Domestic Fuel

Here’s Jeff Simmons in the Ethanol Car on the opening lap of the race tonight.

He’s been racing well and right now, although we’re under caution, they’re keeping the cars on the track so it looks like we should be able to finish this race. In fact, while I’m writing we just got the green flag again so it’s back to action.

All these cars are of course running on 100% ethanol this year and they seem to be doing just fine. I have to root for Jeff but all the cars have the ethanol logo on them!

This year the IRL is giving new meaning to the “green flag.” The official green flag has the ethanol logo.

I was in the pits at the start to take this shot. It’s the best of my bunch.

The race started just a little over an hour delayed and we’re currently in a light rain caution but hopefully things will get back to normal shortly. Jeff Simmons in the Ethanol Car has been running very well and moved up several positions from his start. As of this post he’s in 15th.

Post Update: You can read what the Indy Racing League has to say about going green here.

This is the command center for the Rahal-Letterman Ethanol Car seen from trackside just before the race got started. We’ve been hoping the elements would cooperate but it’s a little iffy.

Things were delayed due to rain and it looks like it just got started raining again here as the yellow flag just went up as I was posting this.

Let’s hope we get a full race in.

While I was conducting an interview in the Rahal-Letterman hospitality tent, the owner stopped in looking all relaxed.

Bobby Rahal is certainly a competitor and as you might be able to tell from my interview with him, he’s ready to stop talking and race.

I’ve seen Bobby at a number of ethanol events and he’s a great spokesperson for Team Ethanol to have.

Here’s my interview with Bobby: Bobby Rahal Interview (2 min MP3)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (1.3MB)

One of the newer members of the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council is Cardinal Ethanol. Troy Prescott is president and he’s out here at the Homestead/Miami Speedway in full ethanol attire. And he’s got his ethanol information bag too.

I talked to Troy about what he thinks of the promotional activities of EPIC and the whole IRL tie-in. Because Cardinal Ethanol is located in Indiana he says the IRL has a special place in their hearts and that most of his board will be attending the Indy 500 this year. He says work is well underway on building their plant which should be operational soon.

Here’s my interview with Troy: Troy Prescott Interview (3 min MP3)

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Dan Schwartzkopf here is VP of Renova Energy and attending the first IRL race of the season. Dan races himself and has been featured here on Domestic Fuel before.

I ran into Dan at the Rahal-Letterman hospitality tent and interviewed him to see what he thinks about how things are going with ethanol promotion and the IRL. He includes his sentiments about how many of us are keeping Paul Dana and his family in our thoughts today. Paul was killed just prior to the start of today’s XM Satellite Radio Indy 300 last year on this track.

Dan does point out that you won’t hear him say anything negative about ethanol and he sure doesn’t. You won’t find a bigger champion and supporter for the industry.

Here’s my interview with Dan: Dan Schwartzkopf Interview (4 min MP3)

Note from Cindy: Something both Chuck and Dan failed to mention here is that the plant Dan manages, Renova Energy in Torrington, Wyo., is the exclusive supplier of ethanol for the entire IndyCar Series this season.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (3.0MB)

I mentioned the IRL fan zone earlier. One of the tent displays here features the mobile education center that’s being put together by EPIC.

This center includes displays like this one that contain lots of facts and graphics to help educate people about the fuel. As you can see here, quite a few people are taking the time to stop in for a visit and wander around the displays.

All of the IRL races this year will feature the display and plans call to have it travel to many other venues as well.

Jeff Simmons is hanging with his buddies for real now. These are the new #17 Car, Jeff Simmons shirts. I’ll be wearing mine by racetime. We’re hoping the weather clears up. It just poured rain here. The shirts of course prominently promote the ethanol brand.

Along with the new shirts, Jeff’s got a new black ethanol branded cap out too. Mine’s on my head.

All these items are being sold in the Indy Racing League shop and I’m betting they’ve got them online.

One of the ways that EPIC and the IRL are promoting ethanol and helping educate the public while doing so is with thousands of branded bags like these that are given away to fans at each race.

Each bag contains factual information about ethanol and some fun items too like posters and stickers.

This tent is in the fan zone where there’s not only a carnival atmosphere with booths and rides but educational displays with Indy cars.

While doing a walk around earlier it seemed like everyone had one of these.

Last year at Indy races these only contained a blend of ethanol. This year the tanker’s packing true heat with 100% ethanol.

