TOYOTA GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH 2009: RACING GOES GREEN

(Kurt Fuhrmann photo) There's a serious need to care for our environment and air quality. The auto industry is continuously searching for alternatives to high NO2 producing gasoline. But how is racing going green? Flex fuel Corvettes are perfect examples of how the racing industry is thinking green. The flex fuel system can have 100 percent ethanol (produced from sugar cane and/or corn), or mix any combination of gas and ethanol. Ethanol contains a higher octane than gasoline and produces very low CO2 emissions. In the Long Beach Grand Prix, Corvette number 3 was actually powered by cellulose e85, which is ethanol made from wood. SEMA Vice President, John Waraniak, was on hand to discuss where the automotive industry may be headed, and what SEMA is doing to prepare the members for the opportunities that lie ahead as the industry goes green. Great ideas in powering clean burning consumer cars and racing bred machines can create problems as well as opportunities for the automotive industry. Although cars change over the years, and the automotive industry adjusts, almost all automotive companies are going green. This is reforming much of SEMA. Changes abound in exterior accessories, and interior electronics that monitor cell charge and gasoline usage - to arrive at the best mpg. In addition, more attention is given to new concepts such as battery cells to increase mileage to 100 mpg, or new bio-diesel machines. Thinking green is a grand idea to save the environment and perhaps car companies (with the attendant jobs) too. - Kurt Fuhrmann

(John Grafman photo) LA Car's Long Beach Grand Prix coverage: LBGP 2009: The Circus Comes to Town LBGP 2009: Pro/Celebrity Race LBGP 2009: The Molly Sanders Interview LBGP 2009: Drifting LBGP 2009: The Tanner Foust Interview LBGP 2009: American Le Mans Series LBGP 2009: IndyCar Racing LBGP 2009: Speed World Championship LBGP 2009: Racing Goes Green LBGP 2009: The Grand Prix Lifestyle