We can add one more thing to the certainty of death and taxes

Gas prices will keep going up.

Check out these charts from gasbuddy.com. I find it interesting that right as summer starts, prices go up a lot; but come about Aug/Sept in years previous, it dropped back down again. Except for last year. Also, the gas temperature map changes dynamically – so refresh often. Interesting to see that the midwest is so ‘hot’/high. However while I was at home, in one day, gas prices went from $3.73-ish to $3.95. Across the board. The one station that didn’t update it’s gas prices had a line around the block.

But, if gas guzzling is your thing – this Sunday is the running of the Indianapolis 500. I’m having a little get-together at my place for the event.

Here are a few fun facts:

• The fuel mileage of an IRL IndyCar Series car is less than 2 miles per gallon. A car burns approximately 1.3 gallons of fuel per lap at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
• They use 113 octaine 100% ethanol fuel (as of 2007) and last check ran about $9/gallon
• The 3.0 liter V8 engines of IRL IndyCar Series cars produce more than 670 horsepower.
• An IRL IndyCar Series car accelerates from 0 to 100 mph in less then three seconds.
• The draft created by an IRL IndyCar Series car extends 25 feet behind the car.
• While traveling approximately 230 mph, IRL IndyCar Series cars travel slightly more than the length of a football field in about one second.
• IRL IndyCar Series drivers endure G-forces equal to nearly four times the weight of gravity while going through turns, which is approximately the same amount of force the space shuttle leaves the launching pad at Cape Canaveral with.
• Each of the eight pistons in an IRL IndyCar Series engine travels nearly one mile up and down in the cylinder every minute.