Racing legend and American Ethanol supporter Richard Childress will be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame this week.

A self-made racer and owner, Childress helped move NASCAR to 15 percent ethanol and also serves as a board member for Growth Energy. “He helped introduce the sport to ethanol, demonstrating time and again the performance benefits of higher-octane, homegrown fuels,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “We could not be more excited to join loyal fans across the country in celebrating his recognition by the Hall of Fame.”

“I’m a farmer myself and I understand the livelihood of farmers and I think it’s great for America what they are doing to help us not to have to depend on as much foreign energy….I hope some day we can run it all on ethanol,” said Childress during a 2011 American Ethanol NASCAR event in Kansas City.

Childress got his start in 1969 and earned 76 top-10 finishes in 285 races before handing over driving duties to Dale Earnhardt in 1981. He later founded Richard Childress Racing, a 12-time NASCAR championship-winning organization that continues to drive innovation in the sport.

In 2011, Childress was among the leaders who helped launch the NASCAR Green initiative, which included a switch to Sunoco Green E15, a 21st century fuel containing 15 percent American ethanol. Since then, NASCAR has surpassed 10 million miles on the fuel. E15 is also available off-the-track, and American consumers have driven more than 500 million miles on the blend, reducing emissions, saving money, and boosting engine performance.