[SustainableTompkins] Green Grand Prix, Watkins Glen, Sat., May 3

[Rachel Treichler]

The Green Grand Prix is an educational and competitive event in Watkins 
Glen, NY including a Road Rally for Hybrid and Alternate Fuel Vehicles.  
In addition to the road rally , there will be a "green" vehicle and 
sustainable energy display, a Speaker Forum, and a gallery of entries 
from a student AFV design contest that is currently running in many 
schools across the country.

*2008 Green Grand Prix Schedule*

8:00 AM     Rally registration begins at the Glen Motor Inn, 1 mile 
North of the village of Watkins Glen on rte.14.
8:50 AM     Rally registration closes
9:00 AM     Driver and navigators meeting and cars are lined up
9:30 AM     Rally cars released at 1 minute intervals to run rally 
(approx. 60 miles) at normal highway speeds following written directions 
given out at the start
12:00 noon     Rally cars finish at the IMRRC EXPO grounds, 610 South 
Decatur St., Watkins Glen.
12:15 PM     Lunch for rallyists . Food concession on site will be open 
all afternoon.
1:00- 3:00 PM     Speaker forum in Elementary school auditorium, 
adjacent to EXPO grounds
1:00- 6:00 PM     Educational Expo including rally car display and 
renewable energy/ sustainability exhibits, "open mike" sessions for 
exhibitors.

*Green Grand Prix Celebrates Alternate Fueled Vehicles*
http://www.greengrandprix.com/about.htm

Drivers of alternate fueled vehicles and hybrids have a unique 
opportunity to put their vehicles to the test and have a lot of fun 
while doing it at the 4th Annual Green Grand Prix in Watkins Glen. The 
May 3 event's unique time-speed-distance road rally through the 
beautiful Finger Lakes Region of Central New York is the only road rally 
for alternate fueled vehicles and hybrids in the United States sponsored 
by the Sports Car Club of America.

The SCCA has a long association with world-renowned Watkins Glen, which 
is marking 60 years of competitive racing. This year's 4th Annual Green 
Grand Prix is hosted by the International Motor Racing Research Center, 
which is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2008.

The rally, over 60 miles of scenic roadways is one of the highlights of 
the daylong Green Grand Prix, based in downtown Watkins Glen at the 
Racing Research Center. After they return to the village, rally drivers 
and their navigators will join the public in a variety of educational 
activities throughout the afternoon.

The Doris Bovee Memorial Road Rally is named in memory of a well-known 
area environmentalist. Bovee taught for many years in the 
Corning-Painted Post Area School District and was known for her love of 
plants and birds. She also was involved with SCCA road rallies and was 
part of the Glen Region SCCA at its inception.

The rally brings together a diverse mix of hybrid and alternate fueled 
vehicles, AFVs, and their owners, businesses promoting renewable energy 
and related products, environmental groups, students and faculty members 
from elementary to university level and the general public.
 
"This fun and exciting educational event emphasizes energy independence 
and a cleaner environment," said Green Grand Prix founder Robert 
Gillespie, an area artist and hybrid owner who is passionate about 
increasing awareness of the vehicles.

Corporate entries in the 2007 road rally included Toyota, Lexus, Honda, 
General Motors, SMART, DMJM Harris, the Windshield Installation Network, 
Autoglass Insurance Co., and Magi LLC. In addition to hybrid and 
flexible fuel vehicles, organizers expect many other interesting AFVs, 
including 2 hydrogen fuel cell cars, a wood-powered SUV and a vegetable 
oil-powered car, as well cars fueled by bio-diesel, electricity, LP and 
compressed natural gas. Cars begin the rally at the historic Glen Motor 
Inn on Route 14 north of Watkins Glen at 9:30 A.M.. The rally is 
conducted at legal highway speeds.

All afternoon activities are centered at the Racing Research Center on 
South Decatur Street, including at adjacent facilities of the Watkins 
Glen Central School District.
The Wayne Technical and Career Center in Williamson, N.Y., will be 
bringing its student-made portable energy lab, which includes solar 
panels and a wind generator. Also featured will be an Electrathon 
electric race car from Baker High School in Baldwinsville, N.Y. 
Organizers are expecting exhibited cars to include a production electric 
vehicle built in 1914. The Woods Electric Dual Tiller is believed to be 
the last of its type in existence.

A panel discussion will address a host of sustainability issues, and 
Cornell University's X-Prize Team, which has been working on a 100 mpg 
mass-producible car, is expected to do a presentation on its project. 
Winners of the AFV design contest for young students, now in its third 
year, will receive their awards, as will participants in the morning 
road rally.
The Racing Research Center staff will be giving tours of the Center and 
discussing their work preserving the history of motorsports. The Center 
collects all types of materials on all series of racing and at all 
tracks, worldwide.

"Our partnership with the Green Grand Prix this year is a natural," 
Center Director of Archives & Administration Mark Steigerwald said. "Our 
archives clearly show how racing -- and therefore transportation -- has 
evolved over the decades. The innovative people who took the risks 100 
years ago are the forerunners of the people we see participating in the 
Green Grand Prix each year."

For complete details about the Green Grand Prix, visit its Web site at 
www.greengrandprix.com. Questions may be directed to :   Robert 
Gillespie        (315) 536-7185,   (315) 694-2812