While working for General Motors in Brazil in the 1990s, Brent Dewar got a firsthand look at the country’s successful switch from an oil-based economy to ethanol. Dewar wants to see the same thing happen in the United States, and he thinks NASCAR can help. He’s lobbying officials to consider a switch from gasoline to ethanol.

“We would embrace it,” said Dewar, GM’s vice president of field sales, service and parts. “We think it would be great on a lot of fronts, because obviously it would send a signal to the public. A lot of people don’t understand the benefits of ethanol.”

Other racing series already are embracing renewable fuels. Beginning this season, the Indy Racing League’s IndyCar Series will race on 100% ethanol. And the American LeMans Series will race on a 10% ethanol blend. Now, Dewar and others in the garage said they believe NASCAR should explore alternative fuels. NASCAR is taking one step in the direction of environmental responsibility by getting the lead out, catching up with a change most consumers made in the 1980s by switching from leaded to unleaded fuel. NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said officials are willing to consider renewable fuels, too.

“In terms of looking at the next step, obviously we’re open to options,” Poston said. NASCAR teams also would have to modify their cars to run on ethanol, but Dewar said the switch wouldn’t be a “major investment.” And he said it ultimately would be worth the hassle. Still, even proponents don’t portray ethanol as a magic wand. Despite its benefits - it’s renewable, can provide a slight performance advantage, isn’t imported from politically volatile countries and burns cleaner - ethanol isn’t as efficient as gasoline.

Although today’s cars can run on 90% gasoline/10% ethanol blends, cars have to be specially equipped to run on heavier blends of ethanol. GM and other car companies sell “flex fuel” passenger vehicles that run on gasoline or E85, an 85% ethanol/15% gasoline blend. But E85 isn’t widely distributed in the U.S.

Associated Press

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