On Wednesday, Nov. 15, about 15 mechanics and auto enthusiasts arrived in Welcome, N.C., at the headquarters of Richard Childress Racing (RCR) for Growth Energy and American Ethanol’s first-ever engine performance workshop. The day began at the RCR Museum, where everyone was able to explore the racing team’s storied history. Mike Dillon, Vice President of Competition at RCR and driver Austin Dillon’s father, then led the group on a tour of the Cup Shop.
After a lunch break, the engine performance workshop began in the RCR board room, where POET’s Vice President of Corporate Affairs Doug Berven, Aaron Miller from Nth Moto (an exotic car performance, racing, and fabrication facility), and ECR Engines’ Technical Director Dr. Andy Randolph all spoke to attendees. Doug gave everyone a rundown on the benefits of ethanol as well as information on different blends (E10, E15, and mid-high level). Aaron then kicked off the “engine performance” section of the presentation by discussing his experience with ethanol at Nth, which included why he views ethanol as safe and reliable, how it boosts performance, and how it promotes engine longevity and health. Dr. Andy then presented all the ways ethanol provides value to consumers and NASCAR teams alike and even performed a couple live demonstrations that really showed off the benefits of ethanol.
When the presentation was over, Dr. Andy led a tour of ECR Engines to close out the day. Our audience proved to be very engaged and interested, and the team received positive feedback from all attendees.
Everyone who came to this first workshop will receive a certificate of completion and also provide valuable feedback as we move this program forward. Next steps include exploring how to implement a “lite” version of the workshop at auto shows, Anthony Taylor/Kyle Mohan drift races, and NASCAR races. We’re also looking into how to turn this programming into a class that’s available online. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting new venture!