This is the Statt Mann Baby!!  Time to Scatt a little bit.

I’m growing more appreciative of the environmental effort growing in the American Lemans Series.

The ALMS brags about its on-track technology so it’s refreshing that officials are paying more attention to greening the future of racing.

We talk about greening racing and I can remember when no one would race with a green car on the track!  I also remember years ago when a race team showed up in the old Can-Am series touting unleaded fuel and how many thought that was a silly idea.  Obviously no one thinks it’s silly now. 

Last season the teams in the ALMS raced on ten percent ethanol blended fuel.  This year, at the encouragement of the ALMS, that was pushed to 85 percent ethanol blends.

Audi, which won this weekend at Laguna Seca, continues to develop its turbo diesel-powered race car, which uses zero sulfur "clean" diesel.

The ethanol blends and the clean diesel are considered "street legal," which means they are virtually the same things we can buy at the pump.

In addition, the ALMS says several manufacturers have hybrid-powered race cars just over the horizon.  It’d be great to see them sooner than later.  How long can be continue to bow at the altar of big carbureted V8s in brightly colored taxi cabs as the end all to automotive technology?

Thankfully someone has seen the 800 pound gorilla that could shut down this industry unless there’s a push to make the industry green and relevant to the culture at large.

Here’s hoping their success will solve some problems for all of us. 

How long can we continue to brag about the rear view mirror as racing’s contribution to mankind?

Peace.