From its early days setting land speed records bootlegging moonshine, to the two-way radio, the roll cage, the “x-frame” with coil spring rear suspension, the windshield tear-offs our Army now uses for its helicopters, to the Dale Earnhardt inspired Car of Tomorrow, NASCAR has always been at the forefront of American ingenuity, creativity, and automotive know how.

Today, close to 200,000 of families will head over to the Lowes Motor Speedway to watch their favorite drivers compete for victory lane at the Coca-Cola 600 Race at speeds of 180-plus miles per hour. On the way to the race, hopefully not traveling at speeds close to 200 mph most fans will make a pit stop and fill-up on $3.00 a gallon gas. Unfortunately this has become the norm in our country as summer approaches.

What they may not realize is that the answer to our high gas prices and much of our future energy needs are grown in their own states in the form of ethanol fuel derived from corn, soy beans, switch grass and many other crops that are already domestic to America.

Earlier this year the Indy Racing League agreed to start fueling their race cars with 100 percent ethanol. Thousands of fans are now able to see first hand the performance capacity allowed by ethanol powered cars. It is easy to see how if ethanol can power the world’s fastest racecars, it can certainly fuel the family minivan, truck, or SUV.

NASCAR is no stranger to environmental leadership. Many of the drivers have taken the initiative to individually help the environment sponsoring parks, outdoor recreation, and local water resource management projects. It is time for the League as a whole to follow the example set by their drivers, and take steps towards bringing the power of this fuel to the forefront of American society.

Our energy needs impact every aspect of our nation’s future.  We are more dependent on foreign oil from hostile countries today than we were on September 11th –putting the United States in the uniquely disturbing position of bankrolling both sides in the War on Terror.  A recent poll found that 90 percent of Americans felt that our dependence on foreign oil jeopardizes our national security, yet Washington is too broken and too polarized to take the action demanded by the American people.

Ethanol won’t solve all of our problems, but it must be a major part of the solution. By turning its sugarcane into ethanol, Brazil achieved energy independence last year.  I am certain that if Brazil can accomplish this, with American ingenuity and determination, we can do even better.

Congress has the opportunity to follow the NASCAR’s example by enacting the bipartisan Vehicle and Fuel Choices for American Security Act, which offers a realistic solution to put us on the path toward energy independence.  Among other things, it increases production of ethanol, provides tax credits for manufacturers to produce advanced diesels and hybrid vehicles, offers incentives to encourage the construction of more E-85 pumps, and  increases funding for the research and development of new alternative fuels.

Senators from across the ideological and geographic spectrum already support this plan.  They understand that this is not a liberal or conservative problem, but one that affects all Americans.  Our common sense approach to solving this crisis addresses both the supply and demand side while offering real incentives and real alternatives to our current dependence on oil.

Even though automakers are building an increasing number of “flex-fuel” vehicles that have the capacity to run on E-85 - a fuel blend that is 85 percent homegrown ethanol - less than one half percent of all gas stations in the U.S. sell E-85. If all Americans had that choice available to them, we could see immediate reductions in the demand for imported oil.

There is a lot of work to do, but not a lot of time.  Unlike a NASCAR stockcar, Congress doesn’t move at 180 miles an hour, but we owe it to the American people to pick up the pace before it is too late.