September 18, 2009
By Rebecca Gladden
There's an old NASCAR superstition about green race cars. Traditionally, they've been considered bad luck. Many drivers refused to get near one, let alone run one.
But, in the post-modern NASCAR era, 'green' has taken on a whole new meaning.
Now, green means environmentalism - protecting, conserving, recycling.
The green movement in NASCAR is growing … fast.
This week, CNN Student News featured a segment on NASCAR's Green Movement which was taped last weekend in Richmond.
The upshot of the story was this: While onlookers might see the consumption of tires, fuel, oil, and other polluting materials as the biggest environmental hazards associated with racing, Dr. Mike Lynch, NASCAR's Managing Director of Green Innovations, believes the impact of fans at the racetrack is a much greater concern.
As CNN correspondent Brianna Keilar reported, Dr. Lynch's major focus is "beyond the track." She notes that, "The sport is hanging much of the success of its greening efforts on changing the everyday behavior of its fans."
And that means you.
Dr. Lynch believes on-track activities account for "maybe five percent" of the environmental impact of a race weekend. The remaining 95 percent includes factors such as the transportation fans take to and from the racetrack, and the bottles, cans and debris that accumulate from a crowd of over 100,000 people.
"NASCAR races are like small cities," said Keilar, "thousands of fans, thousands of cars, tons of trash."
So, while NASCAR initiates racing-related green programs like shredding used tires and recycling motor oil, they're also hoping to persuade fans to become more environmentally proactive.
According to Keilar, "that's where the drivers come in."
CNN notes that some of the sport's younger stars are already eco-conscious, and hope to use their popularity to educate fans. Brian Vickers, for example, drives a Lexus GS hybrid car (he also owns a '66 427 Corvette Stingray) and buys carbon credits "to offset the environmental impact of his three homes."
Vickers told CNN that he wants to capitalize on the driver- and brand-loyalty for which NASCAR fans are known (Keilar said "infamous").
"There is a connection in this sport to the fans unlike any other, and I'm excited about that," said Vickers. "I think that presents an opportunity for this industry to make a bigger impact than any other."
Brian Vickers is not alone in his environmental enthusiasm. Driver Jeff Gordon also owns a hybrid car and told CNN he believes NASCAR fans will "appreciate" the sport's efforts to go green.
Among the changes fans attending a race will notice is a greater emphasis on trackside recycling programs, though Keilar reported only about a third of NASCAR racetracks currently provide such a service. Partners like Coca-Cola Recycling are helping put the program into place at more venues.
In NASCAR's official release regarding Dr. Lynch's hiring last November, he said, "There's a lot of meaningful activity in the green space, and we're just getting started."
One day, driving a 'green' race car will have an entirely different meaning.
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