Indy 500 Underway

Chuck Zimmerman May 28, 2006

Just in case you haven’t been looking at Domestic Fuel I’ll give you this post from the start of the Indy 500 today. I’ll have more later today or tomorrow depending on what happens during the race (or the finish!).

The race has started. After the first lap we had a two-car accident but no injuries and car #17 is looking good right now. After this post I won’t do any until after the race.

The one thing you like to hear here is the famous words, “Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines.” You can hear it here: Start Your Engines (1 min MP3) Post Update: It was pointed out to me that Ms. Hulman said “Lady” and not “Ladies.” I would assume the singular but it sounded plural over the PA system in the stands to me and those around me. Maybe we need our hearing checked.

I’m also listening in on a radio scanner to the driver/pit communication which is very cool. It sounds like things are going well right now.

Watch here: Cars Home Stretch (1 min wmv)

Audio, Ethanol, Indy Racing, Video

Indy Parade Day

Chuck Zimmerman May 27, 2006

Today has been a relatively quiet day here in Indianapolis. Except for the annual parade that is. This fine looking group found a shady spot to watch. Included in the picture are EPIC and RFA staffers and ethanol powered vehicle drivers.

We cheered for Jeff Simmons, Ethanol Car driver, when he passed by. The drivers are spaced out in the parade in the same row lineup as they will be in the race. Jeff is starting in row 9.

You can watch a short video clip of him in the parade here: Jeff Simmons In Parade (1 min wmv)

Remeber that you can see lots more coverage on Domestic Fuel, including during race day tomorrow.

Ethanol, Indy Racing, Video

Blogging Fan Fair For New Holland

Chuck Zimmerman May 27, 2006

I’ve been waiting for the CMA to get their release out on this so that I can announce another upcoming event I’ll be blogging. This time it’s the Country Music Association Fan Fair in Nashville. I’ll be blogging it for New Holland.

New Holland has an on-going promotional campaign that involves country music star, Michael Peterson who has a new album out that’s only been available at New Holland dealers. At the Fan Fair on June 11 he’ll be presiding over the first ever Michael Peterson/New Holland Celebrity Tractor Race. Additionally, all the pictures, interviews and video I shoot will be loaded onto a video iPod to be given away in a contest for people who enter at the venue. Very cool promotional idea if you ask me. Here’s some more details on the event from the CMA Fan Fair website:

Sunday, June 11, spotlights the Michael Peterson/New Holland Celebrity Tractor Race from 1:00–3:00 PM. Country Music artists and celebrities will race against the clock through an obstacle course on a New Holland compact tractor. A New Holland Boomer compact tractor will be signed by all participating celebrities and auctioned off at a later date on eBay, with proceeds to be divided between the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and to the winner’s charity of choice. Participants include Deborah Allen (Curb recording artist); Bering Strait (Universal South recording group); singer/songwriter Woody Bradshaw; singer/songwriter Bekka Bramlett (former member of both Fleetwood Mac and Bekka & Billy); The Honorable William J Chatfield (Director of Selective Service); actor Alan Dysert; actor Scott Getlin; Craig Hentrich (NFL punter with the Tennessee Titans); Janet Ivey (creator of “Janet’s Planets”); Robert K Oermann (noted Country Music historian and journalist, as well as former judge on the USA Network’s television series “Nashville Star”); singer/songwriter Bobby Pinson; singer/songwriter Colt Prather; and singer/songwriter Billy Yates.

Agribusiness, Tractor

Farmer Cooperatives Marketing E85

Chuck Zimmerman May 26, 2006

A big announcement from MFA Oil and Mid Missouri Energy was made this morning. Pictured are members of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce, along with Phil Lampert (NEVC), Ryland Utlaut (Mid-Missouri Energy) and Jerry Taylor (MFA Oil) in a ribbon-cutting ceremony signifying the launch of the partnership. Basically the two farmer-owned cooperatives are working together to bring more E85 fuel to consumers.

Thanks to the folks at the Missouri Corn Growers Association we’ve got some audio for you. Tyne Morgan interviewed MME President, Ryland Utlaut. He talks about what the company is doing to increase the availability and accessability of E85 fuel around the state of Missouri. You can listen to that interview here: Ryland Utlaut Interview (9 min MP3)

Representatives from two farmer-owner cooperatives have announced a partnership created to make E85 fuel more readily available and affordable to Missourians by offering it at 20 percent less than regular unleaded gasoline. E85 is a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline and is used in flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs).Read More

Audio, Cooperatives, Ethanol

Pit Stop Competition

Chuck Zimmerman May 26, 2006

I’ll leave you today with a short video clip of one of the highlight events here on Carb Day at Indy. It’s the Checkers/Rally’s Pit Stop Competition.

Rahal-Letterman driver Buddy Rice was doing fine until he came up against Helio Castroneves, who won the competition.

I shot a short video clip of one of the final competition matches. You can watch it here: Pit Stop Competition (23 sec wmv)

Ethanol, Video

Carb Day Practicing

Chuck Zimmerman May 26, 2006

It’s Miller Lite Carb Day at the track. For an hour this morning all the cars in the race Sunday got to put in some laps.

Here’s the Ethanol Car coming back into the pits after a few laps. This is a view of it from the 4th floor of the media “pagoda” building.

Ear plugs are a must because it gets loud. I think one of the biggest thrills is the sound these engines make. Just to rev you up I recorded a minute of the Carb day practice session.

You can listent to the the rpm’s here: Full Throttle On An Ethanol Blend (1 min MP3)

Audio, Ethanol, Indy Racing

Indy Track Gas Pump

Chuck Zimmerman May 26, 2006

Have you ever wondered how you fill up a race car in Indianapolis? Just like you do. Well, not during the race.

These pumps are going to have to be re-done by next year since they still have methanol printed on them. However, someone made sure a temporary sticker was applied to show that this year it’s being blended with ethanol.

I believe the ethanol for the race this weekend is coming from the New Energy ethanol plant near South Bend, IN.

I spoke to the guys working at this track fueling station. They said the fuel gets blended prior to being delivered here.

Ethanol, Indy Racing

Bobby Likes Ethanol

Chuck Zimmerman May 26, 2006

The co-owner of Rahal-Letterman Racing is Bobby Rahal. After today’s press conference I got to interview him about what ethanol means to his team and the IRL.

He believes it’s a fuel that’s finally getting the recognition it deserves. He says it’s a hot button issue right now.

You can listent to my interview with Bobby here: Bobby Rahal Interview (2 min MP3)

Audio, Ethanol, Indy Racing

Danica Patrick Drives ‘Em Crazy

Chuck Zimmerman May 26, 2006

In response to multiple request from AgWired fans, I had to make sure we featured Danica. I think there’s a kind of Danica fever going around these days. She’s featured in USA Today’s Speed Weekend and also on the Friday cover. She’s hoping to improve on her 4th place finish here last year.

At yesterday’s Ethanol Summit, Danica made a few remarks. She mentioned its environmental benefits

You can listent to her remarks here: Danica Patrick Remarks (1 min MP3)

Audio, Ethanol, Indy Racing

100+ MPH In The Pace Truck

Chuck Zimmerman May 25, 2006

This will be all for a little while until I get back to my hotel. It looked like it was going to rain here but now the sun is back out and cars are on the track running practice laps. I think I’ll head on out to see who’s running before leaving for the day.

After the Ethanol Summit program was over, it was time for a ride around the track. USDA Under Secretary Tom Dorr is inside the truck you see here on his second lap.

I got to ride in the truck afterward. They allowed 3 of us to ride along with the driver. I interviewed them all as we were making our laps today in the Chevrolet Ethanol Pace Truck.

The guys in the truck with me were Dan Edwards, Indy Track Racking Operations Director (driver), National Corn Growers Association Chairman, Leon Corzine and Waitt Farm Network Director, Emery Kleven. Emery took the picture of me in the back seat with Leon. You can listen to the interview here: Indy Pace Truck Interview (3 min MP3)

Just to make it interesting I also shot video clips. The first one here is a Pace Truck drive-by with the USDA Sec. inside. The second one is my ride inside the truck while doing the interview you can hear above.

Pace Car Drive-By (1 min wmv)

Pace Car Laps (3 min wmv)

Audio, Ethanol, Indy Racing, Video

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