Emphasizing “the need to reduce the carbon footprint,” Champ Car veteran and Indy rookie Nelson Philippe will carry No. 00 on his green i drive HVM Racing Dallara-Honda during the month of May at Indianapolis.

“We’re raising awareness of the need to reduce our carbon footprint and 00 stands for zero emissions,” said Philippe, a winner at Surfers Paradise in Champ Cars who is making his IndyCar Series debut at Indianapolis. “I didn’t want to be tied to any number, so now I have no numbers.”

Philippe said his brother, Richard, won “a lot of races” with the number, “so hopefully it will be a good number for me, too.”

No car numbered 00 has won the Indy 500 or started from the pole. It makes three cars starting with 0, joining the 02 of Graham Rahal and 06 of Robert Doornbos, both driving for Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing.