Domestic Fuel

The black No. 3 Chevrolet that carried Dale Earnhardt Jr. to four NASCAR Nationwide series championships will boast a new American Ethanol paint scheme in several races during the 2012 season.

The new look for the iconic car was unveiled this past weekend during the NASCAR Preview 2012 event in Charlotte, North Carolina, where it was also announced that the driver would be Austin Dillon, 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion. Dillon is also the grandson of team owner Richard Childress, who decided to bring the No. 3 car back full time into the NASCAR Nationwide Series last November. Dillon drove the No. 3 in the Camping World Truck Series last year.

American Ethanol has also teamed with RAB Racing and driver Kenny Wallace for the 2012 season. They will attempt to make their Sprint Cup Series debut in the 54th annual Daytona 500 on Feb. 26, with Wallace at the wheel of the No. 09 American Ethanol Toyota Camry. Wallace and the No. 09 team finished seventh in the 2011 Nationwide Series driver championship standings, a career-best for the team after posting 11 top-10 finishes.

“The Daytona 500 is the race I grew up watching every year as a kid in St. Louis. It’s a very important race to me,” Wallace said. “I take this opportunity very seriously. I want to thank everyone at RAB Racing for working so hard in preparing this American Ethanol Toyota Camry.”

This is the second year for the American Ethanol partnership between NASCAR, Growth Energy and the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA).

American Ethanol is gearing up for the 2012 NASCAR season with a renewed commitment to the sport that spotlights racing on 15% ethanol fuel.

During the NASCAR Preview fan event in Charlotte, N.C. this weekend, American Ethanol announced that it will continue relationships with Richard Childress Racing and RAB Racing for the 2012 season. This is the second year for the racing partnership between NASCAR, Growth Energy and the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA).

“American Ethanol is getting a lot of positive attention because it’s a good fit for NASCAR’s green initiative, and because of the increased horsepower on the track,” said NCGA President Garry Niemeyer.

Austin Dillon, 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion, will drive the No. 3 Chevrolet during the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series season with American Ethanol serving as the primary sponsor for six races as well as one race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2012.

Dillon, pictured here with team owner (and grandfather) Richard Childress, is looking forward to representing the ethanol industry. “I’m proud to carry the American Ethanol colors in NASCAR,” he said. American Ethanol will also be an associate sponsor for the entire RCR family of drivers.

Kenny Wallace, a driver who has been a strong promoter of corn growers and ethanol over the past year, will drive the No. 09 Toyota Camry in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for RAB Racing. American Ethanol will partner with Wallace for the Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500, as well as five races in the Nationwide Series.

“I’m honored to represent American Ethanol. I not only talk about American Ethanol, I truly believe in it,” Wallace said. “I’ve been to the farms, I’ve met the families, I’ve been to the ethanol plants, and I’ve been in the hallways of the U.S. Senate in Washington, D.C., in support of it.” (Listen to a prior interview with Wallace)

“Through our partnerships with Austin Dillon and Kenny Wallace, we are telling NASCAR and its fans that American Ethanol is committed to the sport,” said Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis. “These drivers are ideal ambassadors for the American Ethanol team and will help tell the story of how American-made ethanol creates jobs, cleans our air and fosters energy independence.”

Representing a wide array of ethanol supporters, from farmers to bio-engineering firms, American Ethanol was established by Growth Energy and NCGA with NASCAR starting with the 2011 racing season, the same year that NASCAR switched its fuel to Sunoco Green E15.

Listen to prior interviews with Childress, Growth Energy and NCGA.

The partnership between NASCAR and ethanol is officially one year old and it has been a great year for racing on the renewable fuel.

It was one year ago last week at the NASCAR Champions Week in Las Vegas that American Ethanol was announced, a partnership that includes Growth Energy and the National Corn Growers Association.

