Steve Burns on Internal Combustion Engines
Little did anyone know that from a small start-up located thirty miles south of the Alamo in San Antonio, a young man named Steve Burns would lead a classic American success story. His VP Racing Fuels would evolve and grow to wage epic David versus Goliath battles and wars that continue today. Earlier this week, I tracked down my old boss down, the founder and former owner of VP, and asked his thoughts on EVs and internal combustion engines. Here’s just a bit.
“Well, speaking as a guy who owns part of an EV car company, nothing replaces the IC engine,” Burns offered. “ It breathes air and breathes out CO2. It’s very vocal and bleeds when hurt. It has a personality of itself, and even a smell identifies it. These are qualities very similar to a living creature. In fact, it is a living creature. At some level, an automobile almost has a soul. I actually believe they have a soul. So far, we have created a fun, reliable, off-road, racing-style electric vehicle. It’s a lot of fun and will become an excellent school car. But I don’t think it will ever have a soul.”
VP has contracted me to write a book about the company’s first 50 years in business. That’s due out in 2025. If you’d like to go behind the scenes way before then and learn more about yours truly, Burns, and the team of relentless men and women of VP – the Davids that took on the Goliaths, you can read a bit more about what I endearingly titled FUELIN’ AROUND here.