Monsanto Joins Indy 500 Team Ethanol

NEW YORK - Mar 4/05 - SNS -- Monsanto Company is joining forces with the Indy Racing League and Team Ethanol to raise consumer awareness about ethanol and its use as a renewable energy resource.

Beginning this season, Monsanto will be a sponsor of Team Ethanol in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series. Team Ethanol, which is operated by the Hemelgarn Racing team, has been leading the League's transition to this renewable fuel.

Earlier this week, the Indy Racing League's IndyCar Series announced that the ethanol industry will become the IndyCar Series fuel supplier by the 2007 racing season. This partnership paves the way for the first fuel conversion in the IndyCar Series in four decades.

IndyCar racecars have been utilizing methanol fuel since the 1960's, but the League will begin its conversion to fuel-grade ethanol at the start of the 2006 racing season. Next year will serve as the transition year for the IndyCar Series. The League will require cars to be fueled by a maximum blend of 90% methanol and 10% ethanol. By 2007, the League plans to use 100% fuel-grade ethanol for its IndyCar Series cars.

Monsanto applauds the vision and leadership of ICM, Inc., Fagen, Inc., Broin Companies, the Renewable Fuels Association, the American Coalition for Ethanol, Hemelgarn Racing and the Indy Racing League who have led the efforts to deliver this new platform to promote corn's fastest growing market, ethanol.

The Team Ethanol sponsorship was created through the cooperation of a group of companies within the ethanol industry. The effort has been led by the major ethanol design-build firms Fagen Inc., ICM Inc. and Broin Companies as well as other ag-related stakeholders including Monsanto.