This Arbor Day put more green in spring with American Ethanol

From creating a cleaner air environment to forming windbreaks that stabilize the soil, planting trees is a sustainable effort that all Nebraskans are encouraged to participate in this Arbor Day. Also joining this sustainable effort again this year is American Ethanol through its partnership with NASCAR® and its NASCAR Green initiative.

The goal of the NASCAR Green initiative is to reduce the sport’s environmental footprint by championing sustainable behaviors to their millions of fans. The NASCAR Green initiative has grown into some of the largest renewable energy projects in the world. Leading the way is NASCAR’s highly successful biofuels program.  Four years ago the sport kicked off this program by committing to use Sunoco Green E15, a fuel blended with 15 percent American-made ethanol from American-grown corn. The Clean Air program is another notable NASCAR Green initiative where American Ethanol has committed to planting 10 trees for every American Ethanol green flag waved in all three NASCAR racing series. 

“NASCAR has the largest sustainability platform in professional sports and American Ethanol is a key part of the sport’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint,” said Jon Holzfaster, a farmer from Paxton, Nebraska, director on the Nebraska Corn Board and chairman of National Corn Growers NASCAR Advisory Committee. “American Ethanol and trees offer a great one-two punch for the environment. The massive tree planting effort, combined with the more than seven million miles these high-performance cars have raced on American Ethanol, has helped the sport reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 20 percent.”

Through the course of one mature tree’s lifetime, it absorbs one metric ton of carbon dioxide –the same amount of carbon dioxide emitted by a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series® car driving 500 miles.

In 2014, the 14.3 billion gallons of ethanol produced in the United States reduced greenhouse gas emission on our roads and highways by 40 million metric tons.  That’s equivalent to removing 8.4 million cars from the road.

NASCAR Green initiative includes everything from recycling racing tires and engine oil, to cleaning up emissions by planting trees and using 15 percent ethanol fuel blend, made from American grown corn.

To date, NASCAR Green’s Clean Air Tree Planting Program has planted 371,607 trees. This is enough to completely offset carbon emissions for all three NASCAR national racing series for the past five years plus the next 40 years.

“Nebraska can especially celebrate this accomplishment in April with our unique commemoration of Arbor Day, which began in Nebraska,” said Kim Clark, director of biofuels development for the Nebraska Corn Board. “This year marks the 144^th anniversary of Arbor Day which is a Nebraska tradition to promote the ideals of community life and conservations of natural resources through the planting of trees. There is no better connection than to celebrate corn farmers’ commitment to the environment with their support of American Ethanol and Arbor Day in planting trees.”

American Ethanol is a partnership with National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) supported by corn checkoff investments and ethanol plant members of Growth Energy.

American Ethanol and NASCAR Salute Earth Day for 45 years of Success

American Ethanol and NASCAR have millions of reasons to salute Earth Day and that number grows every day they are on the race track. Just last month NASCAR topped 7 million miles running on Sunoco Green E15, a fuel blended with American Ethanol. The fuel change made 5 years ago has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 20% and at the same time increased horsepower.

Dr. Michael Lynch, Vice President, Green Innovation says that American Ethanol was essential in launching its long-term biofuels program and reducing overall emissions. “NASCAR’s goal is to be an environmental leader, not only in sports, but all industry,” said Mike Lynch, Manager of Green Innovations.  “Over the years we made significant steps in conservation by introducing measurable, best-in-class initiatives in recycling, alternative energy, and carbon mitigation. The transition to Sunoco Green E15 five years ago really took our environmental commitment to the next level.”

American Ethanol can trace its connection to Earth Day back to its inception. Before founding Earth Day, Senator Gaylord Nelson worked to have the pollution produced by cars regulated and was involved with the protection of the oceans. Earth Day’s creation was inspired by his 1969 visit to Santa Barbara, California, shortly after an oil spill occurred on a nearby shore. “American Ethanol is an environmentally safe, homegrown, clean burning alternative to fossil fuels that can help clean our air if given the chance. No beaches have closed due to an ethanol spill. ” Says Chip Bowling, President, National Corn Growers Association and Corn Grower from Maryland.

The Obama administration is pledging that the U.S. will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 26 percent over the next 10 years. Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy, says American Ethanol has a bright future in helping reach those goals. “Over 200 million cars on the road can use E15 today and immediately lower emissions. That’s a pretty big number but all of those consumers don’t have that choice yet. We can learn a lot from NASCAR and correlate their success from the track to the highway. It just comes down to giving the consumer a choice.” Said Buis.

