Green the New Speed for American Le Mans Series in Partnership with Michelin

The American Le Mans Series is the motorsports global leader in alternative fuels and is partnered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Energy and SAE International to incorporate "green racing" principles into its racing series. As a guest of Michelin's Lynne Slovick Fowler, PR Manager, Michelin North America for the final championship racing events at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on Saturday October 10th, 2009. I learned some interesting facts about Michelin's Green initiatives in motorsports during the tenth and final race of the 2009 American Le Mans Series season which provided a fitting test to determine the event winners and the first MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge season champions.

The CEO of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is a woman named Gill Campbell and I am always interested in learning more about women in motor sports and how they found their way into such interesting careers. I

had an opportunity to meet with the Michelin Motorsports manager, Silvia Mammone who is very passionate about her job for ten years working in different roles including her start in the customer service department. I was so impressed with her knowledge and the energy and excitement she exudes about her unique career in the tire industry. A Montreal native, she credits her father for her interest in tires and event planning. She grew up working in her father's bicycle shop and helping plan events.

"This was an exciting end to the first season of MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge competition," said Silvia. "In ten races, we saw nine different cars from eight different teams post wins for five different manufacturers and they won using three different fuels."

Prior to the race, Michelin joined with the American Le Mans Series and members of the "Green Racing working group" to announce that Michelin will support the MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge awards again in 2010. Scott Atherton of SAE International talked at their press conference about the progressive approach to research and development of efficient automobile technology that matters not just to the racing community but the consumer tire sector. The EPA recently declared the American Le Mans Series the only race series to meet its Green Racing Protocols, put in place to encourage the racing industry to develop better, more planet-friendly vehicles that will eventually reach the consumer industry.

The MICHELIN® GREEN X® CHALLENGE, developed in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and SAE International is a race within the race at all 2009 American Le Mans Series events. All entries compete with E10 ethanol blended gasoline; E85R gasoline blended ethanol, GTL (natural gas to liquid) biodiesel or E10-electric hybrid power. Teams win by delivering the best overall performance, fuel efficiency, and smallest environmental impact throughout the race. Using a formula developed by the Argonne National Labs that includes over 30 different factors, real time standings are posted on timing and scoring screens throughout the race. The American Le Mans Series is the only series currently recognized as "Green Racing" by the U. S. Department of Energy; Environmental Protection Agency and SAE International.

The MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge trophies were presented to the respective Prototype and GT winners. The bases for the unique MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge trophies are made of rubber recycled from MICHELIN® GREEN X® labeled consumer tires. Porsche's Flying Lizard Motorsports (No. 45) Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, E10, won the Grand Touring category. The Lowe's Fernandez Acura and drivers Adrian Fernandez and Luis Diaz claimed their third MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge Prototype category win of the year and eighth race win in the LMP2 class to clinch the 2009 MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge Prototype team and driver championships. The victory was the eighth for Acura in ten events.

My day included being perched up in the Michelin hopitality suite to watch the race, meet with some of their team, a tour of the Michelin Motorsports team preparing tires for the various teams and learned about how they protect their "confidential" racing tire technology, how they manage tire inventory during the race, measure track temperatures to ensure the right tires are being used at the right time, and observed first hand how important tire technology, repair and maintenance is during race day. I also learned how they utilize what they learn on the track to make passenger tires perform better for consumers. I also went on a guided paddock and hot pit tour which included visiting several of the American Le Mans Series teams during hot pit stops. The energy level and excitement was palatable. Watch a few race laps.

Gil de Ferran ended his driving career with an overall victory at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in an extremely close fight with Adrian Fernandez as the retiring Brazilian star won his fifth race with Simon Pagenaud in the de Ferran Motorsports Acura ARX-02a.

Footnote on women racers in the American Le Mans Series: Andrea Robertson driving the Doran Ford GT MK 7 with teammates David Murry and David Robertson came in 22nd in the ALMS finale event. In the American Le Mans Series Challenge class, for the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars, Melanie Snow, mother of four and a driving instructor at Utah’s miller Motorsports Park along with her husband Martin won the series championship as well. I am always so excited to watch a woman get the checkered flag!

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