It’s race day in Homestead and the real heat is the weather. Things should cool off before the XM Satellite Radio Indy 300 this evening though.

I was listening to a reporter ask #17 car driver, Jeff Simmons, yesterday if he thought the fuel smelled different somehow. He kind of shrugged and said, not really that he noticed but at least it was cleaner for the air.

It made me think that when these cars peel out of the pits the smell of burning rubber is the same regardless of what fuel is powering them.

Here’s Jeff Simmons posing with Scott Sharp (right) who drives the Rahal-Letterman Patron-sponsored car. I interviewed Scott during an open media session at Club Patron which is basically a mobile hospitality venue (Tequila bar). I think it’s interesting that Rahal has sponsors that create ethanol for fuel and for human consumption! I made sure I sampled and Patron is where it’s at!

It was a little noisy in Club Patron but I think you’ll enjoy hearing from Jeff. I asked him how it felt to be running on 100% ethanol this year and how his car’s performing. He thinks the time’s right for this fuel and very glad of all the support from the ethanol industry with the IRL.

Here’s my interview with Scott Sharp, #8 Patron Car driver: Scott Sharp Interview (4 min MP3)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (1.6MB)

Here’s my workplace here in Homestead, FL at the Homestead/Miami Speedway. My little spot is right in front on the end of the table. It was the last place open when I got here yesterday.

Here’s an update on how things are going with the Ethanol Car. After last night’s qualifying session the car’s time was disqualified due to failing a post qualification technical inspection. This happened to both Jeff Simmons in the #17 car and Scott Sharp in car #8. Both are Rahal-Letterman Racing entries. This means that Scott will start the race this evening in the #19 position and Jeff in the #20 position. Tough break but hopefully they’ll overcome it during the race.

Just to stoke up a little excitement I thought I’d share a short YouTube video with you of the Ethanol Car heading out of the pits to take practice laps.

The National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition has recently acquired a database of flexible fuel vehicle (FFV) registrations as identified by zip code. With the data and newly acquired software, NEVC is now able to prepare detailed maps of the locations of FFVs in each state. This data can then be used to assist with identifying the most practical locations forwhere to install E85 infrastructure.

“The information provided by this new database will help the NEVC assist retailers with installing E85 fueling locations in the most populated FFV regions,” stated Phil Lampert, executive director for the NEVC. “The software also allows us to zoom in on municipalities which include multi zip codes to even more accurately site new E85 stations.”

The information, comprised by R.L. Polk and Co., indicates that there are approximately 5 million FFVs on American roads with the top three states being Texas, Florida and California.

Underwriters Laboratories is getting closer to approving fuel pumps for dispensing of 85 percent ethanol.

According to a press release, UL currently expects to finalize research and publish certification requirements by the end of the fourth quarter of 2007 and, immediately thereafter, accept E85 dispensing equipment for investigation to the safety requirements and certification of compliant equipment.

UL has been working since October to establish standards for fuel pumps that dispense higher blends of ethanol such as E-85. Earlier this week, a bi-partisan group of Senators sent a letter to UL CEO Keith Williams requesting that the approval process be completed.

According to Senator John Thune (R-SD), the lack of a U-L Certification has nearly halted the installation of new E-85 pumps and is slowing down ethanol growth.

“For years now, Congress has made ethanol an important part of our nation’s energy policy. As we work to promote E85 and higher grades of ethanol like E20, fuel that contains 20 percent ethanol, it is critical that UL provide the necessary certification for fuel dispensers to deliver alternative fuels at local gas stations. I urge UL to act in a timely manner to certify these pumps and remove this unnecessary barrier to the use of higher blends of ethanol,” said Thune.

It has been a hot sunny afternoon in south Florida. Fortunately the Indy cars get to do qualifying for race start position tonight under race time conditions since the XM Satellite Radio Indy 300 is a night race tomorrow.

Here’s Jeff getting ready to run his practice laps earlier today.

This afternoon I caught up to Jeff at the Rahal-Letterman hospitality area and interviewed him to get his thoughts on running a race that Paul Dana didn’t get to run last year. As you may recall it was just a year ago that Paul Dana was killed in practice prior to this race when it was run on Sunday. I had conducted the last media interview with Paul the evening before. So for some of us, Jeff included, this is an emotional race. As you’ll hear him say, he’s got to put that behind him and focus on racing.

Here’s my interview with Jeff Simmons, #17 Ethanol Car driver: Jeff Simmons Interview (4 min MP3)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (2.0MB)