Green Grand Prix, Schuyler Earth Day Team up May 2

WATKINS GLEN, April 15, 2009: Green Grand Prix organizers are adding a new dimension to their fifth annual celebration of sustainable transportation by partnering this year with the Earth Day Committee of the Schuyler County Environmental Management Council. The Green Grand Prix, set for Saturday, May 2, is also expanding with more displays at the afternoon-long Green Expo and with the addition of a second car rally through the region. Green Grand Prix events bring together a diverse mix of vehicles and their owners, businesses promoting renewable energy and related products, environmental groups, students and faculty members from elementary to university level and the general public. Earth Day activities and displays and those of the Green Grand Prix will be at the International Motor Racing Research Center, 610 S. Decatur St., Watkins Glen, and in the adjacent Watkins Glen Elementary School parking lot. The Green Grand Prix is organized by a committee of the Racing Research Center. "Our competitive and educational event brings all age groups together to celebrate sustainable transportation, renewable energy and a cleaner environment,” said Green Grand Prix founder Robert Gillespie of Penn Yan, an artist and hybrid owner who is passionate about increasing awareness of alternate fuel and fuel-efficient vehicles. The Green Grand Prix has captured the attention of people across the nation and locally has earned a legislative declaration and support from local Congressman Rep. Eric Massa of Corning, NY. “Promoting clean energy and helping create green-collar jobs is critical to our region, our nation and our world,” Massa said. “As your member of Congress, I am fully committed to helping advance the future of America’s green initiatives and that’s why I support the Green Grand Prix.” Among the displays at the Green Expo will be cars participating in the Green Grand Prix’s two road events. The Glen Region Sports Car Club of America is returning as sponsor of the Doris Bovee Memorial Road Rally, continuing a unique partnership that has the Glen Region organizing the only SCCA-sanctioned event of its kind in the nation. The time-speed-distance rally covers more than 60 miles of scenic roadways. New this year: The Chicago-Soft Green Grand Prix Fuel Economy Run, presented by Race-cars.com. The Fuel Economy Run will offer its competitors the opportunity to set fuel economy records in various categories during a jaunt around the 80-mile perimeter of Seneca Lake.

The Fuel Economy Run includes a stop in Geneva, hosted by the Geneva Area Chamber of Commerce. Both road events are open to any licensed vehicle. Pre-registration online at www.greengrandprix.com is encouraged, though walk-ins may be accepted on event day if the fields are not full. The entry fee for either event is $50 for a private owner or $110 for a business entry. Organizers anticipate participating vehicles will include hydrogen fuel cell cars, all hybrid models, plug-in hybrids and cars running on biodiesel, diesel, flex-fuel and pure electric. Many other interesting alternate fueled vehicles are also expected, such as those powered by vegetable oil, as well as by LP and compressed natural gas. The Fuel Economy Run leaves from the Glen Motor Inn, Route 14, north of Watkins Glen, at 9:20 a.m. Registration and tech inspection begins at 8 a.m. The Bovee Memorial Rally, which honors the memory of well-known area environmentalist, educator and sports car enthusiast Doris Bovee, leaves from the Racing Research Center at 10:30 a.m. Registration and tech inspection begins at 8 a.m. The public is invited to both sites to watch tech inspection and see the vehicles get their green flags. Fuel Economy Run participants should start arriving at the Racing Research Center at around 11 a.m., followed starting about 11:45 a.m. by the Bovee Rally vehicles. The vehicles in both events will be parked for display through the afternoon. The Earth Day Committee is offering an electronics recycling collection from noon to 3 p.m. on the south side of the adjacent Watkins Glen school district bus garage. Items such as TVs, VCR players, answering machines and CPUs will be accepted for small fees. Preregistration is not required. Other Earth Day activities, including displays focusing on renewable energy and storm water, and the Green Grand Prix displays and vendors will comprise the Green Expo, which opens at 1 p.m. There is no admission charge. Green Grand Prix displays will include the Cornell University X-Prize car, a Central New York Electrathon car and the Newburgh (NY) Free Academy solar car. Ferrario Ford of Elmira will have a Roush Ford Pickup LP conversion on display, and John Cadwallader of Elmira will be showing off his LP-powered 1933 Ford pickup truck. Champion rallyist Mark Gonya's just-released Honda Insight from Honda City in Syracuse is also expected at the Green Expo. Tours of the Racing Research Center will be offered.

Oscar Koveleski's popular Kidracers will give the little ones a taste of car racing, and hundreds of student entries in the Student Alternate Fuel Design Contest, sponsored by the Glen Region SCCA, will be posted. Under one of three tents, speakers will be discussing their alternate fuel projects and other appropriate topics of interest. The North Corning Fire Department will be offering a chicken barbecue, and the Watkins Glen Improved Order of Red Men will be selling a variety of items, including hamburgers, hot dogs and vegetarian wraps. Prizes for the two road events will be awarded starting at 2 p.m. The day ends at 5 p.m. Earth Day details are available by contacting Cornell Cooperative Extension of Schuyler County at (607) 535-7161. More information about the Green Grand Prix is available from the Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce, the Geneva Area Chamber of Commerce or by calling (315) 694-2812. Details also can also be found at the Green Grand Prix website at www.greengrandprix.com.