AU Solar Car Team First in North American Solar Challenge Stock Class

At the end of the fourth day of the North American Solar Challenge, Auburn University's entry into the race, Sol of Auburn, was still in first place in the stock class ahead of Iowa State, Cal-Berkeley and Stanford. The car has traveled more than 1,000 miles on its way to Calgary, Canada. Six days remain in the 2,800 mile journey.

Cars in this year's race were entered as either open or stock class. Open-class cars utilize costly gallium arsenide solar cells, while stock cars use less-costly silicon-based cells.

The intercollegiate race, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, challenges students to design, build and race a full-sized solar-electric car in a cross-country event in order to gain practical, hands-on experience in making a fully functional car. There are about 20 cars remaining in the race which began on Sunday, July 17 in Austin,Texas.

Daily, first-person race updates from team members can be viewed at:

• Sol of Auburn Web site
• Auburn Solar Team to compete in world's longest solar car race
• AU Solar Car Team Video - The race begins: Austin, Texas, Sunday, July 17