Throughout the 2011 NASCAR season, every race car and truck in the Sprint, Nationwide and Camping World Truck series ran on Sunoco Green E15 as part of the American Ethanol partnership. And every race weekend, NASCAR’s newest special award, the American Ethanol Green Flag Restart Award was given to the participating driver who recorded the fastest average speed on restarts and who finished the race on the lead lap – a reminder of American Ethanol’s dedication to NASCAR’s green initiatives.

At this year’s Champions Week in Las Vegas, Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis gave an overall award to No. 17 driver Matt Kenseth for winning the Green Flag the most times in the 2011 season.

“I appreciate American Ethanol and Growth Energy and Sunoco for making such a great fuel this year,” Kenseth said when he accepted the award. “It worked great, it’s been good for the environment, it’s been good for NASCAR and we appreciated being a part of it.”

According to NASCAR officials and drivers, the E15 fuel blend has met and surpassed expectations – providing increased horsepower with minimal decrease in mileage. In fact, NASCAR’s 2011 Million Mile Report, proved that NASCAR racing vehicles accumulated more than a million miles of practice, qualifying and racing laps on E15 without any problems.

Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis is looking forward to seeing black, silver and green Sunday at the Martinsville (Virginia) Speedway NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. The No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet race car will feature the American Ethanol paint design and Clint Bowyer, just coming off a win last weekend at Talladega, will be at the wheel.

“Glad to see him in the American Ethanol paint out for the second time this year,” said Buis, pictured here with Bowyer at the Sprint Cup Series STP 400 race in June at the Kansas Speedway.

Under the American Ethanol partnership between NASCAR, Growth Energy, and the National Corn Growers Association all NASCAR series races this year have been powered by 15% ethanol. “These cars can go around for several hours at speeds around 200 miles per hour and they haven’t had any problems with the fuel,” Buis said. “NASCAR is a third party validator to those legions of NASCAR fans who’ve heard all the misinformation about ethanol. Every week, in all three NASCAR series, the winning car in victory lane got there successfully with E15 in their tank.”

The Martinsville Speedway Sprint Cup Series race will be on ESPN beginning at 1:30 Eastern at Martinsville (Virginia) Speedway.’

Listen to an interview with Tom Buis where we talk about not only the upcoming race this weekend, but other issues facing the ethanol industry – everything from getting the E15 waiver implemented to whether there will be an energy title in the next farm bill. Tom Buis Interview

American Ethanol will be in the spotlight at the Martinsville Speedway NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race this weekend in Virginia.

The No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet race car will feature a special-edition American Ethanol paint scheme at the race and will be driven by American Ethanol spokesman and recent Talladega race winner Clint Bowyer. In addition, the American Ethanol brand will be featured on-track and accompanied with a broadcast in-car camera on Sunday.

“This branded race car design raises American Ethanol’s profile in a powerful way, especially coming off Clint Bowyer’s win last week in Talladega,” said Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy. American Ethanol is a partnership between NASCAR, Growth Energy, and the National Corn Growers Association.

National Corn Growers Association NASCAR Advisory Committee Chair Martin Barbre says they are excited about the high profile ethanol will have in the upcoming race. “Of course, we again congratulate our spokesman on his major victory last week. Now, tens of millions of fans across the country will be keyed into Clint as he again shows the incredible performance of E15 as it fuels him back into victory lane again.”

All NASCAR series races this year have been powered by 15% ethanol. “The transition to E15 has been seamless and overwhelmingly positive for myself and my team, and I am honored to have American Ethanol on the No. 33 Chevrolet this weekend,” said Bowyer. “I support American farmers as they strive to develop energy independence for our country and I look forward to representing American Ethanol both on and off the track this weekend at Martinsville.”

The Martinsville Speedway Sprint Cup Series race will be on ESPN beginning at 1:30 Eastern at Martinsville (Virginia) Speedway.

NASCAR has passed the one million mile mark in competition racing on Sunoco Green E15 and issued a report detailing how the 15% ethanol blend performed on the race track this year.

