NASCAR Goes Green, Fans Respond

Of all the unlikely "industries" to jump on the green bandwagon, wouldn't it just be NASCAR -- where 5 miles per gallon is considered conservative fuel consumption. The sport's managing director of the three-year-old, "wildly successful" program called NASCAR Green Innovation, Michael Lynch, wason handThursdayto addressthe Florida Energy Summit in Orlando.

His story is all about "American ethanol" -- corn, mainly. This year, for example, all 43 cars in the Daytona 500 were running on that biofuel --known asE15. And some 30 million viewers tuned in to watch the race.

"We started this program because we wanted to show the sport's respect for the environment and respect for the fans," Lynch told summit participants. "I can tell you, we've done a lot of research and the results show Green Innovation is wildly successful. Our fans have told us they care passionately about conservation of the environment, job creation in the U.S. and strengthening American energy independence."

Here are some of the statistics Lynch revved up for the packed-outconvention roomat the Rosen Shingle Creek resort in Orlando:

NASCAR's fan base in America is 25 percent of the U.S. population. That's more than 65 million people who care about the sport.

One hundred thousand to 120,000 people show up at each race, usually staying in a NASCAR campground.

"We bring the equivalent of a small Midwestern town to the track for two to three days, every race," Lynch said.

NASCAR has the biggest broadcast compound in sports. Races reach more fansthan even the Olympics do.

Two public service ads run during every nationally televised NASCAR race.

American ethanol has provided 500,000 jobs in the last decade.

"Research shows avid NASCAR fans are 12 times more likely than nonfans to practice 'green' habits at home," Lynch said.

The Energy Summit crowd was riveted.