Is Premium Gas Worth It? An Honest ReviewWorth it, but only for track day cars
around $180Buy on Amazon

Is premium gas worth it, or do you need race fuel concentrate?

Worth it, but only for track day cars

4/5around $180
RaceGas — Is premium gas worth it, or do you need race fuel concentrate?
The moment

Why premium at the pump doesn't answer every octane question

Standing at the pump with your thumb hovering between eighty seven and ninety one, you're running the numbers on whether premium gas is worth the extra money for a car that mostly just does the school run. For most daily driving, the honest answer is no. But there's a different moment entirely: the one where you're on a hot lap, the engine starts to lose power and ping under load, and you realize no amount of pump premium is going to fix what's happening inside that cylinder.

The mechanism

How a race fuel concentrate pushes pump gas past premium

Race fuel concentrate isn't premium gas with a fancier label, it's a chemical additive you pour into pump gas to change what happens inside the cylinder under load. Pour a measured amount from the 32 ounce can into a tank of ninety one, and the concentrate raises the octane rating toward 110 to 112 AKI, well past anything sold at a street pump. Higher octane means the fuel resists pre-ignition at higher compression and boost, so the engine can hold aggressive ignition timing through a hot lap instead of retarding it to avoid knock. The formula also raises the oxygen content of the fuel, which is the part that actually matters for making power rather than just avoiding damage: more oxygen in the burn means a cleaner, harder-hitting combustion event, which is why this reads as a track product and not a street one. RaceGas states it won't harm catalytic converters or O2 sensors, which matters if the same car goes back and forth between street and track rather than living as a dedicated race car. The six pack exists because one can treats one tank, and a full day of sessions burns through fuel fast enough that one can won't cover it. None of this replaces premium at the pump for a car that never sees a track. It's built to take a car already running ninety one and push it somewhere ninety one can't go, which is a narrower job than the name suggests.

The click

So the real question isn't premium versus regular, it's whether your engine ever asks for more headroom than premium can give it. If it does, under boost or high compression on race day, this is the tool that closes that gap. If it doesn't, you're paying race fuel money to solve a problem your engine never has.

Who it's for

Who actually needs octane above premium, and who should skip it

Worth it if

  • you run a turbocharged or high compression engine at the track
  • premium alone lets your engine ping or pull ignition timing under load
  • you race or track your car on weekends, not daily

Skip it if

  • you're just choosing between 87 and 91 for a daily commuter
  • your car is naturally aspirated and stock with no octane headroom problem
  • cost per tank matters more to you than lap time

Not for daily drivers just weighing eighty seven against ninety one at the pump.

The verdict

The RaceGas Ultra verdict on premium gas versus race fuel concentrate

If you're running a boosted or high compression engine at the track and premium alone lets it ping or pull timing, this is a quiet yes, keep a can in the trunk. If you're just deciding between eighty seven and ninety one for a commuter, save the money, buy the premium at the pump and stop there. This isn't for a daily driver, and it isn't cheap to run every weekend either.

What this actually removes is the moment your engine starts protecting itself on a hot lap, pulling timing and losing the power you came to use. Day one looks like this: you pour a can into a fresh tank before the first session, and instead of babysitting knock through turn three, you get to actually use the timing your engine is tuned for. That's the whole appeal, and it's a specific one. Keep it for race day, and let pump premium handle the drive home.

Amazon shoppers rate it 4.5 out of 5 across 233 ratings. That is their number, not ours.

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Before you go

Is there a downside to using premium gas?

For most cars, no real downside beyond the extra cost at the pump, since a stock engine tuned for regular gas won't make more power from higher octane alone.

Is it worth putting 91 instead of 87?

Only if your owner's manual actually requires or recommends it for a turbocharged or high compression engine; otherwise you're paying more for octane your engine never uses.

Will my car last longer if I use premium gas?

Not on its own; premium mainly helps longevity in engines designed to run higher compression or boost that would otherwise knock on regular fuel.

Do cars actually require premium gas?

Some do, mostly turbocharged, supercharged or high compression performance engines specified by the manufacturer, so check the fuel door or manual rather than guessing.

Full spec sheet
BrandRaceGas
ModelRace Gas Ultra
Item Weight13.23 pounds
Package Dimensions39.37 x 39.37 x 19.69 inches
Manufacturer Part Number200032
Voltage12 volts

Wesley Cole covers automotive for Is It Worth It Reviews. We research products and explain them honestly; we do not test them and we never pretend to.