JEFFERSON CITY, 16/9/2002.- A jet-powered dragster set the world renewablefuel speed record Saturday using 100 percent biodiesel. Driver Mark Smithpushed "Wild Thang" to 211 mph on the 660-foot racetrack at the OzarkInternational Raceway in Rogersville, Missouri.Biodiesel is an American fuel made from renewable fats or oils, such assoybean oil. The fuel works in any diesel engine with few or nomodifications. Biodiesel contains no petroleum, but can be blended withdiesel at any level or used in its pure form. Wild Thang used soy-basedbiodiesel (B100) produced by West Central Soy of Ralston, Iowa, to achievethe Guinness World Record."The biodiesel definitely impressed me," said Russel Gehrke of Seymour,Missouri, who helped prepare the car for its run. "It ran just as fast asconventional but much cleaner. The crowd really liked it, too. It smells alot better than diesel."Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel to have completed the rigorousHealth Effects testing requirements of the Clean Air Act. Results showbiodiesel reduces carcinogenic air toxics by 75-90% compared to diesel,and that biodiesel is low in toxicity, readily biodegradable and free ofsulfur. Its use reduces emissions like carbon monoxide, particulate matterand unburned hydrocarbons. Soy biodiesel also reduces carbon dioxide by 78percent on a lifecycle basis, according to a joint U.S. Department ofAgriculture/U.S. Department of Energy study."When you're burning a gallon of fuel per second like we are, you wantsomething that is environmentally friendly," Gehrke said. "I woulddefinitely use biodiesel again.""Achieving a speed of 211 miles per hour with biodiesel just underscoresthat this is a high performance fuel," said Joe Jobe, executive directorof the National Biodiesel Board. "There has never been a record like thisset using a renewable fuel and weÃŒre very pleased to have biodiesel be thefirst."Biodiesel has similar horsepower, torque and BTU content compared topetroleum diesel. It offers excellent lubricity and higher cetane thandiesel fuel. More than 200 major fleets use biodiesel commercially.Readers can learn more about biodiesel by visitinghttp://www.biodiesel.org The National Biodiesel Board is funded in part bythe United Soybean Board and state soybean board checkoff programs.