The keynote speaker at the EPIC reception was IndyCar driver Jeff Simmons. Jeff was in great spirits on the eve of the big race here in Indy. I’ve got the audio from his remarks to the group last night.
Jeff says that the story is how far ethanol has come and where things are at with the industry. He got involved right after Paul Dana’s untimely death last year and has had the opportunity to learn a lot about the fuel and especially how it performs in an engine. Like other drivers have been saying in the IRL and other leagues that are now experimenting with ethanol, he says they get better gas mileage and no loss of performance. I’m not an engineer but it appears that an engine that’s tuned to run properly on ethanol will not perform worse when it comes to mileage than regular gas. I’m sure that this would be the case in consumer model cars as well. In fact, I’m betting we’ll see this happen as the fuel and industry continues to develop and works with the auto manufacturers on this issue.
You can listen to Jeff’s remarks here: [audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/epic/indy-07-jeff-reception.mp3] Jeff is introduced by EPIC executive director Tom Slunecka and answers a few questions at the end of his remarks which are about 7 minutes long.
One of the inventions of the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council is the “e”-tini, a very colorful martini. Actually there are 3 different ones and I’ll have to update this post to provide the details on them.
I think it shows that you’ve “arrived” when you can have an ice sculpture at your reception. This one greeted us at the EPIC pre-race reception where members gathered to hear from a number of organizational representatives.
The theme for this year’s 50th IPL Festival Parade in downtown Indianapolis was “Spirit and Speed.” There certainly was a lot of spirit from the crowd as celebrity after celebrity filed by on classic cars and Indy-related floats. The parade showcased each of the 33 competitors for the Indy 500 race Sunday along with more than a dozen other high-profile stars and groups. EPIC members slid into a top notch spot for catching more than a glimpse of all the stars. NFL quarterback Peyton Manning served as the parade’s Grand Marshal. 
Members also spotted Ludacris, John Oats, Gene Simmons, Grey’s Anatomy stars Patrick Dempsey and Eric Dane among others. Dempsey is slated to drive the pace car during the Indy 500 race. The crowds cheered as U.S. military officers filed by in uniform. American Hero General Chuck Yeager received a warm welcome from spectators. Olympian gold medalists and top models were also showcased in the collection of celebrities who were eager to greet the public.
Enough with the replicas. This time it was the real deal for EPIC Members. The ethanol team handed out all-access passes for a peek into what makes an IndyCar run at more than 230 miles an hour. Letterman-Rahal Racing’s Steve Shunck led members on a tour through the garages for Rahal-Letterman IndyCar Drivers Jeff Simmons and Scott Sharp. From the shiny brass engine to the $10,000 steering wheel, members got a close-up look at the gears, nuts and bolts of Ethanol’s #17 IndyCar and Petron’s #8 IndyCar. For those of you that missed out on this rare inside look, don’t fret. All of Steve’s nitty gritty information was caught on tape:
It’s the day before the 91st running of the Indianapolis 500 and things are relatively quiet at the track. However, I’m sure there’s lots of activity in this garage making last minute tweaks on the car.
One of the
All the IndyCar drivers make themselves available for interviews prior to race day here in Indianapolis. One of them that I’ve wanted to interview is Ed Carpenter, seen here doing a media interview.
The Freedom 100 Indy Pro Series race kicked off the weekend’s events at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I stopped in at the Tower suite where the Ethanol Promotional and Information Council hosted members with Endress+Hauser, a company that specializes in fuel flow control. Members enjoyed a sky high view of the Freedom 100, where a record 25 teams entered the race for a cash prize of $30,000. Alex Lloyd of England cruised ahead at the first turn of the race and kept the lead throughout the 40 laps to secure 1st place. During the race, IndyCar Driver Jeff Simmons, who’ll be competing in the Indy 500 Sunday, stopped by the suite. He greeted the large Endress+Hauser group and the members were eager to get Jeff’s autograph. The day rounded out with a free Kid Rock concert just below the Tower suite. Most members wandered down to catch the spectacle.
Just after the Freedom 100 Pro Series race, the top 10 qualifying IndyCar Drivers competed for $50,000 in the Carb Day Pit Stop Challenge. EPIC teammate Scott Sharp’s crew whizzed through the first few rounds of the challenge. But, Scott’s car got hung up in the semifinal and the crew missed it’s chance to advance. The Penske pit crew for IndyCar Driver Helio Castroneves edged out Sam Hornish Jr.’s team in the final for it’s second straight win, with a time of 8.335 seconds.