Michelin Green X Challenge debuts at Twelve Hours of Sebring

Legend has it that the first car race was held when the second car took to the roads.  In 2009, a new type of race, the MICHELIN Green X Challenge, will debut at the Twelve Hours of Sebring, America’s premiere sports car race.

Traditional races are simple, the first one to the finish line wins. Energy efficiency contests typically recognize the vehicle using the least energy or traveling the greatest distance on a prescribed amount of energy. That is where the MICHELIN Green X Challenge starts a new tradition.

The MICHELIN Green X Challenge, created jointly by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Energy, SAE International and the American Le Mans Series, uses a system ranking all cars in the race according to the amount of energy used; greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted and amount of petroleum displaced, making the MICHELIN Green X Challenge a race within the race.

Michelin, the world’s leading tire manufacturer, is a global leader in environmental issues. In 1998, the Michelin Challenge Bibendum was created and quickly became the world’s premier event for clean vehicles. In 2007, the Michelin Energy Endurance Challenge was launched at the world’s most famous auto race, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and in 2008, that award was extended to the entire the European based Le Mans Series.