Here’s an early shot as the Team Ethanol goes by after getting the green flag.
We’ll hope he has a great day out here at the Chicagoland Speedway PEAK Antifreeze Indy 300.
It looks like the weather is going to cooperate!
The Race Is On
The race is on. The weather seems to be cooperating.
Here’s Jeff Simmons heading out of the pits. Although the drivers didn’t get to do their regular practice laps this morning, they’re doing a couple of warmups before hitting the green flag. If you want to hear what the start sounds like in the pits then listen up: 
PEAK Anitfreeze Indy 300 Race Start (30 sec MP3)
100% Ethanol Within a Month
On the podium for this morning’s press conference on ethanol are (l – r) Jeff Simmons, #17 Team Ethanol driver, Les McTaggert, IRL Senior Technical Director and Tom Slunecka, Executive Director for the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.
Each of them took a turn making some comments. The conference was emceed by Tom Blattler who conducts public relations work for Team Ethanol.
Les talked about the conversion to ethanol as a fuel blend this year and going into next year. He describes the challenges it presented and the testing required to make sure it would meet the demanding performance needs of IRL cars. He said that race cars using 100 percent ethanol would be tested on the track within the next month.
You can listen to his comments here: Les McTaggert Comments (2 min MP3)
Press Conference Team
I can hear engines rumbling as I write this post and that’s a good sign. Maybe the weather will give us a break for a while so we can get this race off.
We just concluded a press conference here in the Chicagoland Speedway media center. Here’s the team on their way in.
This is the official press conference to talk about the conversion to 100 percent ethanol fuel next year.
Garage Tour Time
The weather may not be cooperating here in Joliet but that’s allowing a lot of people to get some pretty detailed garage tours.
In this picture, one of the Rahal-Letterman Racing mechanics is giving EPIC members a tour as they work on the #17 Team Ethanol car. This provides an opportunity to be behind the scenes and hear these experts talk about the car and especially how it’s running on a blend of ethanol.
Weather Issues in Joliet
The story this morning here at Chicagoland Speedway is the weather.
I could take a picture of the tow trucks zooming around the track, hoping to dry the track off but it’s raining. All we can say is we hope it clears up soon so the final race of the IRL season can take place today.
Gene Simmons On Ethanol
Gene Simmons, co-founder of the rock group KISS was on hand at the IRL/Team Ethanol 2007 Announcement.
Gene is very much convinced that the IRL has made a good move by adopting ethanol and he is a real supporter of the fuel.
I interviewed Gene and pulled out a sound bite for you. I thought he made a case for the benefits and value of ethanol very nicely. You can listen here: Gene Simmons On Ethanol (1 min MP3)
VP of IRL On Ethanol
One of the people who spoke at the 2007 Ethanol Ceremony was the Vice President of the Indy Racing League, John Lewis.
John says the IRL is very proud to be the racing league that is the first to make a fuel conversion to ethanol. He says it fits right into their tradition of leading the way with innovations that are important and useful to all Americans.
I interviewed John after the ceremony and you can listen here: John Lewis Interview (5 min MP3)
All The Way in 2007
In a forward-looking ceremony this evening the Indy Racing League and Team Ethanol held a ribbon cutting ceremony to re-emphasize the League’s decision to move to 100 percent ethanol as its fuel source in 2007.
This has been a transition year with a 10 percent blend of ethanol. Everyone seems very pleased with the performance of Indy cars on the blend this year. They’re really looking forward to what next year will be like when they’re burning even more American made fuel.
Pictured are officials from the ethanol industry and the Indy Racing League.
Rahal Pleased With Ethanol
Bobby Rahal is very happy with his Team Ethanol car and driver Jeff Simmons this weekend (so far). That’s what he told me in an interview just a few minutes ago.
I was hoping to be able to interview one of the owners of Rahal-Letterman Racing and got my opportunity by the garages. Bobby says that he’s happy with the performance of the ethanol blend of fuel that’s being used this year in all Indy cars. He joked that he wishes he was the only one who could be using it.
Like most people who are involved in the ethanol industry he’s a believer in what using ethanol means to the environment and in reducing our dependence on foreign oil. He’s happy that the Indy Racing League has had the opporunity to be the showcase for how well ethanol works as a performance fuel.
You can listen to my interview with the Bobby here: Bobby Rahal Interview (4 min MP3)