| Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix ‘goes green’ for 2008 |
| By CHRONICLE STAFF REPORTS |
Published
05/1/2008
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The term “going green” is a common
The term “going green” is a common one in motorsports vernacular used to indicate the official start of a race, but the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix is taking it to a whole new level this summer.
With momentum building for the Aug. 29-31 celebration of family fun and world-class racing on Belle Isle, the Grand Prix isn’t just preparing for the roar of high-performance engines on Labor Day weekend. Through many of its official partners, including the actual racing leagues competing on Belle Isle – the American Le Mans Series, the IndyCar Series and the SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT Championship, new to the event in 2008 – the Grand Prix is ready to “go green” like never before with a number of ecologically-friendly initiatives.
“With the celebration of Earth Week across the nation, we’re excited that the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix can do its part to help the environment,” said Bud Denker, event chairman of the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix. “Working in conjunction with our event partners, we will continue to enhance the Grand Prix’s ‘green’ focus moving forward.”
Among key Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix “Green” Programs in 2008:
• The American Le Mans Series (ALMS) has established itself as the global leader in green racing. In a unique partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Energy as well as the Society of Automotive Engineers International.
• In 2007, the IndyCar Series became the first motorsports series in the world to utilize 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol in competition. At the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix and throughout the 2008 season, all of the high-powered open-wheel cars of the IndyCar Series will once again compete on 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol.
• Bosch, the presenting sponsor of the American Le Mans Series race at the Grand Prix – the Detroit Sports Car Challenge presented by Bosch – is using its partnership with the event to promote and showcase its unique clean diesel power technology for the second consecutive year.
• The Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix continues its primary goal of improving its home on Belle Isle Park in 2008. Working in conjunction with the Downtown Detroit Partnership and the City of Detroit Recreation Department, the Grand Prix made over $5.5 million in improvements on Belle Isle last year. The Grand Prix will make further enhancements this year.
The Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix is organized and promoted by a subsidiary of the Downtown Detroit Partnership, whose chairman is Roger Penske. This charitable organization has been established to enable all net proceeds raised by the Grand Prix to fund measures for the improvement and preservation of Belle Isle.
To learn more, please visit www.detroitgp.com.
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