PENNZOIL AND INDYCAR LAUNCH PENNZOIL PERFORMANCE+ RACING OIL AT INDIANAPOLIS 500
New Racing Oil to Help Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions1 throughout NTT INDYCAR Series
INDIANAPOLIS, May 17, 2024 – Shell, Pennzoil and INDYCAR continue to advance their sustainability journey by unveiling the new Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil2 using re-refined base oil (RRBO) to deliver top engine performance with less greenhouse gas emissions.1 INDYCAR teams will use Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil during the Indianapolis 500 and throughout the NTT INDYCAR Series.
“We are thrilled to have Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil as the official lubricant of the 2024 NTT INDYCAR Series and to help showcase the advancements in technology and performance of motor oil made with a re-refined base oil,” said Bree Sandlin, Vice President, Shell Lubricants Marketing North America. “INDYCAR is a premier testing ground to prove the reliability and durability of our lubricant technologies for use in demanding road conditions.”
The use of RRBO in Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil conserves non-renewable resources by reducing its use of base oils made from primary fossil material. The re-refined base oil component used reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 50%3 compared to the base oil used in the Pennzoil products formulated for the 2023 NTT INDYCAR series.
When combining RRBO with our premium additives, Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil delivers a 15% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions1 compared to the Pennzoil products formulated for the 2023 racing season.
The re-refined base oil component delivers a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (4) compared to the base oil used in Pennzoil products formulated for the 2023 NTT INDYCAR series. The RRBO is then combined with premium additives to create Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil (1), which delivers a 15% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (3) compared to the Pennzoil products used in the 2023 NTT INDYCAR series.
“Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil has been rigorously tested and approved by INDYCAR, Honda and Chevrolet to meet the high-performance requirements for racing without compromise to performance,” said Bassem Kheireddin, Shell Motorsports Technology Manager.
“The addition of Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil using re-refined base oil is another significant milestone as we continue to move toward a more sustainable future for the NTT INDYCAR series, Team Penske and the motorsports industry,” said Mark Miles, President & CEO of Penske Entertainment Corp.
Note to Editors
Re-refined base oil (RRBO)
The re-refined base oil (RRBO) used in Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil is created from used lubricants that undergo advanced re-refining processes, resulting in high-quality base oil that can be used as a component to formulate new lubricant products. Generally, when oil has reached the end of its ‘useful’ life and has been drained from a vehicle or equipment, rerefining can remove depleted additives and contaminants that accumulate in motor oil during use.
Official Motor Oil and Lubricant Sponsor of INDYCAR
Shell is the official fuel, motor oil and lubricant Sponsor of the NTT INDYCAR Series. In 2023, Shell began producing a new race fuel for the series that consists of a blend of secondgeneration ethanol derived from sugarcane waste and other biofuels to create a fuel that is 100% comprised of feedstocks categorized as "renewable" under the applicable regulatory frameworks.
INDYCAR is the first United States-based motorsports series to power racing with 100% renewable race fuel4 that enables at least a 60% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil-based gasoline.5
About Shell Motorsports
Shell USA, Inc. is an affiliate of Shell plc, a global group of energy and petrochemical companies with operations in more than 70 countries. In the U.S., Shell operates in 50 states and employs around 12,100 people working to help tackle the challenges of the new energy future. The Shell downstream organization manages a portfolio of top-quality brands, including Shell V-Power NiTRO+ Premium Gasoline, Shell Nitrogen Enriched Gasolines, and Pennzoil® . Shell’s motorsports technical alliances around the world provide a testing ground for fuel and lubricant technologies and products in demanding road conditions. Shell and Pennzoil gain knowledge through these alliances to help address the mobility energy challenge with efficient solutions that power and protect motorists around the globe.
http://www.shell.com, http://www.shell.us, http://www.pennzoil.com
About Pennzoil:
Innovating since 1913, Pennzoil is passionate about driving the future and relentlessly works to help transform the motor oil category. Pennzoil Platinum® helps extend engine life and protects for up to 15 years or 500,000 miles, whichever comes first, guaranteed.*
For more information about the full line of Pennzoil lubricating products, motor oils and filters, please visit www.pennzoil.com.
