Nascar Impact Is Created With A Major Goal To Reduce Its Operating Emissions To Zero By 2035

No one knows what the world will look like in a dozen years. But Nascar is aiming to do what it can to create a sustainable planet for the future.

Earlier this week, Nascar announced it is committing to achieve net zero operating emissions by 2035 as part of the launch of Nascar Impact. Nascar Impact will also see a series of near-term carbon reduction targets. The new umbrella platform will align and advance Nascar’s collective efforts around sustainability, community engagement and other impact-driven social initiatives.

“Effectively, this platform is meant to be inclusive of all the good work with a focus on the community partnerships,” Nascar’s Chief Communications Officer and Impact Officer Eric Nyquist said. “We’re working on initiatives to weave this fabric through everything we do across our sport.

“To do that [reach net zero operating emissions], it’s going to require the coordination of all parts of our business. We started with a comprehensive measurement that took about 18 months for every part of our business, and that has given us a baseline as we move forward to hold us accountable as we mark ourselves on those reductions over time.”

In addition to cutting its carbon footprint, Nascar also committed to making several changes within the next five years. Among them include 100% renewable electricity at all Nascar-owned facilities and racetracks, the introduction of a new sustainable racing fuel, recycling across all tracks and office locations, as well as electric vehicle (EV) charging station infrastructure at tracks and facilities.

“As a sport, Nascar has a responsibility to serve and impact the communities where we live and race while contributing to a healthier planet,” Nascar President Steve Phelps said in a statement. “With the support of our industry, Nascar Impact will drive our strategic sustainability, community and social initiatives as we continue to make progress across these important areas.”

Since Phelps and CEO Jim France over took the helm at Nascar in 2018, the sport has undergone significant changes to its diversity efforts. Additionally, it is taking encouraging steps to change the schedule, such as adding the Chicago street race, and to also reconnect with its roots at facilities like North Wilkesboro Speedway.

As Nascar continues to adapt to its current audience, the sanctioning body is taking a look at innovations across also aspects of its business model. The innovations, including the Next Gen car, can have an impact on the communities Nascar competes around.

“This is about doing what we’ve done so well, and doing it better and together,” Nyquist said. “We all agree we want to leave this world better off than when we joined it. We’re keeping our racing product — first and foremost — top of line, and we’re driving change that can allow us to fulfill our commitment to where we live and race.”

A key part of Nascar Impact will be the sport’s transparency about the progress it is making. Each year, a report will be issued to evaluate how the sanctioning body is inching closer to its goals in sustainability, community engagement, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and other impact-related programs.

Nascar Impact’s report will also detail its sourcing and procurement team, which is aiming to create economic impact through supplier diversity. There is also a social responsibility arm that oversees Nascar’s national partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America. To kick off Nascar Impact, The NASCAR Foundation will host a 75-hour — honoring the sport’s 75th anniversary — giveathon from May 16-19 with a goal of raising $750,000 for more than 500 nonprofits.

“As we have progressed, with the work we’ve done particularly over the last three years, we’re beginning to drive more inclusion across our racing communities and in our sport,” Nyquist said. “We’re making sure that racing belongs to everyone.”

Another key aspect is Nascar’s commitment to develop a sustainable race fuel with its gasoline partner, Sunoco
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“One of the things we understand and know is that the internal combustion engine will be part of our sport and a staple of our racing for a very long time,” Nyquist said. “In recognizing that, we have to do better with the fuel we’re using to power these cars. We’re going to continue to work with the industry and our OEM partners and engine builders to develop an evolution of our race fuel over time.”

Nascar will ideally like to solidify a new fuel within the next five years. It has used Sunoco Green E15, a 98 octane, unleaded fuel blend since the 2011 season.