On the opening day of its 2012 Executive Leadership Conference, Growth Energy announced today that Richard Childress, President and Chief Executive Officer of Richard Childress Racing, has agreed to join the organization as a member of its Board of Directors.
“I’m a believer in American ethanol as a clean, renewable fuel that we can use today to displace our nation’s reliance on foreign oil, while we lower emissions. I’m in the racing business, and we need fuel to race, but with ethanol and E15 we have an option to use a fuel that’s cleaner and better for America’s economy and national security,” said Childress. “At the end of the day, I’m a grandfather and an outdoorsman, and the more I find out about how ethanol can reduce pollution and preserve the outdoors for my grandchildren, the more I want more Americans to use ethanol.”
Richard Childress Racing, based in Welcome, N.C., became synonymous with success and championships with the legendary Dale Earnhardt and the famed black No. 3 Chevrolet. RCR has earned 12 championships, more than 200 victories, and was the first organization to win titles in NASCAR’s three main series
Growth Energy represents 75 U.S. ethanol producers and 63 associated companies. Through grassroots support, media relations and advocacy efforts, Growth Energy promotes reducing harmful emissions, creating American jobs and strengthening national security through increased use of ethanol.
“We’re delighted to welcome Richard to the Growth Energy Board of Directors. He’s an icon in racing who sincerely understands how important it is to produce homegrown fuel right here in America,” said Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy. “We’ve been working with Richard in our American Ethanol marketing effort with NASCAR. He’s passionate about ethanol and the benefits in reducing air pollution, creating more jobs here in the U.S., and reducing our nation’s dependence on foreign oil.”
In 2011, Growth Energy, partnering with the National Corn Growers Association and others, agreed to a marketing partnership with NASCAR under the American Ethanol brand. In the 2011 racing season, NASCAR used Sunoco Green E15 racing fuel in all of its vehicles, proving in more than 1.5 million miles of racing, qualifying and practice laps that E15 (15 percent ethanol, 85 percent gasoline) is a safe and effective fuel blend for today’s automobiles. American Ethanol has an agreement with RCR Racing to use Austin Dillon, driver of the No. 3 American Ethanol Chevy, as a spokesman for the industry.
Earlier, Growth Energy had won approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on its petition to increase the allowable blend of ethanol in motor fuel from E10 (10 percent ethanol, 90 percent gasoline) to E15 in all vehicles built since Model Year 2001, a domestic fleet that represents about 78 percent of all cars on the road. The EPA’s action came after a rigorous and exhaustive analysis, including testing of engine durability and emissions systems, that showed all cars tested ran on E15.
RCR
