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NASCAR racing team Roush Fenway announced earlier in the day that they have become the first carbon-neutral team of the competition.
They, according to the PAS 2060 (Carbon Neutrality Standard and Certification) verified by ERM CVS, achieved carbon neutrality for their entire organization between the periods of 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2020.
And for the 2021 NASCAR season, they will work closely with their official partner Castrol towards carbon reduction inboth on and off-track activities.
Having shown the way ahead for other NASCAR teams, Roush Fenway President Steve Newmark said:
"As an organization, Roush Fenway has always been environmentally conscious. Our hope with this program is to demonstrate that every business, small or large, and regardless of industry, can contribute to address global climate challenges. We hope to set an example and highlight that small steps by many can make a real difference.”
The Roush Fenway-Castrol partnership will also work towards better management of greenhouse gas emissions and ensuring high-quality carbon offsets to achieve carbon neutrality.
Castrol’s Vice President of Marketing Rayne Pacek was equally excited about teaming up with the NASCAR team and working towards bringing about this change. He said:
“At Castrol, we believe that small steps together can make a difference. We want to play our part and teaming up with Roush Fenway to achieve their carbon neutral ambitions is a notable milestone in the sport and another step in supporting our partners in their efforts to drive change.”
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As part of the initiative, Roush Fenway's driver for the No. 6 Ford Mustang Ryan Newman will sport an all-white paint scheme.
The car will feature a gray Castrol badge along with muted logos from partners like Ford Motor Company, Kohler Generators, Oscar Mayer, Coca-Cola, Guaranteed Rate, MacTools, and Wyndham Rewards as a sign of their support towards this cause.
The dedicated all-white No. 6 paint scheme will be on display at the upcoming Daytona Road Course race on Feb. 21.
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Why NASCAR needs to drive for change?
NASCAR is a sport that essentially involves burning fuel and its nature doesn't align much with the measures being taken worldwide to save our threatened environment.
NASCAR is long overdue for reforms on this front, and maybe that's why the sport has been hurting for sponsorships of-late as more and more organizations adopt sustainability and fighting climate change as their goals.
Ryan Newman, the driver for the No. 6 Roush Fenway car, is honored to show the road ahead and lead this change in NASCAR to bring about awareness.
"It’s an honor to pave the way in the sport and bring awareness to the importance of reducing your carbon footprint. Every business can make choices to help promote a more sustainable future and this program makes me proud to be part of a team that takes the initiative to drive change,” said NASCAR driver Newman.
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The roll out of the NextGen car during the 2022 NASCAR season is one of the many potent steps that NASCAR will have to take to make the sport more sustainable in the future, along with keeping it exciting for fans and sponsors alike.
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