Thread: What is Nascar doing to go green?

Do you know of anything that Nascar or the racetrack/race car owners are doing to go green. We all know that the race cars are not very green, I think I read somewhere that they get 5mpg. With only 5mpg you know the cars are putting a lot of emissions into the air.

What if anything are they doing?

5 MPG?!? I would hate to see their monthly fuel bills! I haven't heard of anything that Nascar is doing to go green but hopefully some of the race tracks are at least recycling and things like that.

I think I remember hearing about a major racing event that was going to use fuel based on corn, but I forget which one it was.

I guess that's one thing about traditional racing as we know it - It's not exactly fuel efficient.

Paint all the cars a different shade of green?
Can't really think of anything, keeping in mind that they still rely on an antiquated fuel delivery system, namely a carburetor, who can even remember what they were, never mind know how they work.
I started my car mechanic apprenticeship in 1965, so I still have some vague recollection

Painting them green - now that is just too funny.

I assume they already recycle at the race tracks. I was thinking maybe race cars will become hybrids in the near future? You think they could do this?

They are considering a better fuel -- ethanol? However, I'm not sure when they'll make a change. They get gas free, after all, from Sunoco.

Ethanol isn't actually much better. I work with someone who's researched ethanol, and their word is that ethanol is actually worse for the environment. I don't know if this is true or not, but maybe they could donate the scrapped cars and recycle them? Or switch the products they sell to customers?

Hot off the presses at Jayski.com: "Fuel Injection in 2011?: Several sources, including a NASCAR Sprint Cup crew chief and a manufacturer's representative, have confirmed that the sanctioning body intends to replace carburetors with fuel injection on Sprint Cup engines in 2011. The move has been discussed for several years, but in a meeting between NASCAR representatives and representatives of the manufacturers held after the Talladega race, the plan was reportedly presented to those in attendance.(Orlando Sentinel)(11-19-2009)" So it looks like NASCAR is finally getting their act together and moving forward with this, though this isn't a confirmed item. I think the pressure is on to do something, though.

Originally Posted by RainbowWarrior

Hot off the presses at Jayski.com: "Fuel Injection in 2011?: Several sources, including a NASCAR Sprint Cup crew chief and a manufacturer's representative, have confirmed that the sanctioning body intends to replace carburetors with fuel injection on Sprint Cup engines in 2011. The move has been discussed for several years, but in a meeting between NASCAR representatives and representatives of the manufacturers held after the Talladega race, the plan was reportedly presented to those in attendance.(Orlando Sentinel)(11-19-2009)" So it looks like NASCAR is finally getting their act together and moving forward with this, though this isn't a confirmed item. I think the pressure is on to do something, though.

So they will finally bravely step into the twentieth century
(I know we're in the twenty first)

Wow, that is a step in the right "green" direction. I hope that they confirm it soon and actually do it. I wonder what that means and how hard it would be to make all the cars like this? Woulf they make all new cars or just make those changes?