*Enrollment required. Keep your receipts. Other conditions apply. See pennzoil.com/warranty for full details.
About Team Penske
Team Penske is one of the most successful teams in the history of professional sports. Cars owned and prepared by Team Penske have produced more than 620 major race wins, over 680 pole positions and 44 championships across open-wheel, stock car and sports car racing competition. Over the course of its 58-year history, Team Penske has also earned 19 Indianapolis 500 victories, three Daytona 500 Championships, a Formula 1 win, victories in the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring, along with a win in Australia’s legendary Bathurst 1000 race. In 2024, Team Penske will compete in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, NASCAR Cup Series, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the FIA World Endurance Championship. For more information about Team Penske, please visit www.teampenske.com.
About the NTT INDYCAR SERIES
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES is North America’s premier open-wheel auto racing series. It features an international field of the world's most versatile drivers – including two-time and reigning series champion Alex Palou, two-time series champion Will Power, six-time series champion Scott Dixon and two-time series champion and reigning Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden – who compete on superspeedways, short ovals, street circuits and permanent road courses. The 2024 season consists of 17 races in the United States and Canada and is highlighted by the historic Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES, INDYCAR, INDY NXT by Firestone, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IMS Productions are owned by Penske Corporation, a global transportation, automotive and motorsports leader. For more information on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, please visit www.indycar.com.
About Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the world's largest spectator sporting facility, has been the worldwide leader in motorsports entertainment since opening in 1909. IMS will host the 108th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge – the world’s most prestigious auto race – on Sunday, May 26, 2024. That race is the climax of an exciting Month of May schedule for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES that also includes the Sonsio Grand Prix on Saturday, May 11 on the IMS road course. NASCAR returns to the famous 2.5-mile oval during Brickyard Weekend on July 19-21, featuring the Brickyard 400 presented by PPG for the NASCAR Cup Series and Pennzoil 250 presented by Advance Auto Parts for the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship also returns to IMS on Sept. 20-22 for the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks. Other events in 2024 at IMS will feature the NOS Energy Drink USAC National Midget Series, Intercontinental GT Challenge Powered by Pirelli and Sportscar Vintage Racing Association. IMS, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and IMS Productions are owned by Penske Corporation, a global transportation, automotive and motorsports leader. To purchase tickets or for more information, please visit ims.com.
Media Inquiries:
Blair Hefty, Coyne Public Relations bhefty@coynepr.com, +1 (973) 588-2000
Shell Media Relations +1 (832) 337-4355
Speaker 1 (00:00:05:02) – (00:00:23:00)
Shell, like the NTT INDYCAR series and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, has always been at the forefront of innovation and technology. In 2023, Shell helped the INDYCAR series become the first US-based motorsports series to run on 100% renewable race fuel.
Speaker 2 (00:00:23:02) – (00:00:34:13)
Penske Corporation is a global industry leader like Shell, and we're focusing on sustainability and decarbonization with the ultimate goal of zero carbon emissions.
Speaker 1 (00:00:34:15) – (00:00:48:22)
In 2024, we continue to race for the future. Shell scientists and engineers continue to work hand in hand in reducing the carbon footprint of the INDYCAR series, with the first refined base oil used in the series.
Speaker 3 (00:00:49:00) – (00:00:59:11)
Re-refined base oil is used motor oil that undergoes a technologically advanced re-refining process to remove contaminants and produce a high quality base oil.
Speaker 1 (00:00:59:13) – (00:01:09:16)
The re-refined base oil component on its own reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 50%, compared to the base oil used in the 2023 NTT INDYCAR series.
