Even Auto Racing Goes Green

Here's a first: Officials at the American Le Mans Series announced this week that they've asked none other than the Environmental Protection Agency to develop protocols and criteria for a 1,000-mile "green" race this fall.

The Petit Le Mans race at Road Atlanta, the so-called American version of the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France, is based on the French race's guiding concept: exotic prototype and production-based sports cars competing in four different classes on the track at the same time.

It's meant to be a freewheeling race where the most innovative team wins. But using alternative fuels and racing within guidelines set by EPA bureaucrats is significant even for the Le Mans series.

There's been some movement on this front: Audi has competed with a clean diesel car for the last two seasons. All the other cars last year ran on a fuel called E10 — a 10% ethanol, 90% gasoline mix.

The American Le Mans Series's 2008 season begins with the 56th running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring on March 15 at Sebring International Raceway in Florida. All teams will use clean diesel, E10 gasoline, or E85 ethanol.

These fuels set the stage for more far-reaching EPA protocols that go into effect in October at the Petit Le Mans.