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Monte Shaw 515-252-6249

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                               

January 04, 2011                                                                                                                          

NASCAR Champion to Keynote Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit

Rusty Wallace will Address NASCAR’s Adoption of E15

JOHNSTON, IA – At the 5th Annual Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit, attendees will hear from acclaimed NASCAR champion Rusty Wallace on NASCAR’s move to use E15. This Summit will be hosted by the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) on January 25th.

“We are thrilled to have former NASCAR Champion Rusty Wallace as this year’s keynote speaker,” said Lucy Norton, IRFA Managing Director.  “As the nation prepares for a new ethanol blend – E15 – NASCAR is proving that E15 is a high-performance, green fuel for some of the most powerful engines in the racing world.”

When the green flag drops for the 2011 race season, NASCAR’s three major national touring series will run on E15 – a fuel blend containing 15% ethanol. The switch to this high-octane, clean-burning fuel has resulted in a gain in horsepower, according to NASCAR officials.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved the use of E15 in passenger vehicles and light-duty trucks for model years 2007 and newer.  It is anticipated that this approval will be expanded in the near future to include 2001 and newer models.

“NASCAR is an illustrious model for the future of higher ethanol blends,” Norton said.  “The confidence that NASCAR is putting into our American-made fuel sends a strong message to motorists and race fans that E15 is a reliable, high-performance fuel.” 

The Summit and trade show, being held from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Polk County Convention Complex in Des Moines, is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is required. Participants can register online at www.IowaRFA.org by January 21st, where they’ll also find additional links and information relating to the Summit, or by calling Lucy Norton at 515-252-6249.

Iowa is the leader in renewable fuels production.  Iowa has 40 ethanol refineries capable of producing nearly 3.7 billion gallons annually. In addition, Iowa has 13 biodiesel facilities with the capacity to produce over 315 million gallons annually.

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association was formed in 2002 to represent the state’s liquid renewable fuels industry. The trade group fosters the development and growth of the renewable fuels industry in Iowa through education, promotion, legislation and infrastructure development.

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