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ROUSH FENWAY RACING GOES CARBON NEUTRAL

Can This Approach Help Save High-Octane Racing As We Know It?

Roush Fenway Racing becomes the first NASCAR team to be verified as carbon neutral.
Image Via RFR.

The world of motorsports isn’t exactly known for its kindness towards the environment. Crews and vehicles alike travel across the world each week to show off in some high-octane battles, in cars that aren’t known for their efficiency. As the world becomes more invested in reducing carbon emissions from vehicles, it has left many wondering what the future of the sport will look like. As it turns out, NASCAR might just have a new answer. That is because Roush Fenway Racing has officially become the first carbon neutral team in the series known for its massive V8 engines running in Ford Mustang stock cars.

Roush Fenway Racing has officially attained carbon neutrality certification, complying with the PAS 2060 standards. The transition to becoming NASCAR’s first carbon-neutral race team wasn’t an immediate process for Roush Fenway Racing however. In fact, the idea started small and focused on attainable environmentally conscious decisions. However, that changed into a company wide commitment to reducing emission, with a little help from their partner in Castrol. By that we mean that Castrol required the team to work on reducing their emissions levels as part of their sponsor contract.

In order to reach this goal, the team has committed to recycling 90 percent of every race car they build, ranging from parts of the bodywork to the gaskets inside the motor. Furthermore, they’ve upgraded their facilities with energy saving LED lighting, computer controlled HVAC systems, and reflective roofing membranes to dissipate heat. They also have a trick rainwater collection system for irrigation on the property, which is located in North Carolina.

The company has also made the decision to adopt a fleet of hybrid and electric vehicles from Ford to replace their current company fleet. Before that takes place however, no gasoline-powered vehicles are allowed to idle on the premises. That just goes to show you how committed they are to this change.

“We’re trying to show that even companies in an industry like ours can take steps to reduce overall emissions, and, our hope is that it will set an example for other teams and the racing industry,” RFR President Steve Newmark said in a statement.

This huge step for NASCAR is slated to be celebrated at Daytona this weekend, where Roush Fenway Racing will show off a unique commemorative livery. Instead of the traditional red and green paint scheme we’ve become accustomed too, Ryan Newman’s No. 6 car will wear a toned-back white and grey livery. This is meant to represent the minimalist path we all have to take to reach carbon neutrality, according to RFR.

So then perhaps motorsport series will have a longer life than we initially thought. If more teams are able to make changes like this, we might be able to extend the life of gasoline-fueled race cars. Based on the lack of excitement that surrounds the various EV race series out there right now, we hope that these sorts of actions can help smooth the transition. Either way, good on Roush Fenway Racing for setting an example for the rest of the grid.

Roush Fenway Racing becomes the first NASCAR team to be verified as carbon neutral.
Image Via RFR.

 

Written by Lucas Bell

Lucas holds a journalism degree from Wayne State University, and is a Automotive Press Association scholarship recipient. While an American muscle fan through and through, he once wrote a fascinating comparison review about eScooters.

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