Sunrayce 97 Update

Indianapolis, Ind., June 17, 1997-- Qualifying for Sunrayce 97 concluded today with 36 teams certified to compete in the event that begins on Thursday, June 19. Taking the pole position is George Washington University.

To qualify, each car must pass a battery of safety, electrical, mechanical, and handling/ performance tests that meet stringent safety, operational, and maneuverability requirements. If a car does not meet these standards, it is not permitted to run in the event.

Sunrayce 97 is a solar cross country staged race that runs from Indianapolis to Colorado Springs, Colorado. The 10-day event will cross through Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, and Colorado.

Sponsored by General Motors, EDS and the U.S. Department of Energy, Sunrayce is a multifaceted public/private partnership involving thousands of students as well as educational institutions, towns, cities, businesses and federal and local government. Since its inception in 1990, more than 6,000 students and over 175 colleges and universities have participated "hands-on" in Sunrayce events, whether in vehicle design and testing or in actual competition.

"By encouraging students to pursue technical careers, Sunrayce helps develop a future resource of scientists, engineers and other experts to lead the nation in technology development, industrial competitiveness and technical innovation," say Sunrayce organizers.

The 36 teams that qualified will officially kick off at 10 a.m. on June 19 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

SUNRAYCE TEAMS QUALIFIED

Auburn University
California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Los Angeles
Columbus State Community College
Drexel University
École de Technologie Supérieure
George Washington University
Iowa State University
Kansas State University
Mankato & Winona State Universities
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
McGill University
Messiah College
New Mexico Inst. of Mining & Technology
Ohio State University
Principia College
Purdue University
Queen's University
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
South Dakota School of Mines & Technology
Stanford University
Texas A&M University
The University of Western Ontario
United States Military Academy
University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign
University of Michigan
University of Minnesota
University of Missouri - Columbia
University of Missouri - Rolla
University of New Orleans
University of North Dakota
University of Pennsylvania
University of Waterloo
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Western Michigan University
Yale University

(See Sunrayce Website for the official race results for the day.)