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2nd Annual GREEN GRAND PRIX
Friday, June 2, 2006
First official
SCCA road rally for alternative fuel vehicles
Click
here to view photos of the rally
Click
here to view photos of the display event
Results
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Hybrid Rally Awards |
| 1st |
Adam Morehouse |
Penn Yan, NY |
Toyota Prius |
220 pts |
| 2nd |
Mark Gonya |
Syracuse, NY |
Honda Accord Hybrid |
236 pts |
| 3rd |
Robert Scakun |
West Caldwell, NJ |
Toyota Camry Hybrid |
284 pts |
| 4th |
Charlie Valent |
Watkins Glen, NY |
Ford Escape Hybrid |
286 pts |
|
Alternate Fueled Vehicle
Rally Awards |
| 1st |
Margaret Sullivan |
Syracuse, NY |
Honda Civic CNG |
350pts. |
| 2nd |
Ken Gibbs |
Geneva, NY |
Mercedes 300 D veg. |
383 pts |
| 3rd |
Gregg Wicken |
Ithaca, NY |
Volkswagen Jetta veg. |
481 pts |
|
Hybrid MPG Awards |
| 1st overall |
Tom Lyon |
Carlsbad, CA. |
Honda Insight |
76.1 mpg |
| 2nd |
Nancy Marion |
Penn Yan, NY |
Toyota Prius |
56.6 mpg |
| 3rd |
Mike Dengler |
Ithaca , NY |
Toyota Prius |
54.5 mpg |
| 4th |
Larry Gatry |
Elmira, NY |
Toyota Highlander Hybrid,
6cyl |
29.1 mpg |
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Student Vehicle Design
Awards |
| Brett Bulson |
Watkins Glen
Middle School |
| Jenna Swarthout |
Watkins Glen
Middle School |
| Liah Gascon |
Dundee
Elementary School |
| Joe
Badamy |
Penn
Yan Middle School |
| Jake Rotenberg |
Geneva
Elementary School |
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Watkins Glen Host To Historic
Green Grand Prix
Watkins Glen, N.Y. (June 9, 2006) — History was made
on June 2nd at Watkins Glen, N.Y. by the Green Grand
Prix as 35 hybrid cars and alternate fueled vehicles
competed in the first-ever official SCCA road rally
for these cars in North America. The rally was held
on a 78-mile course around the perimeter of Seneca
Lake in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York.
The rally hosted by the
Glen Region of The Sports Car Club of America
was part of a slate of activities during the all day
event.
Energy independence, reduction of greenhouse gases
and education about alternative fuels were major
themes of the day’s schedule, which included
discussions at the
International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC.)
Experts from around the nation came together to
speak on a variety of topics including hybrids,
ethanol, biodiesel, and hydrogen fuel. Craig
VanBatenberg from the
Auto Career Development Center in Wooster, Mass.
led off the discussions with a power point
presentation entitled “Hybrid Myths.” The next
speaker was Robert Skakun, representing
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. who spoke not only on
the topic of the new Camry Hybrid, but also about
how hybrids reduce greenhouse emissions. Joanna
Schroeder, representing
Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC)
addressed how ethanol can provide a viable
alternative to gasoline. Harold Garabedian, from the
Vermont Department of Natural Resources
followed, with a discussion of hydrogen fuel issues.
Last up was Derek Farmer of
Cargill, speaking on the outlook for bio-diesel
fuel. The panel of speakers ended the discussion by
addressing questions from an overflow crowd.
Another part of the education component of the event
was a student design contest that was conducted in
the public schools surrounding the rally route.
Students were invited to design their own version of
an alternatively fueled vehicle resulting in over
100 wonderful creative entries.
Later in the day,
Watkins Glen State Park was the scene of an
educational display by
the
Finger Lakes Institute and a public display of
the rally vehicles along with live music by the
Celtic band, Fieldstone and old time music by Roy
Litteer and Friends. Spectators were able to have a
first hand look at the rally entries ranging from
Robert “Chip” Beam’s entertaining wood powered car
sponsored by
Cassella Waste System Inc.; to at team of 5
veg-powered cars sponsored by area wineries; to
a hydrogen powered car from the Vermont Department
of Natural Resources and the latest hybrid vehicles
from Toyota, Lexus, GM, Honda and Ford. The Team
Ethanol Indy Car Series show car was also on display
along with
the Indy Car Series Honda hybrid safety car. Jeff
Simmons, an Indy Racing League Indy Car Series?
driver, made a guest appearance at the event where
he signed autographs and delighted students by
presenting the student poster contest awards.
Simmons drives the No. 17
Rahal Letterman Racing Team Ethanol car; he is
sponsored by the ethanol industry and the Ethanol
Promotion and Information Council (EPIC.) A total of
12 rally awards were also handed out from the stage.
In all, the day’s activities, whose proceeds will
benefit the
Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association, were
declared an overwhelming success by event organizers
Carol Fitzgerald and Robert Gillespie. Gillespie
stated, “We started out structuring the Green Grand
Prix as an educational event that could grow in the
future. This year’s response was way beyond our
expectations, with major sponsorship from Toyota,
Lexus, GM, Honda and Ford as well as EPIC, the Indy
Car Series, Windshield Insurance Network and The
Observer/Watkins Review & Express.” Sanctioning was
also provided by
NESEA: Northeast Sustainable Energy Association.
The official results of the rally and student design
contest are posted on
www.glenspeed.com and the SCCA Glen Region
website:
http://www.glen-scca.org/index.html The
Discovery Channel will air a Green Grand Prix
special in September.
About Robert Gillespie: A career art instructor,
free lance painter/graphic artist; hundreds of his
drawings of the Finger Lakes region and its history
have been published. A member of the American
Automotive Artists Society; his paintings of Watkins
Glen International racing history not only capture
the details of the racing cars, but the action and
excitement of each event. Hybrid gas/electric cars
and AFVs have caught his attention, as they have
appeared increasingly on the road and in the news.
This new breed of vehicles has rekindled this artist
/ educator’s environmental awareness; resulting in
the concept of the “Green Grand Prix.” You may
contact Robert on his website
www.glenspeed.com
or by calling 315-536-7185.
About Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association: SLWPA was
founded in 1991, with the mission and purpose to
study and inform the SLWPA members and the public
about ways to conserve, improve and protect the
water resources and environment of Seneca Lake and
its watershed. The Association also strives to
preserve and enhance the varied landscape within the
watershed by promoting improvements to technology
and patterns of development that do not have an
adverse impact on our environment. SLWPA is located
at 601 S. Main St. Geneva, NY 14456. Call executive
director Carol Fitzgerald (315)781-4398 for
membership or information or visit the website at
www.senecalake.org or e-mail
slpwa@senecalake.org |
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View report from the
inaugural 2005 Grand Grand Prix
Other Hybrid and AFV Links
www.auto-careers.org
www.tourdesol.org |