In only 40 years, Earth Day has evolved from a single day celebrating the environmental movement in the United States to a global network that empowers more than a billion people to better understand, protect, and improve the environment. This evolution has also taken place in the massive NASCAR fan base. Back in 2008, NASCAR could see consumers were starting to identify with the green movement and knew it was something good for future generations. In 2008, NASCAR fans were 50% more likely than non-fans to indicate their household was very green and were always looking for new ways to positively impact the environment. Last year that same number rose to 100%.

To learn more, visit www.americanethanolracing.com.

American Ethanol Appears at Nebraska State FFA Convention

American Ethanol is proud to announce its partnership with the Nebraska Corn Board, Nebraska Ethanol Board and ethanol producer Green Plains Inc. to promote homegrown American Ethanol at this week’s Nebraska State FFA Convention held April 8-10, 2015.

“We are thrilled to team up with American Ethanol to bring awareness for Nebraska-grown biofuels to FFA students all across Nebraska,” said Kim Clark of the Nebraska Corn Board. “The ethanol industry in Nebraska has created thousands of high-paying jobs in the state and we are excited to share the opportunities for those interested in a future in value-added agriculture.”

In addition to the interactive Biofuels Mobile Education Center provided by the Nebraska Corn Board, the American Ethanol No. 3 Chevrolet SS driven by NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Austin Dillon for Richard Childress Racing will be on display for FFA attendees. This car, along with every other vehicle in NASCAR’s three race series, have collectively raced more than 7 million miles on renewable Sunoco Green E15.

“I am proud to run with American Ethanol on the No. 3 Chevy SS," said Dillon. "American Ethanol is green, renewable and a high performance fuel. It emulates exactly what we believe in at Richard Childress Racing.”

In 2011, NASCAR partnered with American Ethanol and has since been committed to using cleaner burning fuel. Since the transition to E15, drivers have noticed increased horsepower and performance, further validating E15 as a super fuel. Every race car in NASCAR also bears the American Ethanol fuel port logo and each weekend, American Ethanol powers race winners to Victory Lane.

Nebraska is the second largest ethanol producing state in the country with a combined annual production capacity of 2 billion gallons of ethanol and 6 million tons of high-quality livestock feed. The state is home to 24 ethanol plants.

“The ethanol industry has been vital to the ag economy in the state,” said Todd Sneller of the Nebraska Ethanol Board. “Not only has the industry brought in major tax dollars for the state, it also has helped bring a cleaner burning fuel to Nebraska drivers, which helps support our economy and reduces our dangerous dependence on fossil fuels and foreign oil, all while providing consumers a choice and savings at the pump. Ethanol is a win – win and we are proud to support sustainable fuels that will help power our growing energy needs for generations to come.”

American Ethanol Tops 7 Million Miles in NASCAR

When it comes to NASCAR, counting miles and breaking records is a thrilling milestone that every driver and passionate fan looks forward to. Earlier this month, NASCAR fans cheered as American Ethanol surpassed a momentous milestone at the Phoenix International Raceway. In just four short years, American Ethanol topped 7 million miles of racing—the equivalent of almost 30 trips from the Earth to the moon, 281 laps around the Earth or 15,000 trips between Omaha and Scottsbluff, Nebraska! 

NASCAR began running E15 in 2011. The fuel change was in conjunction with their NASCAR Green Platform, which has become one of the most comprehensive recycling, tree planting and renewable energy programs in professional sports. E15 is a 15% American-grown, American-made ethanol blend that has fit very well with the NASCAR Green platform. As a 100% renewable fuel, American Ethanol has proven to be not only environmentally positive by lowering emissions, but it has actually boosted the performance and increased horsepower of the race cars. NASCAR uses E15 exclusively in all race cars in its top three racing series – Sprint Cup, Nationwide & Camping World Truck.

“E15 in NASCAR has helped both consumers and professional drivers appreciate the power and performance of American Ethanol blends.” said Kelly Brunkhorst, executive director of the Nebraska Corn Board. “We’re doing everything in our power to sustain and build the ethanol industry and our support of NASCAR over the last four years has been a crucial component.” 

American Ethanol is a partnership of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and Growth Energy.  As an affiliate member of NCGA, the Nebraska Corn Board and the 23,000 Nebraska farmers we represent have helped support this partnership.

When the American Ethanol—NASCAR Green partnership began four years ago, the goal of the corn industry was to educate consumers about agriculture, promote ethanol and build awareness of the American Ethanol brand. Today, just four short years around the track, the partnership has surpassed the momentous milestone of 7 million miles and far exceeded original expectations. With an audience of more than 75 million fans, including a broad range of ages and demographics, NASCAR has one of the nation’s largest and most loyal fan bases in professional sports. This historic partnership has not only created the opportunity for corn farmers to tell the story of ethanol to the nation’s largest sport-fan base, but it also demonstrated to all the loyal race fans that ethanol is a reliable, high performance fuel. 

