The manufacturers' point of view
All of them are motivated by varying interests. General Motors will certainly be banking on E85 (up to 85 percent ethanol). After all, more than 85 percent of GM vehicles will be able to run on this eco-friendly fuel by 2011, compared to 25 percent in 2008.
In the GT1 Class, the Corvettes will run on E85, while other automakers using gasoline engines, including Porsche, will rely on E10 (10 percent ethanol, 90 percent gasoline).
At Mazda, during the introduction of the Furai Concept, company executives announced their plans to launch a new, ethanol-compatible, triple-rotor rotary engine. Mazda races in the LMS2 Class. With the collaboration of British Petroleum, this powerplant could get the green light for the upcoming season. Meanwhile, German manufacturer Audi will resume LMS1 competition with its diesel-powered R10s.
A new series
This year, the ALMS is launching an all-new class called "Green Racing Challenge" in which manufacturers and teams will be rewarded for using green technologies.
In addition, this new competition will be an incremental element of the Series' signature event -- the 1,000-mile Petit Le Mans race to be held on October 4 at Road Atlanta. Protocols and criteria for the Green Racing Challenge are being developed by the EPA and DoE along SAE International and the ALMS; they will be announced later this spring.
What to think of it
The ALMS won't go from gold to green overnight, but the willingness and efforts are tangible. Once again, it's a matter of technology in the service of the daily car -- the familiar connection between the race track and the showroom floor.
Developing the future technology that will answer today's problems will be the new goal of this prestigious series. Here's hoping this partnership proves successful and fruitful.
photo:Philippe Champoux
All of them are motivated by varying interests. General Motors will certainly be banking on E85 (up to 85 percent ethanol). After all, more than 85 percent of GM vehicles will be able to run on this eco-friendly fuel by 2011, compared to 25 percent in 2008.
In the GT1 Class, the Corvettes will run on E85, while other automakers using gasoline engines, including Porsche, will rely on E10 (10 percent ethanol, 90 percent gasoline).
At Mazda, during the introduction of the Furai Concept, company executives announced their plans to launch a new, ethanol-compatible, triple-rotor rotary engine. Mazda races in the LMS2 Class. With the collaboration of British Petroleum, this powerplant could get the green light for the upcoming season. Meanwhile, German manufacturer Audi will resume LMS1 competition with its diesel-powered R10s.
A new series
This year, the ALMS is launching an all-new class called "Green Racing Challenge" in which manufacturers and teams will be rewarded for using green technologies.
In addition, this new competition will be an incremental element of the Series' signature event -- the 1,000-mile Petit Le Mans race to be held on October 4 at Road Atlanta. Protocols and criteria for the Green Racing Challenge are being developed by the EPA and DoE along SAE International and the ALMS; they will be announced later this spring.
What to think of it
The ALMS won't go from gold to green overnight, but the willingness and efforts are tangible. Once again, it's a matter of technology in the service of the daily car -- the familiar connection between the race track and the showroom floor.
Developing the future technology that will answer today's problems will be the new goal of this prestigious series. Here's hoping this partnership proves successful and fruitful.
photo:Philippe Champoux