March 29, 2024

Iowa Speedway, NASCAR Green plant trees at Southwestern Community College

Officials of Iowa Speedway were in Creston on Tuesday afternoon to donate and plant 60 trees on the campus of Southwestern Community College on behalf of the NASCAR Green program.

The NASCAR Green program was established in 2009 to offset the carbon footprint of key NASCAR races at facilities across the nation. Accordingly, 10 trees are pledged for every time a ‘green flag’ is displayed in those races. The 2013 NASCAR race selected for Iowa Speedway was the DuPont Pioneer 250 Nationwide event on Saturday, June 8, in which the “green flag” was displayed six times, including the initial start of the 250-lap stock car contest.

“When a tornado hit our campus in April 2012, we lost more than 150 trees, many of which had years of growth,” said Dr. Barb Crittenden, president of Southwestern Community College. “Therefore, when we were approached about a partnership with the Iowa Speedway and the NASCAR Green program, we were very excited. Trees are a valuable and long-term investment. The trees we have received through this partnership will help to restore the beauty of our campus.”

The trees dedicated for SWCC were sourced and shipped by The Arbor Day Foundation, and obtained through Timber Pine Nursery & Greenhouse, located in Earlham, Iowa. As with each tree planting nationally, Liberty Tire Recycling ‘race tire mulch’ — manufactured from racing tires recycled from each NASCAR national series race — was used for weed and erosion control around the new trees on SWCC’s campus. Since the program’s inception, more than 166,000 trees have been planted with the help of NASCAR Green.

“We are very proud to partner with the NASCAR Green program to help our friends at SWCC replace many of the trees lost during that devastating tornado,” Iowa Speedway President Stan Clement said. “We consider it an honor to be a part of NASCAR Green’s tree planting program, and will continue to participate with them in benefitting Iowa communities in the years to come.”

NASCAR Green has established the largest programs in sports worldwide in addressing environmental impact in waste, emissions and power, including the largest and most diverse recycling program in sports, the most visible biofuels program in the world, one of the largest tree planting programs in sports, and the largest renewable energy stadium projects globally, all with major partners.

Additional information on NASCAR Green's programs may be obtained by logging on to the #1 green website in sports globally, www.nascar.com/green.