Second Annual NASCAR Race to Green Initiative to Highlight Mass Adoption of Sustainable Practices Across the Sport
NASCAR Galvanizing Fans, Industry And Partners Around Theme Of Protecting, Preserving The Environment
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 28, 2014) — Celebrating the sport’s commitment to protecting and preserving the environment, NASCAR today officially kicked off its second annual NASCAR Race to Green™ initiative at Martinsville Speedway. NASCAR is sports’ sustainability leader and this effort is intended to build awareness around the programs the sanctioning body, industry, and a wide range of partners have in place to help reduce the sport’s carbon footprint.
A key pillar of the initiative is a call-to-action for fans and the industry to donate trees that will be planted across the country as well as in a number of areas recently devastated by natural disasters. NASCAR fans can visit www.NASCAR.com/green to donate trees – $1 per tree for a 2-3 foot sapling – to be planted in those areas with the support of The Arbor Day Foundation. Fans are encouraged to share their own efforts around green innovation by using the hashtag #NASCARGreen. Social media highlights of the industry’s sustainability efforts will be featured on NASCAR.com/Green.
“When we introduced NASCAR Race to Green last year, we were overwhelmed by the level of dedication displayed across our sport to positively impact the environment,” said Dr. Mike Lynch, vice president, NASCAR Green Innovation. “This month-long initiative will recognize the efforts our fans, partners and industry continue to implement to help pass along a cleaner and healthier environment for generations to come.”
Since its 2008 inception, NASCAR Green has become one of the most powerful environmental awareness platforms in the country. NASCAR has the largest recycling and tree planting programs in sports; has put more than five million miles on Sunoco Green E15, a biofuel blended with 15 percent American-made ethanol from American-grown corn; and has the largest renewable energy program in the world, among sports properties.
Importantly, these sustainability efforts align with NASCAR fan values. According to a 2013 study commissioned by NASCAR and conducted by Toluna, when compared to non-fans, NASCAR fans are approximately twice as likely to indicate their household is very green – always looking for new ways to positively impact the environment. In addition, three out of four avid NASCAR fans are aware of NASCAR Green and recognize it as showing NASCAR cares for the environment (Source: Official NASCAR Fan Council, April 2013).
NASCAR will go “green” throughout the month-long initiative with visual reminders reinforcing the importance of this campaign. The color green will be prominently displayed on race vehicles and at tracks across the three NASCAR national series, NASCAR Home Tracks and International Series.
NASCAR Race to Green also will highlight the sustainability efforts of NASCAR Official Partners, who work closely with NASCAR year-round to utilize NASCAR Green as a platform to uniquely validate their technologies. While NASCAR Green initiatives have and will continue to span the entire year, the following additional activities will take place throughout the campaign:
· Teams and drivers will feature the NASCAR Green logo on the A-post of their race cars. Tracks throughout the industry will feature the NASCAR Green logo on various elements throughout the facility along with displaying NASCAR Green flags across the pit boxes and haulers of all NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams. In addition, NASCAR officials will feature a NASCAR Green patch on their uniforms throughout campaign
· Martinsville Speedway will plant trees as part of the NASCAR Green Clean Air Tree Planting Program Delivered by UPS. The Virginia Department of Forestry will donate 171,000 trees in 2014, offsetting all fans coming to all NASCAR races in Virginia. Additionally, drivers across the two national series racing this weekend will feature the color green across the top of their windshield. Ford will use a Ford Fusion Hybrid as the pace car in support of these sustainability efforts
· South Boston Speedway and Langley Speedway will partner with the Virginia Department of Forestry on various activations and promotion around sustainable forestry in addition to the centennial celebration of The Virginia Department of Forestry
· Texas Motor Speedway will feature the NASCAR Green logo on the infield grass, along with displaying NASCAR Green flags across the pit boxes and haulers. In addition, NASCAR officials will feature a NASCAR Green patch on their uniforms
· Darlington Raceway will host a ceremonial tree planting with local students as part of the NASCAR Green Clean Air Tree Planting Program Delivered by UPS. The track will feature a Green and White start/finish line along with other NASCAR Race to Green branding throughout the facility
· Richmond International Raceway will host a ceremonial tree planting as part of the NASCAR Green Clean Air Tree Planting Program Delivered by UPS. Drivers across the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series will feature the color green across the top of their windshield. Toyota will use a Camry Hybrid pace car in support of sustainability efforts
About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series), four regional series, one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) governs the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, the premier U.S. sports car series. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and follow NASCAR at www.Facebook.com/NASCAR and Twitter: @NASCAR.
Sources: Sarah Hardy/NASCAR PR