Green Racing at Petit Le Mans: Put Some Teeth ($) into the Green Challenge
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) Bryan MacDonald, Highcroft Racing’s chief operating officer took a crack at explaining how important racing is to developing technologies with rest-of-the-world applications. His personal view of the future is inhabited by high performance zero emissions vehicles. He admits that the technology to achieve that vision is not quite there; and alternative fuels are part of the interim equation.
“There’s no magic bullet,” he says, repeating an oft-heard mantra in the advanced biofuels world, “It will take a combination of technologies which the market place will determine.”
Patron hospitality staff helps protect newly-built Acura from pre-start drizzle.
Although Bryan appreciates the Green Challenge, he was disappointed in the execution of the idea. He clarified his perception suggesting that the Green Challenge needed more “teeth” in it. The US Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy have been partners in developing the rules and promoting the idea of the Green Challenge and green racing in general, but beside prestige, there’s no real winnings, not as much motivation as there could be. Motivation as in serious prize money or real sponsorship support. That’s what Bryan would call “teeth.”
He contrasted the government’s participation in the Green Challenge with the government’s support of NASCAR. How many government agencies sponsor NASCAR competitors? Well, there’s the National Guard Car, the Army Car, the Marines Car to start….. Sure, those cars motivate people to join the armed forces. Why not an EPA Car or a DOE Car to motivate people to “live green” to race green? I think he made a very good point.
In the end, the government would get a return on their investment. Bryan argued that thirty percent of the people who go into a dealership say they want to buy a “green” car; yet only 5% leave buying a “green” car because that’s how the economics of it fall. He wants to see more investment in energy storage technologies, work on batteries AND capacitators.
The intact #9 Patron car at Detroit 2008.
Bryan knows what the crack technicians in racing can do when pressed. As we spoke, the #9 Highcroft/Patrón car which experienced a devastating crash on Thursday was being built from the ground up. During our conversation, no one could be absolutely certain it would be ready to race the next day; but they had faith that good organization, know-how and dedication would get it done. And they did it in 20 hours, firing up at 5:45 on Saturday morning, just 2 ½ hours before race warm up. See time-lapse video.
Related posts:
- Green Racing at Petit Le Mans: Drayson Racing
- Green Racing at Petit Le Mans: Ethanol Never Tasted So Good: BP Biobutanol and Patron Tequila
- Green Racing at Petit Le Mans: Audi and Shell
- Green Racing at Petit Le Mans: The Beginnings
- Road Atlanta: Michelin Green-X Challenge and Dyson BioButanol Racing Reports
