Ethanol to Fuel IndyCar Series

The IndyCars ar now using ethanol as a racing fuel, and have been since sometime in 2005. For more information take a look at the following press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: 605-334-3381

American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE)

Kristin Brekke, Communications Director

Ethanol to Fuel IndyCar Series

Sioux Falls, South Dakota (March 3, 2005) – The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) announced today that beginning with the 2006 season, the Indy Racing League's IndyCar ® Series will be fueled by ethanol.

“The American Coalition for Ethanol is extraordinarily proud that the IndyCar Series has made ethanol its fuel of choice,” said Brian Jennings, ACE Executive Vice President. “When we had our first discussions three years ago, we dared to dream that ethanol could be the fuel to power the Indy Racing League. Now ethanol will prove its high performance merits in an incredible venue, and the U.S. ethanol industry is grateful for the opportunity and eager to get started.”

In an announcement today at Union Station on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, Indy Racing League and ethanol industry officials explained that the 2006 IndyCar Series will be fueled by a blend of 90% methanol – the league's current racing fuel – and 10% ethanol. The 2007 series will be powered by 100% ethanol.

“We are proud to partner with the ethanol industry to showcase a great American fuel source,” said Ken Ungar, the Indy Racing League's Senior Vice President of Business Affairs. “We feel a commitment to the environment and our country's energy security is consistent with our sports' legacy of race-bred innovation and leadership.”

The Indy Racing League has been in discussion for several years with a coalition of ethanol industry companies, led by major ethanol facility engineering and construction firms: Fagen, Inc. of Granite Falls, Minnesota; ICM, Inc. of Colwich, Kansas; and Broin Companies of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The three companies have pooled their resources to launch this high-profile marketing partnership.

“A key part of ACE's market development efforts has been showing consumers, through racing, that ethanol is a high-octane performance fuel,” said Ron Lamberty, American Coalition for Ethanol Vice President / Market Development. “We can tell people that ethanol performs, but showing them is far more effective. And what better way to show them than by running the world's most powerful racing machines and the world's most famous race on the same ethanol that they can buy for their cars?”

Race car engines operating on ethanol have demonstrated excellent performance, and internal dynamometer testing has shown that there are no technical barriers to replacing methanol with ethanol. Ethanol's high octane rating delivers strong engine performance by helping engines resist detonation so they can run higher compression ratios.

“The transition between methanol and ethanol in our cars should be very smooth,” said Phil Casey, the IRL's Senior Technical Director. “Our cars won't sound differently, smell differently, or run differently than they have in the past. There will be a seamless transition from methanol to ethanol in our cars.”

The ethanol industry is sponsoring one entry in this year's IndyCar Series lineup. The No. 91 Ethanol Hemelgarn Dallara/Toyota/Firestone entry will be driven by Paul Dana. Team owner Ron Hemelgarn was one of the founding members of the IRL, and his cars won the 1996 Indianapolis 500 and the 2000 IndyCar Series Championship.

Ethanol Fast Facts:

• Ethanol is a clean-burning, renewable fuel made from crops such as corn.
• Currently 83 ethanol plants are operating in the U.S. with 16 more under construction.
• The U.S. produced 3.4 billion gallons of ethanol in 2004, up from 2.81 billion gallons in 2003.
• Ethanol is blended into approximately 30% of the nation's gasoline.
• Nearly half of U.S. ethanol comes from facilities owned by farmers and other local investors.
• Ethanol is a high-performance fuel with a 113 octane rating.