NASCAR teams are testing 15 percent ethanol blended fuel for use in the 2011 Sprint Cup series.

FoxSports reports that Hendrick Motorsports is already testing the fuel and Roush Yates engines will start development with E15 in the next few weeks. The Fox story also indicates that POET could be under consideration as a possible supplier for the fuel.

According to SceneDaily.com, Sprint Cup Series Director John Darby says the work is still “a research project” and that officials are considering a variety of fuels with different percentages of ethanol.

“Once we had an actual blended ethanol fuel,” Darby said, “you have to have a fair amount of time for the teams to test and work whatever concerns they may have. … Is six months a fair guess? Yeah, but it’s a guess at best.”

Last month, NASCAR vice president of competition Robin Pemberton was quoted as saying about ethanol in the series, “We’re still looking at the fuel and what ratio percentage that we will use when we get there. Our goal when we set out… was to happen in 2011.”

In the meantime, Furniture Row Racing is introducing a Heartland agriculture-themed car pictured above in a few races starting this summer. The concept car was developed to promote American farmers and ranchers. The car is scheduled to run in three races later this year.