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Earlier this month, the Fourth Annual Green Grand Prix took place in Watkins Glen in upstate New York. The winner of the MPG competition was the biodiesel-powered Harley-Davidson owned and ridden by Bill Bolch (above) that earned 89 MPG. The Doris Bovee Memorial SCCA road rally included 46 participants using ten fuel types (including natural gas, hydrogen fuel cells, and gas-electric hybrids). Chip Beam's green car circuit favorite - the wood-burning SUV we also met at EcoFest in 2006 - made an appearance, as did a 1914 Woods Electric and Marcelo daLuz's "X of 1" solar racer (see a pic of the two side by side here). Organizers had an eye to the future, too: preschoolers were allowed to drive electric "Kid-Racers." If the images from 2008 in the gallery below aren't enough, check out some 2007 Green Grand Prix photos.

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The fourth annual Green Grand Prix takes place next weekend in Watkins Glen in upstate New York. AutoblogGreen received a few photos taken at the 2007 Green Grand Prix that we'd like to share. Looks like some of our old friends were a the race last year, along with some vehicles we'd like to learn more about. Each photo in our gallery below has a caption that describes what you see in the image, but let's just point out that we have here a wood-powered Isuzu Trooper, a 1933 Ford pickup that burns propane and a flex-fuel Ford Escape hybrid. There's also a nice shot of our friend Jory Squibb's Moonbeam. The Green Grand Prix is the only official SCCA Time-Speed-Distance Road Rally for alternate fueled vehicles and hybrids in the United States and takes place on May 3. There's more information in our original post on the race.


[Source: Ericho Communications]

One of the 2007 Green Grand Prix entries.

The fact that the Green Grand Prix makes an appearance on our list should not come as a shocker. Where else are you gonna see pod-racers (like in the picture above) racing alongside vehicles running on biodiesel, electrons, LP, CNG, hybrids, flex-fuel vehicles, hydrogen fuel cell cars, a wood-powered SUV and a vegetable oil-powered car? Nowhere, as far as we know, which means we wish we could be in upstate New York on May 3rd.

Finally, Number 1.

One of the 2007 Green Grand Prix entries.

Here's a race we'd like to watch. The fourth annual Green Grand Prix is coming to Watkins Glen in upstate New York in a week and a half (May 3rd). While there are some podracer-like entries (e.g., the photo above), the bulk of the vehicles are standard-looking but powered by an alternative fuel source: we're talking biodiesel, pure EVs, LP, CNG, hybrids, flex-fuel vehicles, hydrogen fuel cell cars, a wood-powered SUV and a vegetable oil-powered car. The Green Grand Prix is also the only official SCCA Time-Speed-Distance Road Rally for alternate fueled vehicles and hybrids in the United States.

The road rally takes place over 60 miles (at legal highway speeds) and was created by Bob Gillespie. A fan of hybrids, Gillespie said in a statement he just wanted to "give people a first hand look at alternative personal transportation. This year's event will be even bigger than the last, as more and more people realize the multiple benefits of green power." The race portion will take place at the Racing Research Center. There will also be a presentation from the Cornell University X-Prize Team. Learn more about the Green Grand Prix here and read the release after the jump.

Once upon a time before Formula One was fueled by mega-dollars, the U.S. Grand Prix was held at the Watkins Glen circuit in the Finger Lakes region of New York State. The track was the site of legendary battles between the likes of Mario Andretti, Niki Lauda and James Hunt. Eventually, the beautiful people decided it wasn't worth going out to the rural race track when they could instead hang out in more cosmopolitan locations like Phoenix and Indianapolis. After the track laid fallow for a few years, it was eventually revived and is now thriving (relatively speaking) once again.

One of the new newest events at Watkins Glen is the Green Grand Prix which will be run for the third time on May 3, 2008. The event is the only Sports Car Club of America sanctioned time-speed-distance rally specifically for alternative fuel vehicles. The competitors run a 78-mile route around Seneca Lake and include all manner of hybrids and other alt-fueled machines entered by individuals, schools and manufacturers. You can register at the site if you're in the area and interested.

[Source: Green Grand Prix]