The “One Million Competition Miles on Sunoco Green E15” report, released today in Washington D.C., shows the qualities of E15 as a racing fuel this first year of use in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series™, NASCAR Nationwide Series™ and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™. With more than 1.3 million miles accumulated in practice, qualifying and racing laps in NASCAR racing vehicles since the racing season began in February with the Daytona 500, the report details the performance of mid-level ethanol blends.

“Before NASCAR switched its fuel to Sunoco Green E15 at the start of the 2011 racing season, there was extensive analysis and deep consideration about the decision,” said Mike Lynch, Managing Director of Green Innovation for NASCAR. “Successfully transitioning to the new fuel and surpassing a million miles, all on America’s toughest proving ground, is a validation of Sunoco Green E15 as a high-performance racing fuel and is part of our overall effort to go green. NASCAR is proud to use this American-made product because it creates American jobs while also reducing harmful emissions.”

NASCAR’s switch to 15% ethanol fuel came together from a partnership with American Ethanol, established by Growth Energy and the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA).

“It is time we moved forward with E15. This is yet another testament to E15’s value as a fuel. If E15 can fuel the dozens of drivers in dozens of different vehicles every weekend without issue, then it stands to reason that E15 can be used in everyday street cars by everyday Americans,” said Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy.

“E15 is performing like champ in the most rigorous driving conditions on the planet and that’s good news for everyone who supports renewable fuels,” said NCGA president Bart Schott.

Read the report here.

The partnership between American Ethanol and NASCAR was on display at the 2011 Farm Progress Show, where racing fans got a chance to meet with former driver and current team owner Richard Childress.

Pictured here with Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis, Childress said his team’s partnership with American Ethanol and the NASCAR series using a 15% ethanol blend this year is good for the country. “I’m a huge supporter of everything we do in America, from our farmers to our military,” he said. “This country has to quit depending on so much foreign energy and resources. We gotta do better.”

Childress says that NASCAR has had no problems making the transition to 15% ethanol fuel and next year they will go to fuel injection. “The fuel injection and the American Ethanol is really going to work out great,” he added.

Listen to or download interview with Richard Childress here: Richard Childress at Farm Progress Show

Buis says the partnership with the National Corn Growers Association to spotlight ethanol at NASCAR has been reaching a great audience. “We get a great reaction from the fans and people who watch it at home on television,” he said. “We couldn’t be happier. I think we’re getting our message out there.”

Listen to or download interview with Tom Buis here: Tom Buis at Farm Progress Show

Pam Johnson, an Iowa farmer who will become first vice president of National Corn Growers Association next month, says the partnership with NASCAR is exciting. “With NASCAR we’re reaching people outside the Midwest, all over the country from Richmond out to California,” Pam said at Farm Progress Show. “So we are getting the message out to a whole new group of people who need to hear the story told and we think NASCAR’s a great vehicle for that.”

Johnson added that the Illinois Corn Growers were also highlighting their partnership with NASCAR and driver Kenny Wallace. “When you get a driver out there talking about the speed and the extra power they get driving and then bringing it back to the consumer,” she said. “Hopefully we’ll all have access to E15 as those NASCAR drivers are putting in their vehicles.”

Listen to or download interview with Pam Johnson here: Pam Johnson with NCGA at Farm Progress Show

2011 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

During the American Coalition for Ethanol Conference this past week in Des Moines, Iowa, the attendees were treated to a presentation on green NASCAR initiatives including their use of ethanol, by Bart Schott, the president of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA). During the session, Schott highlighted the media attention that has been focused on the Series’ use of E15 as as well as how its American Ethanol alliance partners have used the sponsorship as a springboard to communicate the benefits of domestically produced corn-based ethanol.

American ethanol became a NASCAR sponsor in order to reach its 80 million plus fans. As such, the league switched the fuel used by all three series to Sunoco Green E15 during the 2011 season. Scott said this has become a platform for both the ethanol industry as well as NASCAR to highlight the environmental benefits of ethanol, as well as its performance and security benefits. In addition its an opportunity to promote the role American farmers play in the movement toward biofuels.