“The NASCAR Green campaign has proven to be a great way to grow consumer awareness and trust for the American Ethanol brand,” said Jon Holzfaster, a farmer from Paxton, Nebraska and director on the Nebraska Corn Board and National Corn Growers Association. “Beyond the success that E15 has won through our partnership with NASCAR, there is an even brighter future for American Ethanol across the United States. Consumers will begin to see more and more of the American Ethanol brand outside of NASCAR.”

Drivers across our nation have a long and successful history with American Ethanol blended fuel and frankly, consumers like the cost savings that ethanol provides. Automotive technology has changed and so have the needs of the public. Cars manufactured since 2001 are approved to run on E15 and the demand is continually building. As part of a national branding effort, the American Ethanol brand will begin to make its way to pumps across the United States. As the availability of E15 and higher blends of ethanol begin to grow, so will the visibility of the American Ethanol brand.

Join us in KC for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Race - October 5!

Reserve Your Seat Today!!
What: NASCAR Sprint Cup race in Kansas City
When: October 5,2014
Where: Kansas Speedway
Cost: $100/person

The Nebraska Corn Board, Nebraska Corn Growers Association and Nebraska’s 23,000 corn farmers invite you to attend the Sunday, October 5 NASCAR race at Kansas Speedway.

The cost is $100 per person and includes transportation to and from the race, the ticket for the race, and morning and evening meals, ticket into the hospitality tent where there will be food and beverages before the race and a gift certificate for Fan Vision – a device that allows you to watch the race on a small monitor and listen to the announcers or the conversation between the driver and his crew.

Seating is limited to the first 100 paid participants. Your seat on the bus and race ticket are reserved with your payment.  No payments will be accepted the day of the race.  See payment information below.

The race begins at 1:00 pm. We will leave Lincoln at approximately 6:00 am and return about 7:30 pm the same day.

The first 100 paid participants will get this package deal.

Make checks payable to: “Nebraska Corn Growers Association”.  Be sure to include your name, mailing address, email and phone number.

Send payment to:
Kim Clark
PO Box 95107
Lincoln, NE 68509

American Ethanol began a partnership with NASCAR starting with this racing season and the Nebraska Corn Board is a contributor to American Ethanol.  In the Nationwide Series, Sprint Cup Series, and Camping Truck Series, drivers will be running their race car on American Ethanol.  This partnership was formed to promote ethanol, educate consumers about agriculture, and more.

E15: It’s here to stay

By Kim Clark, director of biofuels development

We have heard a lot about E15 in the news recently, especially from AAA and the American Petroleum Institute (API). It’s unfortunate that the information being spread is not accurate. It is up to you to understand the facts.

Myth #1: E15 is a mandate.

• Fact: E15 is actually an option. You as a consumer are not required to use it. It is a choice offered to you. We like choice, right?

Over 65% of the vehicles on the road today are 2001 and newer and can use E15, as approved by EPA. Additionally, that 65% of vehicles consumers over 85% of the fuel.

Myth #2: EPA approved E15 for 2001 and newer vehicles without properly testing vehicles.

• Fact: Six million miles-equivalent to 12 trips to the moon and back, were accumulated during testing on E15. If that isn’t enough testing I don’t know what is. During these rigorous tests, no issues were found
• Fact: More jobs would be created with the use of E15. E15 allows us to move beyond the blend wall and create as many as 136,000 jobs, mostly in rural America.
• Fact: E15 will eliminate as much as 8 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year. That is like taking 1.35 million cars off the road.
• Fact: E15 will allow the US to use more renewable fuels versus fossil fuels like we use now. We would be able to displace 7 billion gallons of oil that is imported from foreign countries such as Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, and Nigeria.
• Fact: NASCAR has run more than 3 million miles on E15 beginning with the 2011 racing season and continuing today. They like the additional horsepower and durability.
  

The naysayers will always be present. Be sure to do your research before you form your own decision.

Three million miles on E15 for NASCAR

Below is an ad the good folks at NASCAR Green placed on the back cover of today's USA Today.

Among several green initiatives, the text highlights 3 million miles NASCAR has raced over the last two years on Sunoco Green E15, a 15 percent ethanol blend that provides a boost in horsepower while reducing emissions by 20 percent.

The final NASCAR Sprint Cup race is this weekend. Be sure to check it out — and support American Ethanol!

Childress: E15 ethanol is a viable alternative to regular gas

Richard Childress

"Today’s ethanol industry probably doesn’t look anything like most people imagine," Richard Childress, president and chief executive officer of Richard Childress Racing, wrote in the Kansas City Star.

In the piece, Childress explains that today’s ethanol producers are able to reduce emissions compared to gasoline by nearly 60 percent – and that producing ethanol adds jobs here in the United States.

