Slow to Wave 'Green' Flag

General Motors is bullish on E85 (85 percent ethanol, 15 percent gasoline), and its executives have prodded NASCAR for years to consider a switch.

To prove its viability, GM engineers recently tested a NASCAR engine using E85. It didn't run as far on a gallon of ethanol, according to Pat Suhy, who oversees GM's NASCAR effort, so NASCAR officials would have to increase the size of the cars' fuel cell if they didn't want to add more pit stops during races run with E85.

But the test proved that GM would be ready to switch to ethanol-powered engines whenever NASCAR is ready, Suhy said.

Still, it's not clear that Toyota, Ford and Dodge would be equally enthused because they haven't invested as heavily in E85-compatible production cars.

"It's really a challenging and difficult problem from the engineering side, the implementation side, the political side and the public relations side," says Lee White, president of Toyota Racing Development.

Moreover, NASCAR is notoriously resistant to change. The sport didn't stop running leaded gas until 2007, enjoying a little-known exemption written into the federal Clean Air Act for nearly four decades.

But NASCAR simply must adapt to the harsh reality facing all Americans, whether they're struggling to fill their gas tanks or buy heating oil, says Ray Evernham, co-owner of Gillett Evernham Racing.

"It's not around the corner, but the handwriting is on the wall as far as fossil fuels and the internal-combustion engine," Evernham says. "Whether it's going to be organic-based ethanol or kudzu, NASCAR is going to have to follow the way of the world."

But Evernham also believes the federal government should take the lead on energy policy and invest in the type of research that the cash-strapped automotive industry can't afford.

"NASCAR was late switching from leaded to unleaded gas," Evernham concedes. "But this is quite a bit more of a crisis."

It's a crisis that Doug Yates, who oversees Ford's NASCAR engine program, says he's eager to confront.

"It's easy to take a position as an engine builder: 'Don't change anything.' " Yates said. "But we need to use the sport we have to help auto manufacturers and the U.S. economy. If we can do something to help and advance technology, wouldn't that be great?"

NASCAR Notes: Two-time defending NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson ran a lap at 181.763 mph at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to win his first pole at the Brickyard in seven previous tries. . . .

Kyle Busch led all but three laps to win the Kroger 200 in Clermont, Ind., for Toyota's 15th victory in 22 Nationwide Series races this season. Busch won his 15th race of the season spanning NASCAR's three series, breaking the record of 14 set by Kevin Harvick in 2006. He has six Nationwide wins in 20 starts.