NASCAR becoming more eco friendly

Cars that can't be fixed after a crash in Sprint Cup Series race can't be handed down to the Nationwide or ARCA Re/Max Series like an old pair of blue jeans. The car's unique design makes it good for only one thing: the recycling heap.

Cars that once raced at nearly 200 mph are destined to become barbecue grills, garbage cans or a passenger door on a new compact once they've been retired.

The wider, taller design means they can't be changed into different cars for other series. Sports bars, museums and marketing companies can take some of the older cars. Recycling companies get the rest.

Going green used to refer to the beginning of a race. Now it's a way of doing business. NASCAR has shifted into full speed with projects designed to leave a smaller ecological footprint.

At Roush Fenway Racing, old cars are cut up and recycled. The scrap metal is turned into new car parts and other household goods. Team owner Jack Roush said 96 percent of every car is recycled. At his shop alone, that translated to more than 66 tons of plastic, paper and sheet metal last year.

"If you do not add environmental thinking to your business strategy, you run the risk of missing the upside opportunities in your market," said Ian Prince, manager of real estate and sustainability at Roush.

NASCAR switched from leaded to unleaded fuel for all three of its national touring divisions in 2007. Chevrolet is pushing hard to get more-efficient fuels in the sport, as well as car-pooling and other gas-saving projects.

"We believe in green racing," Chevrolet vice president Brett Dewar said last year. "We believe it is very appropriate to do that. We believe it's time. We think racing can also be green, and we would like it to be biofuels."

NASCAR's public relations office is converting most of its records and press guides into computer files to save paper. Race shops have special filtering systems to reclaim water used to wash race cars. And drivers are sharing rides on private jets.

Richard Childress Racing promoted the Pennzoil Clean Change Campaign on Kevin Harvick's car in May at Phoenix. The team hoped to make sure do-it-yourselfers dispose of used oil properly.

Race tracks also are going green.

Infineon Raceway has taken the lead in initiatives. The road course has been conscious of environmentally-safe programs since 2004.

In the past five years, more than 73 tons of materials have been recycled after a race weekend. Old tires are recycled into rubber-based asphalt, playground padding and other uses.

New Hampshire Motor Speedway has more than 500 acres of permanently protected wildlife habitat on its 1,200-acre facility. The track said it would plant a new tree for every ticket sold for its Sprint Cup race on June 28. New Hampshire seats 93,521 fans.