NASCAR And The EPA Join To Promote High Efficiency Vehicles To Fans
SmartWay® - Certified Vehicles On Display At NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Races Beginning With Chevy Rock & Roll 400 In Richmond
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 4, 2008) – The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have formed a partnership to promote high-efficiency, fuel-saving vehicles to fans attending NASCAR races.
This weekend at the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway, Chevrolet vehicles that are EPA SmartWay® certified will be on display for fans. The SmartWay logo identifies products and services that reduce transportation-related emissions. At the event, fans are encouraged to look for the “SmartWay Certified Vehicles on Display Here!” banner.
Dodge, Ford and Toyota manufacturers also competing in NASCAR, will showcase their SmartWay vehicles at upcoming NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events in which they have exclusive race track partnerships. Chevrolet is the official vehicle partner of Richmond International Raceway.
“The EPA and NASCAR are joining together in this innovative partnership to showcase fuel-efficient vehicles made by the manufacturers our fans root for each week,” said Marcus Jadotte, Managing Director, Public Affairs for NASCAR. “While helping our manufacturer partners promote their vehicles, NASCAR is also sharing an important conservation message. When NASCAR and its fans can reduce our fuel consumption, we’ll also limit greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution to help improve our environment.”
SmartWay is a designation earned by vehicles meeting EPA-set Air Pollution and Greenhouse Gas Scores. Higher Air Pollution Scores indicate vehicles with reduced levels of emissions that cause smog and health problems. Higher Greenhouse Gas Scores indicate vehicles with reduced levels of greenhouse gas emissions and improved fuel economy.
Among NASCAR’s vehicle partners, a variety of makes and models have received the EPA SmartWay designation, providing drivers with a range of options whether they’re looking for a compact car, mid-size sedan or sport utility vehicle. Using Model Year 2008 data, there are more than 2,600 different models and configurations available; more than 690 model configurations, or approximately 26%, are SmartWay certified.
“Only the ‘greenest’ vehicles merit SmartWay designation,” said EPA SmartWay Program Manager Mitch Greenberg. “Since NASCAR fans are auto enthusiasts, it makes sense for EPA and NASCAR to partner together to raise awareness of SmartWay-certified vehicles.”
Following are some upcoming NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races that will have SmartWay vehicle display areas. Ford will display its SmartWay vehicles at the Camping World RV 400 presented by Coleman on Sept. 28 at Kansas Speedway and the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 16. Dodge will showcase its SmartWay vehicles at the Amp Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 5. Toyota’s SmartWay vehicles will be seen at an upcoming race and location to be determined. Fans interested in SmartWay certified vehicles can visit EPA’s SmartWay web site at, http://www.epa.gov/smartway.
About NASCAR and the Environment
NASCAR and its partners share a commitment to improving the communities in which the sport operates. As part of this commitment, the NASCAR industry has implemented various initiatives on and off the racetrack that demonstrate a dedication to protecting the environment and communicating conservation messages to fans. NASCAR is in the process of leading an industry-wide initiative to address environmental issues including reducing air emissions, refuse and lubricants recycling, building efficiencies and land preservation.
About NASCAR
NASCAR, celebrating 60 years in 2008, is the sanctioning body for one of North America’s premier sports. NASCAR is the No. 1 spectator sport – holding 17 of the top 20 highest attended sporting events in the U.S., and is the No. 2 rated regular-season sport on television. NASCAR races are broadcast in more than 150 countries and in more than 30 languages. NASCAR fans are the most brand loyal in all of sports, and as a result more Fortune 500 companies participate in NASCAR than any other sport.
NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series), four regional series, and one local grassroots series, as well as two international series. NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races at 100 tracks in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico. Based in Daytona Beach (Fla.), NASCAR has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Charlotte (N.C.), Concord (N.C.), Conover (N.C.), Bentonville (Ark.), Mexico City, and Toronto.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
