Gunning for the greenest 200-mph racecar

It took three years to set the technical rules, but last fall marked the first “Green Challenge” during the Petit Le Mans, one of the series' premier contests, a shorter version of the famed 24-hour French race. Cars competed on the basis of their fuel efficiency, their consumption of petroleum-based fuel and their greenhouse gas emissions. A Corvette and a Porsche shared top green honors in their respective vehicle classes. The GM roadster ran on fuel that was 85 percent ethanol made from wood chips, while the Porsche used gas spiked with 10 percent ethanol. Others ran on low-sulfur “clean” diesel. This year, the green competition is being featured in each of the Le Mans races, and it has gained a sponsor. It's known as the Michelin Green X Challenge.

The fans — or at least the sports media — seem to be warming to it, as well.

“A year ago, you had to read in the news report to the third paragraph to find out that perhaps a Corvette won the green racing challenge,” said Dennis Simanaitis, engineering editor for Road & Track magazine. “Now ... this year you're more likely to see it in the first paragraph.”

Green racing has yet to penetrate the much bigger NASCAR, though. The Florida-based stock car empire, which sanctions more than 1,200 races a year, has opted to green up its image for now by promoting recycling and planting trees at tracks to offset carbon emissions of the racecars.

“Our initial focus is ... on the overall carbon footprint of the sport, and waste reduction and really looking at that 'low-hanging fruit' and attacking it first,” said Andrew Giangola, NASCAR's director of business communication.

While NASCAR is using hybrids as pace cars and showing off fuel-efficient vehicles at its tracks, it's in no hurry to push race teams into doing anything with their racecars, such as trying alternative fuels.

“Alternative fuels are very complicated, and there are no green magic bullets,” Giangola said. “We certainly don't want to rush into anything that might affect the quality of the racing on the track.”

But Atherton, the Le Mans chief, says greener racing hasn't hurt his sport's performance or appeal.

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