Virginia International Raceway Names EcoPower® Official Oil

Premier raceway to use EcoPower re-refined motor oil in all track-owned vehicles and equipment

PLANO, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Virginia International Raceway (VIR) announced today that it has selected EcoPower® engine oil for use in all track support vehicles in an effort to support environmentally responsible racing in conjunction with their inaugural VIR 240 American Le Mans Series, the global leaders in green racing, presented by Tequila Patrón.

“VIR is committed to making our facility a leader in ‘green’ racing, and we rely on a number of Safety-Kleen products, now including EcoPower, to help us achieve that goal.”

EcoPower is re-refined engine oil from Safety-Kleen, the largest collector and re-refiner of used oil in North America. EcoPower is re-refined using a process that consumes up to 85 percent less energy than refining motor oil from crude oil. The result is engine oil that meets or exceeds all North American standards for engine protection, such as API and SAE, while reducing the country’s dependence on foreign oil.

The move to EcoPower oil is part of a larger effort to make the track, one of Car and Driver’s Top 6 tracks in the U.S., function in a way that is more environmentally responsible. Under the arrangement, VIR is using various grades of EcoPower in more than 65 vehicles, including emergency vehicles, on-track maintenance trucks and off-track all-terrain vehicles, heavy equipment, motorized carts and even motorized lawn equipment. The track switched to EcoPower beginning in August.

“Using a high-quality, environmentally responsible product like EcoPower in all of our vehicles at the track just makes sense,” said Kerrigan Smith, director of track operations at VIR. “VIR is committed to making our facility a leader in ‘green’ racing, and we rely on a number of Safety-Kleen products, now including EcoPower, to help us achieve that goal.”

“EcoPower helps race tracks across the country make their facilities more responsible,” said Curt Knapp, Safety-Kleen’s senior vice president and chief marketing officer. “We’re proud to be a part of VIR’s sustainability efforts. By choosing EcoPower for their vehicle and equipment fleet, they’ve chosen a product that requires no new crude oil to be produced, since it’s recycled and refined from reclaimed motor oil. That’s a major step in reducing the track’s carbon footprint.”

About EcoPower®

EcoPower is more than just engine oil. It is part of a much bigger effort by Safety-Kleen, the largest collector and re-refiner of used oil in North America. In 2011, Safety-Kleen collected approximately 200 million gallons of used oil. EcoPower doesn’t just conserve resources, it protects them by keeping used motor oil out of our land and groundwater, making it truly an oil change for the better. For more information about EcoPower, please visit www.ecopoweroil.com.

About Safety-Kleen

Safety-Kleen is a leading provider of environmental services to commercial, industrial and automotive customers, and the largest re-refiner of used oil and provider of parts cleaning services in North America, with approximately 4,200 employees serving more than 200,000 customer locations in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Safety-Kleen delivers a set of sustainable services to meet the required, recurring environmental needs of its customers. For more information about Safety-Kleen, please visit www.safety-kleen.com.

About VIRginia International Raceway

Recently chosen as one of Car & Driver's Top 6 tracks in the nation, VIRginia International Raceway is a multipurpose road racing facility located on the Dan River between Danville and South Boston, Virginia. VIR hosts a wide range of professional and amateur auto and motorcycle racing and track events, and is well established as "America's Motorsport Resort." For further information, call 434-822-7700 or visit our website at www.VIRnow.com, and subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on Facebook.