The Seamless Switch

The Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) has contracted Renova Energy, based in Torrington, Wyo., to supply 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol to the IndyCar Series throughout the 2007 season.

“At the highest level of auto racing, ethanol proved safer and faster and has proved what auto enthusiasts have known for years,” said Tom Slunecka, executive director of EPIC. “Renova Energy produces ethanol the same way, whether for an IndyCar Series car speeding around the track at 220 mph or a family sedan traveling 25 mph on Main Street.”

Several IndyCar Series engineers have worked with Dan Schwartzkopf, senior vice president of Renova Energy, who not only oversees his plant’s ethanol production process but also races several dragsters that are fueled on E85 (85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline).

“The process of transitioning over to 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol has been seamless from the beginning” said Les Mactaggart, senior technical director for the IndyCar Series. “EPIC, Honda and Renova have been true partners during the process that culminated with successful tests at Daytona International Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Iowa Speedway in September and October.”

The Ethanol-IndyCar Series partnership dates to 2005 and has advanced from ethanol being a team sponsor to working with the sanctioning body to introduce an ethanol-methanol blend in 2006. In 2007, the IndyCar Series will be the first in motorsports to use a renewable fuel in its 17 races.

Renova Energy currently produces 10 million gallons of ethanol per year with construction start-up for a 20 million gallon plant in Heyburn, Idaho. Renova Energy Idaho will be online for production in the fall of 2007.

“The Renova Energy Racing team has been using ethanol as a high-performance race fuel for more than a decade with great success,” said Schwartzkopf, senior vice president of Renova Energy. “We are very excited about our partnership with EPIC and the IndyCar Series and we see this as an excellent platform to promote the use of ethanol as a motor fuel to the wider public.”