By Debbie Robinson
news@joplinglobe.com
NEOSHO, Mo. — Cars rolled Sunday night and Monday afternoon into Neosho without having made one stop for gas during a trip all the way from Texas.
The 15 cars were competing in the 2008 American Solar Challenge, which pits cars built by university students in a 2,400 mile race with power supplied only by the sun.
Cindy Brown, public information officer for Crowder College, said the college was serving as a staging point for the race that started Sunday morning at Plano, Texas.
The race will end in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Crowder College has been developing solar cars and other cars powered by alternative fuel sources since 1984, but doesn’t have a car in this year’s race, Brown said.
The first solar-powered car to roll into Neosho was designed and built by students at the University of Michigan.
Kristine Cramer, 22, a fifth-year senior mechanical-engineering major, said weather and strategy helped her team to arrive in first place.
She attributed the car’s success to the solar cells and a “mock race” the team completed before the official race.
The 15-foot car was driven 1,500 miles in the practice race and allowed team members to make adjustments, she said.
Cramer also credited the help of alumni with the design.
“Our team was definitely prepared,” she said. “We looked at weather conditions before the race, and our engineers made adjustments.”
Brown said the teams are required not to exceed 65 mph. They travel on highways, but not interstates.
The cars are scheduled to leave beginning at 9 a.m. today from Neosho on U.S. 60 in 60-second intervals, she said.
Cramer said the experience of working on the solar car will enrich her college experience.
“I can walk into my classes now and know that I know more than my peers,” she said.
One car that was expected to participate in the race traveled to Neosho on a trailer.
A hydrogen-powered car built by students at the University of Missouri experienced wiring problems and will be headed back to Columbia today, said team member Jennifer Claybrooks.
Students began work on the car three years ago, she said.
The car is capable of speeds up to 70 mph.
No gas might be needed for the race, but the cars are not cheap.
The car’s estimated cost, Claybrooks said, is about $400,000, but was not the most expensive car in the race.
“I heard the Michigan car cost almost $2 million,” she said.
All of the teams have corporate sponsors, and the race overall is being sponsored by Toyota, Brown said.
Visitors to the college Monday toured the car sites and listened to students as they described their adventure and cars.
Brown said the college was thrilled to be a stop along the race.
“Crowder has always promoted solar power,” Brown said. “This lets people get involved, and they will leave knowing something about Neosho.”
Missouri entry
Another Missouri school, the Missouri University of Science and Technology at Rolla, is competing in the race with a solar-powered car. Team member John Clay said the students arrived in Neosho in fifth place.
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