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| Solar
Phantom News |
May 7, 2001 |
Sun Shines On Solar Phantom VI,
Wins Formula Sun Grand Prix By A Record 305 Miles
Showcasing a model of consistency that would be the envy of Indy
500 competitors, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology's Solar Phantom
VI solar-powered car had an impressive victory in the Formula Sun
Grand Prix in Topeka, Kan., winning the three-day engineering
competition by a record 305 miles.
The Solar Phantom made 116 laps around the 2.1-mile Heartland
Park Raceway on Friday's final 8 1/2 hour session, after collecting
120 laps on Thursday and 117 on Wednesday.
The 353-lap total (741 miles) far outdistanced second place
Mankato and Winona State Universities (Minn.), which finished with
208 laps (436 miles). North Dakota State University was third with
122 laps. Other teams in the race included the University of
Michigan, the University of Minnesota and Iowa State University.
Rose-Hulman, the defending Formula Sun champions, averaged 32.5
mph during the race, with a top recorded speed of 59.2 mph on one
stretch of the track.
This week's performance should give the Solar Phantom the No. 1
starting position for this summer's American Solar Challenge road
rally (July 15-25) from Chicago to Los Angeles along Route 66.
Dan Helms, a junior computer engineering major from Bloomfield,
Ind., drove the Solar Phantom across the finish line. Chris
Nicholson, a junior chemistry major from Anderson, Ind., and Don
Harrington, a junior electrical engineering and mechanical
engineering double major from Claremont, Calif., drove the car
earlier in the day.
The Solar Phantom didn't receive any special achievement awards,
while they should have received recognition in the sportsmanship
category. For the second year in a row, the team gave up its spare
motor to allow another team to continue in the race. This year, the
University of Minnesota needed a motor to compete the 125 miles
required to qualify for ASC. With Rose-Hulman's help, the Big Ten
school made the race. Twelve of the 13 competing teams successfully
qualified for the July event.
FINAL FORMULA SUN STANDINGS -- ROSE-HULMAN INSTITUTE OF
TECHNOLOGY, 353 laps, 741 miles (1 lap = 2.1 miles); Mankato/Winona
(Minn.), 208 laps, 436 miles; North Dakota State, 122; Univ. of
Missouri-Rolla, 102; Iowa State, 92; Univ. of Michigan, 92;
Missouri-Columbia, 85; Messiah College (Pa.), 80; Texas A&M, 77;
Univ. of North Dakota, 72; Univ. of Waterloo, 66; Univ. of
Minnesota, 63; Principia College (Ill.), 35.
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