DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (October 11, 2024) – Extending a partnership that initially began in 2008, the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a long-term Co-Sponsorship Agreement.
Through the agreement, the flagship IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship continues to be aligned with Green Racing protocols established by the EPA, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) and SAE International.
“We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with the Department of Energy, SAE and IMSA and trying to think about and work together on what’s next,” said EPA Director, Transportation and Climate Division Karl Simon. “We get very excited to come learn from the series how things operate and how the consumers interact with that.
“We’ve had a longstanding relationship with the track here and our regional office has a presence up in the Fan Zone where we interact with all the fans to be able to tell our story too. It’s not just about the technology development but also about being able to interact with people and talk about sustainability and to hear what matters to folks there.”
Green Racing is a philosophy that uses motorsports competition to develop and demonstrate more fuel efficient and environmentally friendly vehicle designs, technologies and fuels that can be used in consumer vehicles while helping to create a sustainable future.
Green Racing uses vehicle competitions to promote and accelerate the use of advanced technologies and renewable fuels. This results in increased availability and acceptance of cleaner and more efficient vehicles in the marketplace worldwide.
IMSA is currently the only sanctioning body in North America to operate under these guidelines.
“For nearly two decades already, IMSA has been an innovator in sustainability through our relationship with the EPA,” said IMSA President John Doonan. “These efforts are vitally important to IMSA and all of our auto manufacturers and corporate partners and have played an instrumental role in enticing these partners to participate in IMSA. There remains much work to be done in this area, but with the longstanding support from the EPA, we can and will make a difference.”
The hallmark of IMSA’s participation in Green Racing came to fruition with the 2023 debut of the hybrid-electrified Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class. This class became the first in professional North American motorsports to feature hybrid-powered race cars.
In 2023, a 30 percent reduction in the allocation and usage of Michelin tires – which have 30 percent more renewable content than the previous tires – led to an 18.8 percent reduction in metric tons of carbon dioxide per GTP car as measured by sustainability leader WM (formerly Waste Management).
A shift to 80 percent renewable VP Racing Fuels led to a 26 percent reduction in carbon dioxide per gallon over the previously used fuel. IMSA and VP Racing Fuels plan to introduce 100 percent certified sustainable fuel in 2026.
The future of the partnership sets the stage for additional innovations in powertrains, fuels and further reduction of emissions.
