ALMS emphasizes ‘green’ on Earth Day
That will be the topic Wednesday as American Le Mans Series Chief Operating Officer Tim Mayer serves as keynote luncheon speaker at the Western Automotive Journalists Media Days at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Mayer will address more than 100 journalists who have assembled to hear the developments behind Series green initiatives that have captured the attention of the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as well as SAE International.
Mayer’s address will include topics such as the MICHELIN® Green X® Challenge, the debut of the first modern era E10-electric hybrid race car, the Series’ movement toward future energy and sustainability elements, and its corporate mandate to remain a leader in relevant and innovative technology as it pertains to more efficient vehicles for the transportation sector.
Mazda’s Dyson Racing is also involved in the event with its message of sustainability and alternative fuels. Driver Ben Devlin along with the Dyson Racing show car and transporter will be a focal point of the day’s activities.
The MICHELIN® Green X® Challenge measures and rewards American Le Mans Series teams that achieve high overall performance on the race track with the greatest fuel efficiency while minimizing their environment impact (releasing the least amount of greenhouse gas emissions). It was created in concert with the EPA, DOE and SAE International as an on-track competition between some of the most sophisticated and technologically advanced race cars in the world.
de Ferran Motorsports and Flying Lizard Motorsports were the most recent winners of the MICHELIN® Green X® Challenge
The protocols for the award were created by the Argonne National Laboratory. Key measurements include amount of energy used, greenhouse gases emitted and petroleum displaced. The American Le Mans Series is the only major race series in the world in which all race cars race on multiple street legal alternative fuels – clean low sulfur diesel, cellulosic E85, E10 ethanol-gasoline and E10 gas-electric hybrid.
At its next race May 17 at Miller Motorsports Park near Salt Lake City, Corsa Motorsports in conjunction with the Zytek Group will unveil the much anticipated Corsa Zytek hybrid. The car will race in LMP1, the fastest and most powerful of all the four classes within the American Le Mans Series.
Mission Statement Reflects Environmental Position
The American Le Mans Series has always been known as a leader in innovative, relevant automotive technology. Nowhere is that more apparent than the developmental areas of alternative energies, fuels and efficiencies in the transportation industry. As a result, the Series has developed an extremely progressive position on sustainability as evidenced by a key element of its mission statement:
The American Le Mans Series strives to be an environmental steward in motorsports. We are committed to lead by example, encouraging innovations that lead to sustainable, efficient and environmentally responsible transportation solutions.
As the Global Leader in Green Racing, the American Le Mans Series will continue to transform the motorsports community through its leadership role – the adoption and advancement of responsible environmental practices. The Series proudly supports the use of innovative technologies because of its committed belief in its shared responsibility to execute progressive and sustainable change.
Acting Upon the Mission Statement
The American Le Mans Series also promotes awareness while encouraging teams, promoters, manufacturers, media and sponsors to participate in saving the planet for future generations. One program that has been implemented includes reducing waste in daily operations through the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), a non-profit organization devoted to encouraging the responsible management of the world’s forests. The FSC utilizes a mixed-source product group from well managed forests, controlled sources, and recycled wood and fiber.
The American Le Mans Series has utilized the FSC throughout its publications. In its continued effort to be environmentally conscious, the Series presented in January 2009 its first interactive digital media guide and a hybrid informational publication know as The Leading Edge which has become the truest testament toward decreasing its carbon footprint. Practices include the use of soy-based ink and 50 percent post-consumer paper, a condensed publication on fewer pages and a new advanced Web site which houses the majority of Series information.
Additional environmental strides have included recycling at all race tracks and in the Series’ corporate headquarters, a rebalancing of Series fleets to economize shipments and optimizing travel routes.