“An average size ethanol plant adds $275 million dollars to the state economy annually,” said Schott. “Furthermore, it creates 1,540 jobs, both directly and indirectly, in rural America at a time when increasing employment opportunities in our heartland is critical. With ethanol we avoid sending oil dollars overseas and actually create job opportunities for hard working Americans.”

Scott said that through the end of June, positive messages about ethanol were delivered to nearly 6 million NASCAR fans through the televised races. This exposure equates to more than $7.5 million. This is important audience because NASCAR fans are three times more likely to purchase products and services from sponsors than non-fans.

“In addition to more traditional advertisements aired by NASCAR to promote ethanol, television coverage of races has emphasized the importance of ethanol in a multitude of ways,” said Schott. “From in-car cameras and mention by announcers to the placement of the American Ethanol logo on the fuel port of every car, this initiative generated an additional $2.8 million dollars in broadcast exposure media by the end of June, when the season was only half over.”

He concluded by stressing that the need for ethanol is too great and the opportunities too boundless for the nation to maintain the status quo.

The President of Chicagoland Speedway is Scott Paddock. He manages a beautiful racing facility. This is a bird’s eye view of the track before the NASCAR STP 300 race. I spoke with Scott who says they’re celebrating their tenth anniversary.

We talked about the fact that we were about to see the inaugural STP 300 race as well as the fact that this is the inaugural season for NASCAR to use a blend of ethanol in their fuel. He says that the partnership with American Ethanol and Illinois Corn Growers allows them to do something to help protect the environment. He says that the nearby drag strip and the track were essentially started by a group of farmers. If you visit the track you’ll see that it sits right in the middle of fields of corn. I was glad to see the corn because it added a visual connection to the whole home-grown fuel concept!

You can listen to my interview with Scott here: Scott Paddock Interview

STP 300 Nationwide Series NASCAR Weekend Photos

The director of the NASCAR Nationwide Series is Joe Balash, pictured here before Saturday’s STP 300 at Chicagoland Speedway. He’s proudly displaying the American Ethanol name around the gas coupler on this car that just happened to be rolling by. That name is on all NASCAR cars.

I talked with Joe before the race. He talks about how STP has “come back” to NASCAR as a major race sponsor. Then we moved to ethanol. He says that using a blend of ethanol is “part of the things we’re trying to do to become less dependent on foreign fuels.” Joe believes it’s great to partner with American Ethanol and be able to use ethanol mixed with their Sunoco racing fuel to provide a very high quality, high power fuel for the race cars. He says the fuel is performing very well for the NASCAR teams which is a comment I heard repeatedly over the race weekend.

STP 300 Nationwide Series NASCAR Weekend Photos

Brad Keselowski driving the #2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger won the inaugural Sprint Cup Series STP 400 at the Kansas Speedway Sunday where American Ethanol was prominently displayed.

When asked during the post-race press conference about NASCAR using 15% ethanol fuel this year, Keselowski said he applauded NASCAR for its green initiative. “It’s just an added benefit that (ethanol) comes from America,” he said. “That’s really cool.”

Fuel saving was what won the race for Keselowski and crew chief Paul Wolfe says he’s seen no change in performance since the series switched to 15% ethanol this year. “Seemed to be a pretty good fuel for us today,” he said.

Team owner Roger Penske is pleased with the NASCAR move to ethanol. “The reliability is there, the fuel mileage is there and you can see the performance, so I think it’s a win-win for everyone,” said Penske.

Listen to the STP 400 winning team talk about ethanol here: Brad Keselowski, Roger Penske and Paul Wolfe

See all the race photos here: American Ethanol at NASCAR Sprint Cup STP 400

Corn growers are very proud to be a part of bringing the story of ethanol to the nation through NASCAR.