Speaker 3 (00:01:09:22) – (00:01:38:21)
We then combine this RRBO with our premium additives to create high performance racing oils that deliver a 15% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to the oils that were used in 2023. Throughout this process, Shell scientists work together with Honda and Chevrolet engineers to ensure that these oils meet the demanding needs of current INDYCAR engines, as well as the new hybrid engines that will be introduced in 2024.
Speaker 1 (00:01:38:23) – (00:01:51:19)
40 years ago, Rick Mears scored his second Indianapolis 500 win and first in the Pennzoil Yellow Submarine. Innovation and technology in the sport has undergone vast changes in that time.
Speaker 4 (00:01:51:21) – (00:02:09:02)
To now see that partnership between our team for 40 years with Pennzoil at Team Penske is fantastic. The Shell renewable race fuel was an amazing innovation to the IndyCar series, and now Pennzoil brings their own, the Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil. I'm so excited to get on track with it and the innovation that brings.
Speaker 5 (00:02:09:04) – (00:02:09:02)
I love that we've been able to partner with Shell, and I think everybody in the series now is going to be a part of that mission and take a ton of pride in it.
Speaker 6 (00:02:16:05) – (00:02:22:22)
It's always important for us to not only help to save the world, but also have the best performance now, so we are ready.
Speaker 1 (00:02:23:00) – (00:02:39:09)
The energy transition is exactly that: a transition to a better future. Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil is the latest example of how pushing boundaries on the racetrack can benefit the products available to customers around the world and into the future.
Speaker 2 (00:02:39:11) – (00:02:50:14)
I want to thank Shell for our partnership. We will continue our collaboration to reach our common goals together. Decarbonization and sustainability as we move into the future.
1 For the purpose of claims related to Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil, references to "less/reduced greenhouse gas emissions" or "reduced carbon footprint" are limited to "Cradle-to-Gate" emissions attributed to this Pennzoil product compared to the Pennzoil products formulated for the 2023 NTT INDYCAR Series. "Cradle-to-Gate" means the life cycle stages of a product from raw materials through the production process. For the avoidance of doubt, "Cradle-to-Gate" excludes emissions associated with distribution, a customer's use and end-of-life of the Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil. Biogenic credit has been applied to "Cradle-to-Gate" estimation, meaning the CO2 that has been removed from the atmosphere during the growth phase of biomaterial in the product has been accounted for as a credit. Biogenic CO2 removals can be due to actual and mass balanced attributed content, meaning that part of the biogenic content can be assigned via an accounting approach, rather than be physically present. "Cradle-to-Gate" emissions may be subject to change as a result of changes in the product specifications, changes in emission factors, or otherwise.
2 Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil is a high-performance motor oil for use in racing engines, containing Pennzoil 0W formulations specifically engineered for the 2024 NTT INDYCAR series. The "plus" (+) symbol in Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil denotes the inclusion of re-refined base oil in the formulation. For the avoidance of doubt, Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil is not formulated for use in consumer vehicles.
3 For the purpose of claims related to the re-refined base oil component used in the formulation of Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil™, references to "reduced greenhouse gas emissions" refer to "Cradle-to-Refinery Gate" emissions of the re-refined base oil component only attributed to this Pennzoil product. "Cradle-to-Refinery-Gate" includes raw materials and production of the base oil only and for the avoidance of doubt, this excludes emissions associated with other raw materials, production, distribution, a customer's use and end- of- life of the Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil™. The carbon intensity associated with re-refined base oil is calculated based on primary activity data from the producer following industry best practice guidance, including API Technical Report 1533 (Lubricants Life Cycle Assessment and Carbon Footprinting—Methodology and Best Practice). This Technical Report , published by the American Petroleum Institute, defines terminology and identifies and captures industry practices. "Cradle-to-Refinery Gate" emissions may be subject to change as a result of changes in the product specifications, changes in emission factors, or otherwise.
4 Based on blend components contained, the race fuel meets the definition of renewable fuel in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).
5 Reduction in lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions relative to 2005 baseline average gasoline as defined in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Estimations for Shell Fuel based on CA-GREET model values provided by supplier and published fuel pathways in the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS).