The spirit of Paul Dana is alive at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway today with an Ethanol Summit, a meeting that took place on the grounds to celebrate the Indy Racing League's use of the biofuel. source: paddocktalk.com - Anne Proffit Various people spoke during the Summit, including Rahal Letterman Racing co-owner Bobby Rahal and his three drivers: Buddy Rice, Danica Patrick and Jeff Simmons, who took over the #17 Ethanol machine after Dana's untimely death during warmup for the season opener at Homestead-Miami Speedway. In addition, Tony George, CEO of the Speedway spoke of Dana's dedication and enthusiasm for biofuels and, in particular ethanol, spearheading the League's change from methanol. Greg Dana, Paul's brother also told the tale of Dana's dedication and enthusiasm for renewable fuels and his passion to bring ethanol to the Indianapolis 500. Paul Dana began his quest to learn more about renewable fuels and their possible use in a racing environment shortly after September 11, 2001. When he first came to the Indy Pro Series, he did so with an Indiana farmer, entrant Ron Hemelgarn and the duo began to develop an ethanol-based engine for use in the Indy cars. That dream is alive today, as all 33 starters in this year's Indy 500 will use 10 percent ethanol in their methanol-based machines; in 2007 all cars will run 100 percent ethanol. "Sunday will be a proud day for Paul, for Indiana and for the USA when ethanol fuel burns in all Indy cars," Greg Dana pronounced. "This is the first time since 1964 that the Indy 500 has changed its type of fuel delivery."
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