By James Walls
Editor-in-Chief
The Solar Bike and Go-Kart Race took place on March 20 at the Neosho campus, where seven challengers competed in two different races to see whose sun-powered vehicle would prove victorious.
James Walls | Editor-in-Chief
Chris Catron, president of Solar Green, and Philip Wilson (on bike) test their solar vehicles on Sept. 4, 2013.
The competition consisted of a 1/8 mile drag race to see whose vehicle was the fastest, as well as an endurance race that tested their vehicles to a complete state of discharge in order to see whose could last the longest. The race, which began around 1 p.m. and lasted past sunset, allowed for their battery packs to fully empty before finishing.
The challengers
Jeremy Baldwin
Chris Catron
Chris Eckley
Saul Ibbara
Whistler Rho
Alex Senal
Philip Wilson
The results
Coming in first for the drag race was Chris Catron, MARET Center technician and president of Crowder College’s Solar Green Club.
“It was pretty wild to be on a rickety three-wheeled machine that you built as light as possible, engineered it to where it’s almost going to break, and then to put it into full-throttle mode immediately,” said Catron. “It’s pretty exhilarating, because there is a risk factor there.”
James Walls | Editor-in-Chief
Chris Catron, president of Solar Green, and Philip Wilson, solar energy major, work on a solar go-kart on Sept. 6, 2013 at the old solar lab on the Neosho campus.
With the endurance race, Chris Eckley, a psychology major, outlasted the competition as he went 25 miles during the challenge. Having had trouble with his vehicle during the first half of the Solar Race, which kept him from competing in the drag race portion, he managed to come out on top in the second half.
“I took 50 laps on a half mile course, so that was 25 miles without any interruptions. If my tires wouldn’t have went flat again a second time … I probably would have went further,” said Eckley, speaking of his experience in the race.
Further plans for Solar Green
According to Catron, there are hopes for another Solar Race next year, but that will depend on students’ interest in the club. Many of the current members are planned to graduate this semester, and thus new members will need to join and take their place. However, students do not need to be part of the solar energy program, or even a full-time student, to join.
“Anybody that wants to be in the club, all they have to do is have one credit hour,” said Catron. “As long as you’re enrolled in any course at Crowder then you can be in the club.”
For more about the Solar Bike and Go-Kart Race, see the video at fourstateshomepage.com, or see the article “Solar buff plans new semester for club.”
Also, to see a demonstration of one of the solar bikes in motion, watch the video by Nathan Stillions, a previous Solar Green member.
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