[October 16, 2010] BRIEF: NASCAR's gas will be ethanol blend in 2011, France says Tweet Oct 16, 2010 (The Charlotte Observer - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- NASCAR will get a little greener next season, and fans might even be able to see the difference. On Saturday, NASCAR announced it will utilize a 15 percent ethanol blend fuel provided by Sunoco in its three national series -- Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Trucks -- beginning next season. The ethanol that will be used in NASCAR competition will come from corn grown by U.S. farmers and farming businesses. "While fueling the same close, door-to-door racing that thrills our fans, American ethanol creates jobs in the United States, helps foster energy independence and continues the greening of our sport," said Brian France, thre NASCAR chairman and CEO. The change might also provide benefits for competitors. Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's director of competition, said testing with the fuel has shown a modest increase in horsepower. "It's been a positive for the teams," he said. In a change from the way teams have typically received fuel at tracks, Sunoco plans to distribute the blend on-site from tankers. Teams will get new gas cans that are expected to limit problems with condensation. "We can't make mistakes in this area," France said. "This has got to be a smooth transition. We're pretty confident it will be just that." To see more of The Charlotte Observer, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.charlotteobserver.com. Copyright (c) 2010, The Charlotte Observer, N.C. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com, e-mail [email protected], or call 866-280-5210 (outside the United States, call +1 312-222-4544). [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]