Phoenix races on in North American Solar Challenge

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/solar_avery.jpg” caption=”McMaster University student Avery Yuen rests at the Weatherford College checkpoint in Weatherford, Texas during the second day of the North American Challenge, Monday, July 18. Photo credit: Stefano Paltera”]McMaster's Solar Car Team continues its race with the sun from Austin, Texas to Calgary, Alberta during day three of the 10-day North American Solar Challenge.
McMaster's solar car Phoenix was the 16th car to depart from the starting line on Sunday and was able to make up a spot to depart in 15th place on Monday. Teams currently are racing through Oklahoma and Kansas. The next scheduled checkpoint is Topeka, KS.
More than 30 teams from across Canada and the United States are competing to design, build and race the fastest solar-powered cars in North America in the 4,023-kilometre race. Competitors started off on U.S. Highway 75, and will end in Calgary on the Trans-Canada Highway.
Phoenix drove more than 165 km on Sunday before being forced to trailer the rest of the way to Weatherford in order to meet the 8:30 p.m. deadline for battery impound. After arriving in Weatherford at 8 p.m., there was a team meeting to discuss the important lessons learned from Phoenix's first day of racing, and to plan for Monday.
On Monday, Phoenix started in 15th position, having improved on the previous day's starting spot. Having already driven more than 125 km, Phoenix then trailered to Gainesville where the team ate dinner, after which they planned to drive to the day's stage stop, Broken Arrow.
When asked how things were proceeding, the team's business manager, Karleen Dudeck, replied, “the car is performing really well, and everyone here is in high spirits. It's fantastic to see so many Canadian teams here at the race, and teams from all over have been unbelievably friendly and helpful. We're just so happy to be taking part in such a great event and showing what a determined group of students is capable of achieving with the power of the sun.”
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For more details about Phoenix's current location, the race route, or NASC, visit www.americansolarchallenge.org.