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Car Racing: Corvette Racing, Penske Porsches Win Green Challenge(TM) World Debut
Posted on Sunday, October 05 @ 18:39:15 CDT by Cars |
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Corvette Racing, Penske Porsches Win Green Challenge(TM) World Debut
BRASELTON, Ga., Oct. 5 -- A world debut only ever happens once.
And these will be the names to be remembered as the inaugural winners of the
Green Challenge at the American Le Mans Series' signature endurance race -
Petit Le Mans - at Road Atlanta Saturday:
-- Porsche ... and its Penske RS Spyder team of Pat Long, Sascha Maassen and
Emmanuel Collard
-- GM/Chevrolet ... and its Corvette Racing team of Johnny O'Connell, Jan Magnussen
and Ron Fellows.
They earned the first ever Green Challenge trophies in their respective prototype
(Porsche) and GT (Corvette) classes. Each had the best score in class for
overall performance, fuel efficiency (petroleum displaced) and environmental
impact (greenhouse gas emissions) over the 1,000-mile, 2.54-mile road course.
The award was created in conjunction with the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, the U.S. Department of Energy and SAE International, the world's
leading automotive engineering organization. On hand to present each trophy
were Margo T. Oge, the EPA's Director of the Office of Transportation and
Air Quality; Pat Davis, DOE's leading official for vehicle technologies and
renewable energy and efficiencies; and Dave Schutt, SAE International's COO
and Executive Vice President.
The American Le Mans Series is the only major race series in the world in which
all cars race on not one, not two, but three alternative 'street legal' fuels:
clean sulfur-free diesel, E10 and cellulosic E85. "Street legal" refers
to fuels that are virtually the same as the consumer purchases at the fuel
station. An electric hybrid is scheduled to make its debut shortly, perhaps
at the season finale at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, October 18.
Many, including Oge, believe the Green Challenge represents a real game changer
within the motorsports and automotive industry.
"
Racing has always been associated with high power and fast driving as well
as innovation in safety and performance," said Oge. "But [up until
now] we have never been able to put racing and green(ing) together. The truth
is we are facing two very severe issues in this country. We have to be self-sufficient
when it comes to energy. Burning fossil fuels creates greenhouse gas emissions
and has severe consequences. Our hope is by starting here and introducing environmentally
friendly technologies, we will continue and transfer such developments to what
you and I drive on a daily basis. I applaud the American Le Mans Series and
all involved in this effort."
Often viewed as the most sophisticated and technical racing series in the world
in which technology transfers directly from the race car to the customer
showroom car, the American Le Mans Series has become the global leader in
green racing. The 11 automobile marquees that race in the Series - Audi,
Acura, Aston Martin, BMW ('09), Corvette, Dodge, Porsche, Ferrari, Mazda,
Panos and Ford - readily admit that the relevancy of the American Le Mans
Series and its ability to create an environment to develop technologies is
one of the primary reasons they race in the world's leading sports car series.
"
We have begun something that will have a profound effect on the motorsports
and automotive industry," said Scott Atherton, president and CEO of the
American Le Mans Series. "When you get the type of support we have had
from the highest levels of the EPA and DOE, you know that you are involved
in something that can really make a difference. Fuel efficiency and energy
independence are two of the most relevant topics we all face today and the
American Le Mans Series is prepared to lead the way."
Oh yes. And by the way, Audi Sport North America in its R10 TDI diesel-powered
race car won the actual race for the ninth consecutive year with drivers
Allan McNish, Dindo Capello and Emanuele Pirro.
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