The country elected its first "green president" and now it may be a step closer to its first green NASCAR.

Perhaps taking a page from President-elect Barack Obama's playbook of greening the nation's auto fleet, NASCAR and Homestead-Miami Speedway announced their plan to debut the first hybrid pace car this weekend at the Ford 400.

With this, NASCAR fans have been sent a message: Hybrid cars are no longer exclusive to tree huggers and environmentalists; it's cool to go green in the off-track sense.

But like Kermit the Frog said, "It's not easy being green."

Changing mind-sets and educating the public takes time. Costly advertising campaigns and effective leadership is required to persuade the NASCAR stronghold that driving a plug-in car is better or at least more socially responsible than a sport utility vehicle that averages 18 miles per gallon.

It's a message NASCAR executives are seemingly taking more seriously these days, having created a post for Mike Lynch, who was hired last month to head the sport's new industry-wide green initiative (read more).

2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid pace car

"Ford's hybrid pace car and EP SmartWay vehicle display at Homestead-Miami Speedway is one of many ways the industry is promoting to fans fuel-efficiency messages," said Lynch, the managing director for NASCAR Green Innovation. "This is a small, but noteworthy example of the kind of green collaboration fans will continue to see: manufacturers, tracks and NASCAR working together to raise awareness of conservation."

Is it as ambitious as Obama's goal to put a million plug-in cars on the road by 2015 including the White House fleet within a year of taking office? No, but it is a clear step in the right direction to reducing the sport's carbon footprint.

And the more prominent message this weekend for fans in Miami will be watching the first-ever hybrid car pace the season-ending Sprint Cup race. The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid will be available to consumers in the spring of 2009.

"The message really is that hybrids are becoming more main stream as opposed to fringe," said Gil Portalatin, Ford's hybrid applications manager. "It's not just your green segment of buyers anymore. It's for anyone and everyone looking for an everyday car."

By Portalatin's explanation, the Ford hybrid has all the same creature comforts of a typical car plus more. It reaches speeds up to 116 mph, but touts the best fuel efficiency in its class.

"Under the right conditions, you can drive in your neighborhood or mall parking lots without using a drop of gasoline," Portalatin added.

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For Ford to come out with a hybrid version of the Fusion ... I just hope that I can be on the pole, so I can be running up right behind it at the start of the race.

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CARL EDWARDS

Navigating through all the commercial car jargon and getting down to the cool points of the car, Portalatin pointed out that the Ford hybrid coaches you to drive more fuel efficient through what seems to be fantastic green foliage on the car's dashboard.

Better known as the SmartGauge with Eco Guide, it's a feature on a small LCD screen that provides real-time information guiding you to drive in a way that maximizes your fuel mileage.

The better you drive the more "efficiency leaves" bloom on your dashboard; drive aggressively and it's like fall foliage in Indiana -- you lose your "efficiency leaves."

Also, the seat fabric inside the car is made of 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastics, the tires are lower rolling resistance that improve fuel economy and even the wheels are more aerodynamic.

"I spent a lot of time in the wind tunnel," Portalatin said. "The wheels operate like a flat disc so air just rushes right by them instead of adding turbulence which slows the vehicle down."

Ford driver Carl Edwards is in favor of the car leading the drivers to the green flag Sunday.

"For Ford to come out with a hybrid version of the Fusion, that's best-in-class in terms of fuel economy, is really cool," Edwards said. "I just hope that I can be on the pole, so I can be running up right behind it at the start of the race."

That's a nice sound bite Carl, but what about putting your money where your mouth is.

Will the sport appoint a poster child for a greener NASCAR in the coming years? No one in the garage strikes me as the Birkenstock type who is keen on carrying a recyclable tote bag to the market for locally grown greens.

But there is Stanton Barrett, NASCAR's single-car team owner competing in the Nationwide Ford 300 this weekend.

Barrett says his family, hailing from California, is eco-friendly and conservation-minded. Stanton's uncle owns a company, Planet Green Unlimited, that produces energy-saving products in the home that ultimately saves money on power bills.

In an effort to promote a greener planet, Barrett will run his uncle's logos on the hood of his No. 30 Chevrolet during the race.

"I never thought we would see a day where NASCAR, who loves their V8 engines and super-charged power, [would] approve a hybrid car as its pace car. But, in today's economy, race fans are always looking for ways to save money," Barrett said. "And the whole world is becoming more knowledgeable on ways to make the planet greener."

Even NASCAR

Racetracks are planting more trees outside their facilities while inside crews are pushing fans to recycle their trash. NASCAR and the Environmental Protection Agency, once thought to be foes, are becoming the best of partners.

The sports newly constructed Hall of Fame is set to be a green building certified with energy management systems and low emitting building materials as is the International Speedway Corp.'s new office building in Daytona Beach, Fla.

Recycled Goodyear tires find a second life on new road and highways as well as ground coverage for playgrounds.

Examples in and around the sport abound, so it was only a matter of time before fans saw a plug-in car pace one of their favorite races. However, only time will tell if they chose to actually drive said plug-in cars themselves.

I vote Edwards trade in his motorcycle for a Fusion Hybrid and set the example!

The opinions expressed are solely of the writer.