Is 110-Octane Standard a race fuel easy button?

Photography Credit: Ken Neher

All these decades after leaded fuel left the corner pumps, 110-octane race gas remains popular–very popular, notes Zachary J. Santner, senior specialist of quality at Sunoco. And there’s a simple reason: It still works well in a wide variety of race engines, from dirt bikes to vintage racing Mustangs.

After brewing specialty race fuels for Mark Donohue and Team Penske for a decade, Sunoco released its first commercially available race fuel–a product carrying an octane rating of 110 or so–in 1976.

That octane rating, Santner notes, wasn’t pulled from thin air. It filled a need in the day’s offerings. The pump fuels of the ’60s and early ’70s tended to max out around 100 octane. Avgas delivered about 105 octane.

“So 110 unlocks a new level of performance,” Santner explains. It was aimed at those driving the modified muscle cars still roaming about: carburetors, big cylinder bores and high compression ratios.

Today’s take on that original blend is a 110-octane race fuel simply called Standard. “It’s kind of like the original flavor of race fuel,” Santner says, noting that this product also works well with carburetors, big cylinder bores and high compression ratios. It’s good up to about a 13:1 compression ratio with iron heads and even higher with aluminum heads. (For those seeking even more octane, Sunoco offers other fuels with octane ratings up to 118.)

What about skipping those options and running a newer race fuel product that gets its elevated octane from ethanol instead of lead? Unleaded, highly oxygenated race fuels, Santner notes, top out around 105 octane while preferring the finer fuel delivery of an injection setup.

So yes, while you can run that race-prepared 12:1 small-block on an unleaded race fuel, things will likely go smoother if a programmable ECU is involved. If it’s a track-only car with a carburetor and a high compression ratio, Santner recommends considering Standard.

Comments

alfadriver MegaDork
6/21/23 11:42 a.m.

Is this leaded 110? Not exactly the best fuel for the more advanced exhaust feedback control fuel injection. BUT it will still work- I did some work with a trophy truck team in the early 00's and they used leaded fuel with my WB sensors. After about a race worth's of testing, they still worked ok. But over time, the lead will hurt the sensors.

That being said, higher octane basically increases the safety margin for high compression, high loaded engines. Timing problems? Octane. Fuel problems? Octane. Temp problems? Octane. etc...

Of course, they don't fix the problems, but they help reduce the normal resulting knock problems.

VolvoHeretic GRM+ Memberand Dork
6/21/23 6:52 p.m.

I searched Sunoco 110 race gas and noticed that the sales commercials indicated that 5 gallons was going for almost $100 or $20/gal. ouch

Purple Frog (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand Dork
6/21/23 7:58 p.m.

I pay about $15/gal for VP110 to keep the Outlaw Bug running. In reality old style engines with high compression, need lead and high octane to survive. Luckily for me I can get it about 45 minutes away. At least at that price its purple in color. LOL

For the old modified pinto powered FC cars, I only needed about 100 octane. I usually bought it at rural airports with a credit card and using a N number from something resting nearby. YMMV

VolvoHeretic GRM+ Memberand Dork
6/21/23 8:06 p.m.

When I was a kid, my dad would warm up the car in the garage with the overhead door open. I loved the sweet smell of leaded gas exhaust as I stood in the vapor fog while it warmed up.

APEowner GRM+ Memberand UltraDork
6/21/23 11:36 p.m.

Purple Frog (Forum Supporter) said:
I pay about $15/gal for VP110 to keep the Outlaw Bug running. In reality old style engines with high compression, need lead and high octane to survive. Luckily for me I can get it about 45 minutes away. At least at that price its purple in color. LOL

For the old modified pinto powered FC cars, I only needed about 100 octane. I usually bought it at rural airports with a credit card and using a N number from something resting nearby. YMMV

I run 100ll in my Formula Ford. I use NCC-1701 for the tail number when I buy it.