The Council for Responsible Sport has awarded a Silver certification to the Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube. The speedway met a set of criteria for social and environmental responsibility planning and is the first NASCAR event to earn this distinction – joining the ranks of major sporting events around the world, including the Waste Management Phoenix Open PGA tournament, the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball Final Four, and the Major League Baseball All-Star game.
“We are very proud to be the first-ever NASCAR event to become a certified responsible event by the Council for Responsible Sport,” said Las Vegas Motor Speedway President, Chris Powell. “We hope this achievement and commitment will inspire other tracks, promoters and events in the sport to also take sustainable action for increased environmental and social responsibility.”
The Council for Responsible Sport is a not-for-profit organization with a vision for responsibly produced sports events and has been helping measure, manage, and verify the social and environmental impacts of events since 2007.
“We have a longstanding relationship with Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Speedway Motorsports Incorporated and are proud to help build an increasingly sustainable approach to events,” said Bree Sandlin, Vice President, Shell Lubricants North America Marketing. “At Shell, racing is in our DNA, but we know for the longevity of the sport, we need to reduce the carbon footprint of motorsport events, and today’s announcement is a step in that direction.”
The Pennzoil 400 successfully implemented and demonstrated 36 silver certification standards across five categories, and met environmental impact criteria during the 2021 race weekend. Key improvements at the track include the elimination of paper tickets and credentials, upgrading some track lighting to high-efficiency LED lights, repurposing signage and other equipment, and adding a geothermal system to power the infield.
Shell and Pennzoil also worked with the track and in collaboration with the Joey Logano Foundation to support multiple community efforts including the “Convoy of Hope” where 35,000 lbs. of food was distributed to more than 1,000 deserving families and homeless groups.
“This is a significant accomplishment and on behalf of the entire Council staff and board I would like to say congratulations to Las Vegas Motor Speedway and the Pennzoil 400 on earning the Silver Level Certification,” said Kevin Phelan, Board Member of the Council for Responsible Sport. “Thank you for your contribution towards a world where responsibly produced sports events are the norm in a time when the world so needs acts of voluntary leadership towards a safer and more sustainable future.”