"In NASCAR, we are using Sunoco Green E15, a blend of 15 percent ethanol and 85 percent gasoline," he said. "Last year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved E15 for all vehicles built in the last decade, which is more than 80 percent of the cars and trucks on the roads today. I like to think that if E15 is good enough for my racing team, it’s certainly good enough for everyday street cars."

He noted that NASCAR has surpassed 2 million miles of driving on E15 "without a hitch in what can only be described as a seamless transition. Plus, we’ve also seen enhanced performance. In fact, many of the teams have reported an increase in horsepower. In my mind, this proves that E15 is a viable alternative to regular gasoline."

For the full piece, click here.

Vroom! Here comes the 2012 NASCAR season

In preparation for the upcoming NASCAR season and the National Corn GrowersAssociation's (NCGA) partnership with American Ethanol, as a representative from the Nebraska Corn Board, I traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina - home of all things racing - last week for a meeting of NASCAR communicators.

Communicators representing eight corn states joined NCGA staff on Feb. 7-8, 2012 in Charlotte, North Carolina to learn more about NASCAR, the RAB Racing and Richard Childress Racing teams, and to discuss activation events promoting American Ethanol and E15 to consumers.

What is exciting for the 2012 racing season is that American Ethanol will be sponsoring two drivers - Kenny Wallace (@Kenny_Wallace) with RAB Racing and Austin Dillon (@AustinDillon3) of RCR Racing. Dillon will be racing the black No. 3 car in the Nationwide series and Kenny will be hoping to qualify in the upcoming Daytona 500 to race in the Sprint Cup series in the No. 33 car.

And yes, we got to meet Austin Dillon. :)

As part of the tour in Charlotte, we got to tour both RAB and RCR racing shops where the cars are made, and learn more about what it takes to be a driver and part of the crew. The in's and out's of racing are amazing!

American Ethanol will again be featured on every race car in the green decal around the fuel cap. In five specific races, American Ethanol will be featured - more details to come!

Don't forget to check out the success of American Ethanol in its first season of racing on E15 by going to www.americanethanolracing.com.

More photos from the communicators meeting can be found on our online Flickr photo album.

Can't get enough NASCAR/American Ethanol? Check out these blogs:

• Corn farmers, American Ethanol gearing up for NASCAR season, Daytona
• Proving ethanol and E15 at 200 mph
• First-time NASCAR experience? Awesome!
• Off to the Races….Running on American Ethanol
• NASCAR partnership means deals for corn farmers

Corn farmers, American Ethanol gearing up for NASCAR season, Daytona

The Daytona 500 is just around the corner, with the Budweiser Shootout kicking off events on February 18 and The Great American Race itself set for February 26 – and there's a chance you'll get to see an American Ethanol car in the big race.

A year ago, the Daytona 500 is where American Ethanol and Sunoco Green E15 (15 percent corn ethanol fuel) debuted, with Green E15 being used in every race and American Ethanol appearing on every fuel port, green flag and other marketing positions as the racing season went on.

Following that first year's experience, American Ethanol, a partnership that includes corn farmers in Nebraska (via their support of American Ethanol and NASCAR partner National Corn Growers Association), is gearing up for a bigger and better 2012.

American Ethanol has inked a deal to continue relationships with Richard Childress Racing (RCR) and RAB Racing for the 2012 season.

Wallace's paint out for the Daytona 500.

With RAB Racing, American Ethanol is supporting No. 09 Toyota driver Kenny Wallace in five Nationwide Series races this year. Wallace did a great job representing American Ethanol and American corn farmers last year.

What's really exciting with the RAB partnership this year, though, is American Ethanol is supporting Wallace's attempt to qualify and race in the Daytona 500. His car will feature an American Ethanol paint out for qualifying and the race.

For RCR, Austin Dillon, the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion, will drive the iconic No. 3 Chevrolet during the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series season with American Ethanol serving as the primary sponsor for six races as well as one race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2012.

Austin Dillon’s No. 3 American Ethanol
Chevrolet paint scheme.

The first American Ethanol sponsored race for Dillon will be the Daytona Nationwide race, the DRIVE4COPD 300, which is scheduled for February 25. It's a high-profile venue and a great place to prominently feature American Ethanol.

The deal also makes American Ethanol an associate sponsor of the RCR team, with owner Richard Childress as well as RCR’s Sprint Cup Series veterans Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton and Paul Menard also serving as spokesmen.

Renewable Fuels Month proclamation video featuring Gov. Heineman, Kenny Wallace

Renewable Fuels Awareness Month in Nebraska was proclaimed by Governor Dave Heineman at Husker Harvest Days last week. He addressed the crowd and media, as did NASCAR Nationwide driver Kenny Wallace.

