Changes in the Fast Lane

May 25, 2007 -- This weekend more than 400,000 fans will travel to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to watch one of the most recognized car races in the world, the Indianapolis 500.

Although the high speeds and tight turns always delight viewers, die hard fans of the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing" might notice something different this year.

This is the first race in which every car will run on ethanol fuel.

"Indy has gone green," ESPN producer Alexa Pozniak told ABC News Now. "This could definitely set a precedent for racing in general and hopefully for the rest of us in our cars. And ethanol, as you probably know, is made from corn so farmers are actually helping fuel the race cars."

But don't worry, the new type of fuel won't harm the quality of the race.

"If anything, it actually helps the cars go a little bit faster, believe it or not. It obviously helps the environment. There really are no downsides that we know of just yet," Pozniak said.

But ethanol fuel isn't the only new feature at the speedway this year.

This is the first time that three women will compete in the same race. Fan favorite Danica Patrick, the only woman to ever hold a lead in an Indianapolis 500, will be joined this weekend by racing veteran Sarah Fisher and rookie Milka Duno.

"Women have arrived in racing," Pozniak said.

The fans may be focused on this monumental feat, but the three female drivers are choosing to concentrate on their skills rather than rewriting history.

"They are race drivers first, women second," said Pozniak.

Patrick said she hasn't given much thought to the subject.

"Right now I'm a driver and we're out to beat everybody and the only people I really talk to or think about are my teammates," she told ABC News Now from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "From the outside looking in, for young kids out there or parents with children or just anybody who wants to break the mold a little bit, I think it's a nice way to show them that it's happening and it's becoming more of the norm these days."