Officials from the Iowa Corn Growers Association and the Iowa Speedway Thursday announced they are supporting the “American Ethanol Partnerships” with NASCAR. Corn Growers Association C.E.O, Craig Floss, says it’s part of the plan for NASCAR to adopt a blend of fuel that includes 15% ethanol
Floss says this means NASCAR will begin using the E-15 blends in all of its race cars starting in the 2011 racing season. “And with it…they will be showcasing the value of corn ethanol for our nation’s economy and for its energy security,” Floss said. Floss says the announcement is part of a long process to bring ethanol into greater use.
Floss says Iowa corn farmers helped create the ethanol industry and 35 years later they have gone from a handful of farmers to partnering with the national corn growers and ethanol producer Growth Energy to “use NASCAR as a platform to tell Americans about a cleaner, greener fuel.” Floss says NASCAR will help introduce ethanol to people across the country.
“NASCAR has an unparalleled fan base, both in size and also in the deep loyalty of its fans,” Floss says, “and there’s no better place to understand the importance of renewable fuel grown from hardworking dedicated farmers than at a NASCAR race.” Iowa Speedway president, Jerry Jauron, says this announcement by NASCAR is new for this type of product.
He says Iowa Corn is a unique sponsor as their product is not traditionally retail driven. But he says their “Green Initiative” will work with the racing organization to bring the corn-ethanol message to a much broader audience who “might be unaware, and quite possibly misinformed.” Jauron says the Newton track and Iowa Corn Growers have show how the partnership can work with things like the Indy Corn 250 race.
Jauron says the Iowa Corn Growers have developed a strong relationship with the track and they were the first growers association in the nation to get involved in the sports industry in any capacity. He says things have grown from their initial involvement in 2007 to the NASCAR announcement. The partnership will begin with the 2011 Daytona 500 and feature ethanol advertising on all of the cars.