Dan Schwartzkopf here is VP of Renova Energy and attending the first IRL race of the season. Dan races himself and has been featured here on Domestic Fuel before.
I ran into Dan at the Rahal-Letterman hospitality tent and interviewed him to see what he thinks about how things are going with ethanol promotion and the IRL. He includes his sentiments about how many of us are keeping Paul Dana and his family in our thoughts today. Paul was killed just prior to the start of today’s XM Satellite Radio Indy 300 last year on this track.
Dan does point out that you won’t hear him say anything negative about ethanol and he sure doesn’t. You won’t find a bigger champion and supporter for the industry.
Here’s my interview with Dan: 
Dan Schwartzkopf Interview (4 min MP3)
Note from Cindy: Something both Chuck and Dan failed to mention here is that the plant Dan manages, Renova Energy in Torrington, Wyo., is the exclusive supplier of ethanol for the entire IndyCar Series this season.
I mentioned the IRL fan zone earlier. One of the tent displays here features the mobile education center that’s being put together by EPIC.
Jeff Simmons is hanging with his buddies for real now. These are the new #17 Car, Jeff Simmons shirts. I’ll be wearing mine by racetime. We’re hoping the weather clears up. It just poured rain here. The shirts of course prominently promote the ethanol brand.
One of the ways that EPIC and the IRL are promoting ethanol and helping educate the public while doing so is with thousands of branded bags like these that are given away to fans at each race.
Last year at Indy races these only contained a blend of ethanol. This year the tanker’s packing true heat with 100% ethanol.
Here’s Jeff Simmons posing with Scott Sharp (right) who drives the Rahal-Letterman Patron-sponsored car. I interviewed Scott during an open media session at Club Patron which is basically a mobile hospitality venue (Tequila bar). I think it’s interesting that Rahal has sponsors that create ethanol for fuel and for human consumption! I made sure I sampled and 
It was a little noisy in Club Patron but I think you’ll enjoy hearing from Jeff. I asked him how it felt to be running on 100% ethanol this year and how his car’s performing. He thinks the time’s right for this fuel and very glad of all the support from the ethanol industry with the IRL.
Here’s my workplace here in Homestead, FL at the Homestead/Miami Speedway. My little spot is right in front on the end of the table. It was the last place open when I got here yesterday.
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It has been a hot sunny afternoon in south Florida. Fortunately the Indy cars get to do qualifying for race start position tonight under race time conditions since the XM Satellite Radio Indy 300 is a night race tomorrow.