Racing series going green

By RICK MINTER
Cox News Service

Friday, July 25, 2008

ATLANTA — The Braselton, Ga.-based American Le Mans Series has waved the green flag on the Green Challenge, a race within the race that rewards fuel efficiency.

The ALMS has been working on the Green project for months — and interest in the project is growing, especially with gasoline prices at record levels.

The Green Challenge, which will begin with this fall's Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta and then be in effect at every ALMS race next season, will use a scoring system designed to measure a team's impact on the environment. It will factor in amount of energy and fuel teams use as well as the greenhouse gases their cars emit.

In many ways, the Green Challenge is a throwback to an earlier era, when automobile manufacturers used motorsports to develop technology and showcase the latest improvements for the auto-buying public.

"We have always claimed to be the most relevant racing series on the planet," ALMS president Scott Atherton said in a statement announcing the Green Challenge rules. "Now, we hope to play a role in saving that planet by working with manufacturers on innovative alternative fuel solutions and new technologies."

Although some might assume that focusing on environmental issues might hamper overall performance in racing conditions, that apparently isn't the case.

Doug Fehan, program manager for Corvette Racing, said it will be possible to win both the Green Challenge and the race itself.

"Absolutely," he said. "It's totally doable."

Fehan said the innovations that teams use to become more efficient and reduce their carbon imprint also translate to increased miles per hour. He said that aerodynamic streamlining and reductions in the friction of moving internal parts, as well as careful management of the fuel injection systems not only increase speeds but reduce overall fuel consumption. And the lessons learned on the race track can be and have been applied to passenger cars.

Already the ALMS is working on alternate fuels. Teams now have three fuel choices — clean sulfur-free diesel, E10 and cellulosic E85 — all of which are available to consumers, and there are reports that a fourth, hybrid fuel will be added soon. A clean diesel-powered Audi recently won the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans. The lessons learned about those fuels under racing conditions are being applied to passenger cars.

Even though the ALMS always has been a testing and proving ground for manufacturers, Fehan said the Green Challenge takes that several steps forward.

"It's opening our eyes to a whole new way of thinking about reducing greenhouse gases and carbon footprint," he said. "It has us looking at all our operating systems."

Rick Minter writes for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. E-mail: rminter AT ajc.com