I talked with National Corn Growers Association president Bart Schott (right) of North Dakota and NCGA chairman Darrin Ihnen of South Dakota who were at the Sprint Cup Series STP 400 at the Kansas Speedway Sunday where American Ethanol was prominently displayed.

“This is the kick off and we’ve been waiting for it to come,” said Schott. “NASCAR has an 80 million fan base that is getting some real positive messages on burning a higher blend of ethanol.” All NASCAR series are running this season on a 15 percent ethanol blend.

Ihnen says they have a great representation at the race from corn farmers and ethanol producers, and they are getting a great message out to the fans with a big American Ethanol exhibit, especially when it comes to making the country less dependent on foreign oil. “The NASCAR fans, when they were polled, energy security is one of their major concerns,” said Ihnen.

Both Schott and Ihnen noted American corn growers are very able to grow enough corn to meet demand for all needs, including ethanol, despite weather issues. Schott says he has all his corn planted for the season while Ihnen does not, but he’s not worried. “It’s a long season,” Darrin said.

Listen to my interview with Bart Schott and Darrin Ihnen here: National Corn Growers at Kansas Speedway

See all the race photos here: American Ethanol at NASCAR Sprint Cup STP 400

The Sprint Cup Series STP 400 race is underway at the Kansas Speedway and American Ethanol is clearly on display.

The American Ethanol logo and paint scheme are not only on Clint Bowyer’s No. 33 Chevrolet, fans are also seeing the American Ethanol logo along the backstretch wall of the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway to spotlight the partnership between the National Corn Growers, ethanol and NASCAR.

About 1200 farmers and ethanol producers from all over the Midwest are here today to cheer on Bowyer, following his first place win Saturday in the Camping World Truck Series. All NASCAR series are running this season on a 15 percent ethanol blend, so no matter who crosses the finish line, ethanol and America are both winners.

See all the race photos here: American Ethanol at NASCAR Sprint Cup STP 400

This is why we’re out here at NASCAR this weekend. Every car on the track here at Chicagoland Speedway and tomorrow at Kansas Speedway will be sporting the American Ethanol name around their gas cap. A fifteen percent blend of ethanol will be fueling these cars to help show consumers that the fuel is perfectly safe in their cars and is also good for performance.

It’s race day here in Joliet. I’ll be attending the Illinois Corn Growers/Iowa Soybean Association hospitality area midday and then back inside the track for the afternoon’s activities. I’ll be posting some interviews and final results too. The STP 300 doesn’t start until 7pm tonight!

Although ethanol is in all these cars I’m paying special attention to Kenny Wallace in the #09 Family Farmers/Marquis Energy car. In the final practice last night he had the best 10 consecutive lap average speed of 169.577 mph. Not bad Kenny. We wish you and all the drivers a safe race today.

STP 300 Nationwide Series NASCAR Weekend Photos

The President of Marquis Energy is Mark Marquis, seen here introducing NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace to the crowd attending yesterday’s event held at the Hennepin ethanol plant. I spoke with Mark and learned that Marquis Energy is a real family type business that he had built after growing up on a family farm in this area and branching out into the grain business. In my interview with him you’ll hear him talk about plans to double the size of the Hennepin plant.

Mark is a Growth Energy board member. He says the organization saw the long term agreement with NASCAR as a great opportunity to help get in front of American consumers who will feel more confident about putting higher blends of ethanol in their cars after seeing how well it performs in the race cars. They’ve accomplished that through American Ethanol, a partnership with the National Corn Growers Association. The local NASCAR Nationwide Series STP 300 race on Saturday provided his company with an opportunity to make a special contribution to the effort. He says NASCAR is very popular with his employees and the farmers who send in about 150 trucks of corn a day to the plant. Mark Marquis Interview

You can hear Mark’s introduction of Kenny and Kenny’s remarks in this video clip:

Marquis Energy Appreciation Day Photos