Roush Fenway sets goal to become first carbon neutral team in NASCAR

Roush Fenway Racing on Thursday announced plans to become to first carbon neutral team in NASCAR.

The team said that it has partnered with Castrol to support its carbon reduction and offset programs across operations on and off the track throughout the 2021 NASCAR season.

The partnership is aimed at helping manage its greenhouse gas emissions by “tracking, quantifying, and reducing those emissions, and offsetting the balance with high-quality carbon offsets,” the team said.

Roush Fenway achieved carbon neutrality for the entire organization according to the PAS 2060 standard, as verified by an independent third party, for the race period of Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2020. The team plans to celebrate its achievement with a new paint scheme for driver Ryan Newman’s traditionally red and green car.

The car will don an all-white paint scheme with a grey Castrol badge and muted logos from partners to show their support. The scheme will be used on Feb. 21 at the Daytona Road Course.

“It’s an honor to pave the way in the sport and bring awareness to the importance of reducing your carbon footprint,” Newman said in a statement. “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.”

Castrol is planning to expand its carbon neutral product range, reduce carbon used in its production and offer a range of services to give customers more lower-carbon choices, the team said.

The Associated Press noted that Roush Fenway Racing currently has a goal of recycling 90 percent of every race car and has already reduced overall waste produced to more than 100 tons over the last decade. In addition, the fleet of Roush’s cars is being converted to Ford electric and hybrid vehicles.