CHICAGO, Ill. — New Holland has been named the official agricultural equipment of the National Assoc. for Stock Car Auto Racing, or NASCAR.

The company, based in New Holland, Pa., joins the National Corn Growers Assoc. (NCGA) and Growth Energy, an ethanol advocacy organization, as agriculture-related official sponsors for NASCAR. The announcement was made last month in Chicago, where NASCAR races were run at the Sprint Cup and Nationwide levels.

The partnership gives NASCAR the chance to show appreciation to farmers and the companies that support the agriculture industry, said Mike Lynch, the managing director of green innovation for NASCAR.

“It allows us to provide a way to recognize the contributions of the American farmer and the folks who enable those farmers to do their jobs,” he explained. “There are companies such as New Holland in the industry that provide technology and solutions to (help farmers) be productive, especially in a drought year. The American farmer is more productive every year as a result of companies like this.”

NASCAR is in its second season of using E15 in its three national series. E15 is a 15 percent ethanol blend fuel made with corn grown in the United States. The Sunoco Green blend is a low-carbon fuel that emits 20 percent fewer greenhouse emissions than unleaded gasoline, according to NASCAR.

In December 2010, NASCAR, along with NCGA and Growth Energy, created an American Ethanol partnership.

“The New Holland announcement relates to the breadth of the American Ethanol platform,” Lynch noted. “The American Ethanol brand was created to represent ethanol that’s American-grown and American-made.”

New Holland, founded in 1903, has more than 3,000 dealers who serve customers in 160 countries worldwide.

“We are proud of our newly expanded alliance with NASCAR and the role our equipment plays in helping power the sport,” Abe Hughes, vice president of New Holland, North America, said in a statement.

“We are the agricultural industry’s Clean Energy Leader, and are looking forward to further enhancing our 30-year relationship with a sport that is pushing the bar on clean and efficient fuel that is not only helping to restore America’s energy independence, but also serves to strengthen American farmers and the rural economy. New Holland stands 100 percent behind this impact.”

New Holland manufactures a wide range of equipment essential for the crop production and harvesting of corn used to produce ethanol, NASCAR said.

“NASCAR welcomes New Holland, a company rich in tradition and innovation, as our newest official sponsor,” Jim O’Connell, NASCAR chief sales officer, also said in a statement. “The use of New Holland’s equipment will positively impact hard-working family farmers (growing) the corn that will be used to produce ethanol.”

During this season and last, cars have driven more than three million miles in NASCAR’s three national series using E15. The transition has been seamless, with higher performance and no compromise, Lynch said.

The decision to add New Holland to NASCAR’s list of sponsors came after years of building a relationship with the company, Lynch said, adding it’s possible other agriculture-related companies could become partners in the future.