The proclamation was coordinated through the Nebraska Corn Board and Nebraska Soybean Board, who said they hosted the event to recognize the contributions of Nebraska farmers and agribusinesses to the nation’s renewable fuel supply.

For more on the proclamation, check out this post.

Otherwise, enjoy the videos below.

Gov. Heineman, Kenny Wallace and corn, soybean growers highlight ethanol, biodiesel

Gov. Heineman and Alan Tiemann with the proclamation.

In the midst of a NASCAR driver and corn and soybean growers, Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman proclaimed September Renewable Fuels Awareness Month at Husker Harvest Days yesterday.

He addressed the crowd and media, as did NASCAR Nationwide driver Kenny Wallace, Nebraska Corn Board chairman Alan Tiemann and Nebraska Soybean Board chairwoman Lisa Lunz.

The proclamation was coordinated through the Nebraska Corn Board and Nebraska Soybean Board, who said they hosted the event to recognize the contributions of Nebraska farmers and agribusinesses to the nation’s renewable fuel supply.

Lunz, Wallace, Gov. Heineman and Tiemann (at mic).

“Nebraska’s renewable fuels sector contributes to local communities by providing good paying jobs for thousands of Nebraskans,” said Heineman. “Renewable fuels are a critical component of becoming energy independent and by providing an alternative to imported oil. We are fortunate to have a strong biofuels industry with thousands of Nebraskans working to fuel America.”

One of Wallace’s sponsors this year is American Ethanol, which is supported in part by Nebraska farmers through the Nebraska Corn Board.

“I’ve been across the country meeting farmers and it is really exciting to see their commitment to ethanol and all renewable fuels,” Wallace said. “Biofuels bring so much good to rural communities and they keep more of our energy dollars in this country where they belong. I’m proud to promote ethanol and really appreciate knowing that there’s ethanol in every tank when we’re on the track each week.”

Wallace addressing the crowd.

In a Grand Island Independent article, Wallace said, "Biofuels bring so much good to rural communities, and they keep more of our energy dollars in this country where they belong. I'm proud to promote ethanol and really appreciate knowing that there's ethanol in every tank when we're on the track each week."

NASCAR switched to Sunoco Green E15, a 15 percent ethanol fuel, for races beginning this year.

“Across the country ethanol provides more than $3 billion in local, state and federal tax revenues and provides thousands of jobs, including more than 2,000 in small-town Nebraska,” said Tiemann, a farmer from Seward. “At the same time, ethanol plants produce millions of tons of the livestock feed distillers grains, which are widely used not only in the United States but around the world.”

Tiemann noted that ethanol production across the country is at an all time high and surpassed 13.2 billion gallons last year.

Wallace signing autographs.

Lunz, a farmer from Wakefield, Neb., said soy biodiesel is seeing new and exciting uses across the country, including in BioHeat, a heating oil blended with biodiesel used to heat millions of homes and businesses, primarily in the Northeast.

“The increased industrial demand of soybean oil for biodiesel, including for BioHeat, ultimately increases the supply of the feed ingredient soybean meal. That’s good for livestock producers right here in Nebraska,” she said. “We thank the Governor for his support of Renewable Fuels and Nebraska agriculture and we know that by working together, the future looks brighter, cleaner and greener for Nebraskans.”

While at Husker Harvest Days, Wallace took time to sign autographs and pose for photos with fans.

Below is the video from NTV, but for additional reports on the event, go to Nebraska Farmer, KHAS-TV and Nebraska Central News (10/11).

Proving ethanol and E15 at 200 mph

With the checkered flag signaling Trevor Bayne’s victory at the Daytona 500, a small group of farmers were in the stands with 180,000 other fans – and millions on TV – to witness more than just the unknown driver’s first NASCAR Sprint Cup victory.

They were there to mark the first race using Sunoco Green E15, a 15 percent homegrown corn ethanol blend adopted by NASCAR this year.

NASCAR announced last fall that it was taking its environmental commitment to the next level by using E15 across all three of its national touring series. The fuel switch created an opportunity for corn farmers via the National Corn Growers Association and ethanol producers via Growth Energy to come together and form American Ethanol – and become an Official Sponsor of NASCAR.

With the agreement finalized, American Ethanol is powering NASCAR – and Nebraska corn farmers are playing a key role thanks to the backing of American Ethanol by the Nebraska Corn Board.
The result means positive messages about ethanol and E15 are in front of millions of NASCAR fans every week and American Ethanol and Nebraska farmers are along for the ride.

The Nebraska Corn Board's latest CornsTALK newsletter (.pdf) goes into a details on the partnership and gives some information as to why Nebraska corn farmers support American Ethanol. Related ethanol industry updates are also included.

Other subjects in the latest edition include A-FAN and it's I'm A Fan campaign.

First-time NASCAR experience? Awesome!

By Kim Clark, ag program manager

Bright and early in the morning on June 5th, 92 Nebraska corn farmers boarded buses in Lincoln on their way to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway. For many, this was the first time attending a NASCAR race and everyone seemed eager and excited to get the full experience from the American Ethanol hospitality tent to the pit tour to the race.

We left Lincoln at 5:00 am with the buses stocked full of water, snacks and sunscreen. The high temperature for the day was a scorching 100 degrees and we wanted to be prepared!


By arriving at the track at 9:00 a.m., we had time to tour pit road where we went behind the scenes of each driver’s pit area and saw them gluing the lug nuts onto the tires. When changing tires during the race, the crew doesn’t want to lug nuts falling onto the ground and have to search for them. Speed is everything!

One gentlemen gave a quick tour of American Ethanol driver Clint Bowyer’s pit area and mentioned that by adding 15 percent ethanol to the racing fuel, the cars are getting 50 more horsepower from the engine. More ethanol = more power!


After touring the pit area, we walked onto the track itself. It was amazing to see how much of an incline the track had! Here are some quick facts about the 55-foot wide track:

• It’s 1.5 miles long,
• It has a 15 degree incline in each turn, and
• A 10.4 degree incline in the front stretch.

While on the track, we noticed people signing the white line that goes around the inside of the track – so we put our autographs on the line, too.

Before the race began, we visited the American Ethanol tent for lunch. While there, car owner Richard Childress stopped by to answer a few questions about NASCAR and ethanol. NASCAR is very excited about using ethanol and is testing the impact of increasing the amount of ethanol used in race cars.


The green flag dropped at noon. Hearing the noise of the cars as they drove by at about 180 miles per hour was incredible. It took a little over 30 seconds to make one lap around the track. Only a couple of caution flags came out during the race, and they were for debris on the track. The last 100 laps of the race were under the American Ethanol green flag.

Nearly everyone was rooting for Bowyer, a Kansas native and American Ethanol spokesperson who had a full paint-out of American Ethanol on his car. Bowyer started the race in the 27th spot and started moving toward the leader of the race right away. He was able to move into one of the top 10 positions, but after a pit stop toward the end of the race, he finished 18th.

The NASCAR experience was great! Everyone attending the race and watching on TV saw how some of the Nebraska corn check-off dollars were invested to support ethanol and inform consumers about the benefits of ethanol through the American Ethanol partnership.

Everyone should have at least one NASCAR experience in his or her life! I’ve crossed it off my bucket list…but am sure I’ll be back!

Check out more pictures from the NASCAR race in Kansas City on our Flickr online photo album.

Off to the Races….Running on American Ethanol

By Kim Clark, ag program manager

This Sunday, June 5, marks the first time the NASCAR Sprint Cup Racing Series will be running on American Ethanol at Kansas Speedway. What an exciting time for corn farmers, including Nebraska’s corn farmers!

More than 420 corn farmers – 95 from Nebraska – will be attending the race to support NASCAR’s switch to American Ethanol and E15. They’ll be telling their story to the general public about raising corn, the benefits of ethanol and explaining why American Ethanol and corn farmers entered into this historic partnership.

NASCAR has an audience of more than 75 million fans that includes all ages and demographics. What better way to tell the ethanol story than to the largest fan base in any sport!

The American Ethanol partnership was formed between Growth Energy and the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), with Nebraska corn farmers supporting NCGA in the partnership as a way spread the word about the benefits of ethanol.

At this weekend’s race, the American Ethanol logo and messages will be displayed around the track. The stretch between turns two and three will have the American Ethanol “green,” and there will be an American Ethanol chalet for visitors and farmers. Educational materials at the track will include a flex fuel vehicle, blender pump and other ethanol-related items.

Of course the most noticeable American Ethanol logo will be the #33 Clint Bowyer (a Kansas native) car, which American Ethanol is sponsoring this season. Sunday’s race will be the first time his car will have a full paint-out with the American Ethanol logo. His car will have the American Ethanol in-car camera.

Be sure to watch the race this Sunday, starting at noon on FOX, to see the hundreds of corn farmers representing American Ethanol.

NASCAR partnership means deals for corn farmers

When the National Corn Growers Association and NASCAR formed a partnership – with NCGA becoming an Official Partner of NASCAR – all the perks and benefits of that partnership were extended to every corn grower who is a member of their state corn grower organization, which is, in turn, is a member of NCGA. We're talking discounts on race tickets, NASCAR gear, business services and more!

A key component of the partnership, of course, is American Ethanol, which will be on display at every race – on the fuel ports of every car, on the green flag, in at-track hospitality programs, via the American Ethanol Green Flag Restart Award and in TV and radio commercials that showcase America’s corn farmers.

