By DOUG SCHMITZ
Iowa Correspondent

NEWTON, Iowa — The father-and-sons team of The Learning Channel’s hit reality series American Chopper last week debuted the nation’s first E85-fueled chopper – dubbed the Iowa Farm Bureau Renewable Energy Chopper – prior to the Iowa Corn Indy 250 at the Iowa Speedway.

Taking the new chopper for a spin around the track before the historic race Orange County Choppers star Paul Teutul, Sr., along with his sons, Paul Jr. and Mikey, unveiled the E85 chopper that uniquely put a national spotlight on the biofuels industry in Iowa, which leads the U.S. in ethanol and biodiesel production.

“We had no idea Iowa had so many cutting-edge renewable energy efforts underway until we came to the state for inspiration in the design of the E85 chopper,” said Paul Jr. of the popular show which features a different ‘theme’ chopper every week. “It was really amazing to see a wind turbine up close and learn that a single wind farm could power more than 5,000 homes.

“It was cool to learn that cattle were necessary for renewable energy; something we found out when we climbed a DDG pile,” he added. “They are literally using every component of agriculture they can to move us away from foreign oil.”

As part of an Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF)-led movement called “Join the Ride Iowa,” the new chopper was created to encourage the development and use of renewable energy.

“The Iowa Farm Bureau partnered with OCC on this project because Iowa is the epicenter of renewable energy activity through our leadership role in ethanol, soy biodiesel, wind, and livestock production,” said Craig Lang, IFBF president. “More than any other state, Iowa understands agriculture and we knew if anyone could showcase that, it would be the Teutuls.

“American consumers want to reduce our reliance on imported petroleum – and we can – by supporting agriculture,” he added. “We can become energy independent while protecting our environment through the use of agricultural resources and by being educated about the benefits of using clean energy like E85, wind and soy biodiesel.”

According to Laurie Groves, IFBF public relations manager, the Teutuls visited the state earlier this year and know the renewable energy industry was born in Iowa.

“The Orange County Chopper boys were in Iowa to learn all they could about that industry,” she said. “Paul Junior, Mikey and the crew toured a wind farm in Jefferson, an ethanol plant in Nevada and a cattle ranch nearby for inspiration and education.

“Junior, a guy who does his homework, already knew Iowa leads the nation in corn and soybean production, hog production, ethanol and soybiodiesel production and wind energy,” she added. “But seeing it up close, they kept uttering phrases like, ‘cool,’ ‘no kidding’ and ‘that’s amazing.’”

The OC custom-built chopper includes innovative design features such as: Spinners in the wheels that run to scale of a genuine wind turbine; the front fenders feature 3-D sculpted corn and rear fenders soybeans: corn and soybeans are used to make ethanol and soy biodiesel.

In addition, the engine runs on E85. Filling up a 32-gallon tank with E85 replaces one barrel of foreign oil with an Iowa-grown renewable fuel. The custom cowhide leather seat includes artistic renderings of livestock.

As part of the IFBF’s promotional series, Iowa Corn Indy 250 attendees had an opportunity to win the new chopper by purchasing $10 raffle tickets as it enters the Join the Ride Iowa tour across Iowa this summer from June 24 to Aug. 19.

Gross proceeds from the Join the Ride Iowa raffle will go to the American Lung Assoc. of Iowa in support of the organization’s Clean Air Choice program, which promotes consumer education of E85, biodiesel and other clean energy initiatives.

The Iowa Corn Indy 250 marked the first year the IndyCar Series race cars are running on 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol.

For more information on the E85 chopper and the upcoming tour schedule, visit www.jointherideiowa.com