - hence safer. These days they run ethanol because of the political sensibilities of corn ethanol in the Midwest.
The dirt track guys (racers) are a good source of information on the relative merits of gasoline, methanol, and nitromethane. Here's a
typical source that states methanol is good for about 20% more power than gasoline (for a given displacement). I like the comment 'I guess the old saying is true. "
Gasoline is for washing parts, alcohol is for drinking and nitro is for racing."'.