In Nebraska, the Nebraska Corn Board, which administers check-off funds, supports the partnership and promotion of ethanol via NASCAR by contributing funding through the NCGA.

The benefits of NCGA's position as an Official Sponsor, though, extend to all members of the Nebraska Corn Growers Association, which is the state's corn grower membership organization.

This is an exciting partnership that showcases the high performance benefits of domestic, American Ethanol – more than 75 million fans will hear this positive message thanks to the support of corn farmers! 

To help members gain access to all the partner benefits, NCGA launched an online portal to all things NASCAR. It's an online connection customized for NCGA by NASCAR.

In the “Deals” section of the website, members have access to exclusive offers on the latest gear and unadvertised offers from Official NASCAR Partners and Licensees such as:

• Bank of America,
• DirectTV,
• Office Depot,
• Hotels like the Gaylord Texan and Hard Rock Las Vegas,
• Sprint Wireless,
• U Coat It floor coatings, and
• UPS.

Plus, a whole host of great benefits for NASCAR fans!

Want to see the action in person? The “Race Tickets” section will hook you up with best deals on the circuit for select races. NASCAR RacePoints is the official rewards program of NASCAR, where you can enroll and earn points when purchasing NASCAR apparel, merchandise, collectibles and experiences.

On the “Fan Center” page, you can view weekly race videos, become part of NASCAR’s social network and find the NASCAR Fan Guide, wallpaper and screen saver downloads. Even test your NASCAR knowledge every week for a chance to win cool prizes in the “Play to Win” section.

To register and take advantage of all these offers, click here – just note that you need to be a member of NeCGA/NCGA to qualify.

Policy, education main topics at Commodity Classic

The Nebraska Corn Board and Nebraska Corn Growers Association sent board and staff representatives to Florida last week for the annual Commodity Classic - a national meeting place and trade show for the corn, sorghum, soybean and wheat industries.

Commodity Classic features a trade show, valuable educational sessions, technology demonstrations, association banquets, entertainment events and important networking opportunities.

Dawn Caldwell, one of Nebraska's volunteer spokeswomen for CommonGround, was a speaker at one of the educational sessions and spoke on the secrets of effiective agricultural communications. CommonGround is a program, launched by the National Corn Growers Association and United Soybean Board to increase consumer awareness of food and farm issues. Dawn, and the other two Nebraska volunteer spokeswomen, launched the program in Nebraska, February 26, at the Northern Lights HyVee in Lincoln.

State staff meetings during the Commodity Classic also allowed for the corn state staff and NCGA staff members to gather and discuss important programs such as CommonGround, NASCAR, and Corn Farmers Coalition.

Mark Jagels, Nebraska Corn board director and executive committee member of the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) was a speaker at a luncheon hosted by USMEF. He spoke on the added value of grain-fed livestock in export markets and the potential for expanded exports in the future.

Below is an update from NCGA about the Corn Congress session in which 125 delegates representing 25 states spent hours discussing and voting on a large list of forward-thinking initiatives that reflect NCGA's commitment to creating and expanding opportunity for its members.

From ethanol to farm bill to genetic research, NCGA grower leaders last week updated the organization's policy book on a number of hot-button issues of interest to corn growers and their farm colleagues nationwide.

"We had an excellent slate of policy recommendations for the delegates to consider, and we are proud of the way they came together and agreed on the direction we will take in the months ahead," said NCGA First Vice President Garry Niemeyer, an Illinois grower who chaired the policy discussion. "We are moving into a critical time in Washington, with ethanol tax policy under debate, the 2012 farm bill looming, and an expanding regulatory burden being placed on our farmers."


Among the additions to the policy book were statements that the ethanol blenders tax credit should be transitioned to a market-based safety net for the ethanol industry and that NCGA should investigate transitioning direct payments into programs that allow producers the ability to manage risk while assuring food security


Delegates also defined what a "safety net" means - a combination of risk management tools available to producers that have the ability to protect against revenue losses due to circumstances beyond their control


At Corn Congress, it was recognized that NCGA was one of the leaders in securing the funds to map the corn genome and that research needs to continue. Delegates called on NCGA to develop an aggressive strategic plan for public research in functional genomics and translational genetics of corn and focus policy and research dollars to that end


Also, delegates called on the NCGA to make every effort to secure FDA acceptance and approval of the Corn Sugar petition and should oppose HFCS-free campaigns by food and beverage companies. NCGA has already submitted comments to the FDA, accessible here, supporting the Corn Refiners Association initiative.

To see photos from Commodity Classic, check out our online photo album. You can also check out the twitter talk through #Classic11.

Podcast: American Ethanol powering NASCAR beginning with Daytona 500

In this podcast, Tim Scheer, a farmer from St. Paul and member of the Nebraska Corn Board, talks about the upcoming racing season and NASCAR's switch to a 15 percent ethanol blend for its three national touring racing series – including the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series that kicks off with the Daytona 500 this Sunday (watch it live on FOX, beginning at noon Central).

He talks about the relationship between Nebraska corn farmers, the National Corn Growers Association and American Ethanol – and how NCGA is an Official Sponsor of NASCAR.

Scheer noted that NASCAR said it made the move to E15 because it is committed to helping the environment. It also believes in supporting job creation, reducing our dependence on foreign oil and backing family farms. After all, NASCAR itself is family owned.

"Nebraska corn farmers should be proud to be part of such an exciting partnership between corn farmers, ethanol and NASCAR," Sheer said. "And it couldn’t have happened at a better time considering the EPA has approved E15 for vehicles manufactured in 2001 and newer. We’ll get to see the viability of E15 proved at every NASCAR race every week."

Nebraska Corn Kernel podcasts are also available on iTunes! Click here to subscribe.

Bowyer named spokesman for American Ethanol

Clint Bowyer, spokesman
for American Ethanol,
driver of the No. 33
Chevrolet.

In addition to the partnership with NASCAR, American Ethanol has entered into a sponsor partnership with Richard Childress Racing and its No. 33 Chevrolet driver Clint Bowyer for the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.

Bowyer will serve as an official spokesman for American Ethanol and American Ethanol will be the primary sponsor of the No. 33 Chevrolet car at the Kansas Speedway 400 and an associate sponsor of the car for the rest of the season.

“Born and raised in the Midwest, it’s truly an honor to support American farmers as they strive to develop energy independence for our country,” said Bowyer. “I look forward to representing American Ethanol both on and off the track beginning this weekend in Daytona.”

Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis said Richard Childress Racing and Bowyer are great additions to the American Ethanol team. “Clint’s from Kansas, and he knows first-hand the opportunities that American farming and American ethanol offer our country – opportunities to create jobs here, clean our air, and strengthen national security by making our nation more energy independent," he said.

Growth Energy led the effort to create American Ethanol, the coalition that signed a partnership agreement with NASCAR to promote the use of domestically-produced ethanol. The National Corn Growers Association also joined American Ethanol, putting farmers in Nebraska and across the country in partnership with ethanol producers and NASCAR.

NASCAR's new fuel - Sunoco Green E15, a 15 percent ethanol blend - makes it's debut at the Daytona 500 this weekend. The race airs at noon locally on FOX.

"Corn farmers have played a big role funding research to make ethanol production more efficient and promoting its many benefits," said Bart Schott, president of the National Corn Growers Association. "Now, it is time to showcase all ethanol has to offer on a national stage."

Farmers looking forward to green flag at Daytona 500

Gentlemen, start your ethanol-powered engines!

Nebraska corn farmers and the Nebraska Corn Board are looking forward to the start of this year’s NASCAR racing season since every car in every race will be fueled by Sunoco Green E15, a 15 percent ethanol blend made from American corn grown by America’s farmers, the Nebraska Corn Board said in a news release.

It all kicks off when the green flag drops at the Daytona 500 this Sunday, February 20 (local coverage begins at noon on FOX).

Late October, NASCAR announced it would begin using the 15 percent corn ethanol blend in its three national racing series, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. NASCAR said it made the move because it is committed to helping the environment. It also believes in supporting job creation, reducing our dependence on foreign oil and backing family farms – NASCAR itself is family-owned.

“America’s corn farmers should be proud to be part of such a historic event,” said Tim Scheer, a farmer from St. Paul and member of the Nebraska Corn Board. “This couldn’t have come at a better time considering the EPA has approved E15 for vehicles manufactured in 2001 and newer. We’ll get to see the viability of E15 proved at every race.”

Scheer is also a member of the National Corn Growers Association’s Ethanol Committee.

In addition to powering races, corn farmers have become a partner in NASCAR via a partnership between the National Corn Growers Association and NASCAR. In fact, NCGA has become an Official Partner of NASCAR and will help promote the brand American Ethanol. The Nebraska Corn Board, which administers check-off funds in Nebraska, has contributed funding through the National Corn Growers Association to support this partnership and the promotion of ethanol via NASCAR.

American Ethanol will be on display at every race – on the fuel ports of every car, on the green flag, in at-track hospitality programs, via a special “American Ethanol Green Flag Restart Award” and in commercials that showcase America’s corn farmers. Corn farmers from across the country will also be attending many of the races to show their support for NASCAR and American Ethanol.

“More than 75 million people follow NASCAR and we’re thrilled to be playing a role in expanding the visibility of E15 through this partnership and American Ethanol,” Scheer said. “We’re looking forward to the green flag dropping at the Daytona 500 and seeing corn ethanol fuel some incredibly powerful cars.”