IMS, IndyCar reveal sustainability strategy with Firestone, Shell

IndyCar’s sustainability strategy was unveiled in partnership with Firestone, Shell and other corporate partners at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Earth Day.

“This will be the most sustainable Indy 500 in our 100-plus year history,” said Mark Miles, Penske Entertainment Corp. president and CEO. “Moreover, through excellent coordination and teamwork with partners who are true innovators in this field, we’re moving IndyCar toward industry leadership when it comes to environmental awareness and impact.”

The green-sidewalled Firestone Firehawk guayule race tire will be used for the first-time during Carb Day’s IndyCar Pit Stop Challenge and will make its competition debut as the Firestone alternate race tire in August in the Nashville street race. It is partially composed of a new sustainable natural rubber derived from the guayule shrub, which requires less reharvesting than traditional sources of rubber.

“It will take partnership and collaboration to combat the impacts of global climate change, and we are proud to partner with Penske, IndyCar and IMS to advance the future of sustainable mobility,” said Nizar Trigui, chief technology officer and group president, Solutions Businesses, Bridgestone Americas, Inc. “The introduction of guayule natural rubber to America’s preeminent open-wheel racing series speaks to the confidence we have in the technology and its promise as a scalable, sustainable and domestic raw material.”

Shell announced that all race tires being supplied for Indy 500 practice, qualifying and race day will be delivered to IMS from their Central Indiana warehouse using the Freightliner eCascadia from Penske Truck Leasing’s fleet of electric vehicles. To assist with the effort, a 150kW, high-power electric charger is being installed on the IMS grounds, in coordination with the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and Shell Recharge Solutions.

“We’re working every day to make sure Indiana is a leader when it comes to renewable energy solutions,” Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb said. “I can’t think of a better way to show our commitment to cleaner energy than by putting it on display during the largest sporting event in the world.”

Indianapolis Motor Speedway will also continue in its efforts to lower its carbon footprint, with electricity consumed throughout the facility in May being purchased via 100 percent renewable energy credits.

IMS has also teamed up with Shell and climate technology company CHOOOSE on the implementation of a new customer program that allows fans to offset their travel footprint through a nominal contribution to the GreenTrees reforestation project. IMS also will offset its entire operational carbon footprint during the Month of May through its contributions to GreenTrees, an effort that restores natural habitats in more than 1 million acres across seven states in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley.

“At Shell, we aim to provide more and cleaner energy solutions in a responsible manner – in a way that balances short- and long-term interests,” explained Dani Silva, Shell VP of Enterprise Accounts. “We are very pleased to be a part of Penske Entertainment Corp.’s efforts in increasing the sustainability of motorsports and the off-track potential it also enables.”

IMS will also be increasing waste diversion efforts in IMS with expanded recycling and food recovery programs, while Legends, the official IMS retail partner, will open a fully sustainable store inside an electric truck. All items sold in the truck will be reusable or designed from recycled plastic bottles.

Last year, the Indy 500 was certified at the Silver level by the Council for Responsible Sport after achieving 37 social and environmental standards of good practice. The venue implemented facility upgrades to increase both energy and water-use efficiency, calculated a robust greenhouse gas emissions inventory and enhanced its “Bike to the 500” program. IMS is working toward becoming the first sports facility in the world to become a Responsible Sport Certified venue.

IndyCar also revealed that, starting with the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix, all IndyCars will be transported by trucks fueled by renewable diesel, which significantly reduces travel-related emissions.