6-22-99

Contacts:
Allen Ihlefeld, Team PrISUm, (515) 231-0363
Skip Derra, News Service, (515) 294-4917


ISU SOLAR CAR IN FOURTH PLACE

AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State University's solar car finished the third day of racing (June 22) in fourth place. Overcast skies again slowed the field of solar cars in Sunrayce 99, including Iowa State's PrISUm Phoenix car.

The first half of the 180-mile, third day of Sunrayce 99 was marked by cloudy skies. Only about half of the competing teams took to the road in the morning. Then the clouds finally relented, and some afternoon sunshine filtered through allowing the teams that ventured out in the morning to cover as many miles as possible in an eight-hour race day.

Iowa State's PrISUm Phoenix completed 115 miles of the race course before running out of power. Team PrISUm members then decided to pull over and charge the car's batteries before trailering in to the overnight stop in Charlotte, N.C.

Three teams completed today's leg (Raleigh to Charlotte, N.C.) of Sunrayce 99 under their own power. Kansas State University made it in 7 hours, 21 minutes and 17 seconds (7:21:17) for an average speed of 24.57 mph; Queens University, did it in 7:23:00 (24.47 mph); and University of Missouri-Rolla completed the course in 7:39:19 (23.6 mph).

Iowa State began the day in 5th place overall. Official times and standings after three days of Sunrayce 99 can be obtained on the Sunrayce Web site.

"We began the day with very little battery power, but wanted to see how far we could go," said Team PrISUm Director Allen Ihlefeld. "We thought we might make 35 to 40 miles, but when we got to about 45 miles, the sun came out and we just kept going. We got 30 to 45 minutes of some really good sunshine."

Tomorrow's 150-mile leg of Sunrayce will be from Charlotte, N.C., to Clemson, S.C.

Sunrayce 99 coincides with the week of the summer solstice. The 1,424-mile race began June 20 in Washington, D.C., and ends June 29 in Orlando, Fla.

Sunrayce is an ongoing educational program that culminates in a biennial cross-country race of solar-powered cars. The program is open to colleges, universities, trade schools and other post-secondary educational institutions.

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Editors:
The ISU News Service will provide daily updates on Team PrISUm to reporters covering the race. Contact Skip Derra, (515) 294-4917 or (515) 255-3422 (home). Updates can also be accessed on Today's News.

Official race standings and times | ISU Team PrISUm Web site

Iowa State homepage

University Relations, online@iastate.edu
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URL: http://www.public.iastate.edu/~nscentral/releases/day3.html
Revised 6/23/99