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NEWS RELEASE

07-25-01

Contacts:
Nick Mohr, Team PrISUm, (515) 451-5630
Skip Derra, News Service, (515) 294-4917

ISU SOLAR CAR TEAM COMPLETES ASC RACE IN CALIFORNIA

AMES, Iowa -- AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State University's solar car team completed the last leg of the American Solar Challenge today, covering the 110-mile route from Barstow to Claremont, Calif., in about 2 hours and 40 minutes.

Team PrISUm, driving its Odyssey car, averaged around 40 mph during the final day of the race. The team began the day in 16th place overall.

The University of Michigan won the ASC, by completing the 2,300 mile-race course in 56 hours, 10 minutes and 46 seconds for an average speed of 40 mph. The University of Missouri-Rolla came in second (57:30:52) and the University of Waterloo finished third (62:00:18).

Final overall standings will be available later today at www.formulasun.org/asc, or by calling 909-869-4863.

"We're elated at finishing the ASC and doing so on such a positive note," said Nick Mohr, director of Team PrISUm. "We ended the race on a high note, covering nearly 1,000 miles in basically three and a half days. That is phenomenal.

"We knew this car could compete, and I think the team rose to the occasion and pulled together to keep the car on the road when we faced some technical challenges early in the race," Mohr added. The ISU car completed all but 200 miles of the 2,300-mile route under its own power.

Mohr said the team will take part in an ASC banquet tomorrow and remain in the Los Angeles area to participate in an Energy Technology Show at the San Bernardino County Fairgrounds this weekend. The team expects to be back in Ames on Aug. 1.

Thirty teams began the American Solar Challenge in Chicago, July 15. At 2,300 miles, it was the longest solar car race ever attempted. The race course followed portions of old Route 66.

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Editors:
For a downloadable picture of the ISU team as it crossed the ASC finish line, go to http://www.public.iastate.edu/~ur/ns/photos/01/prisum/downloads.html.

Updates of ISU's team as it competed in the ASC can be obtained at www.iastate.edu or www.prisum.iastate.edu.

To download pictures of the ISU solar car team and car during the ASC, go to http://www.public.iastate.edu/~ur/ns/photos/01/prisum/downloads.html.

Final race standings will be posted at www.formulasun.org/asc.