Why you should care about the 2010 American Solar Challenge.
Why you ask? Because UM is participating once again. Also, they're really really good, and happen to be the defending National Champions. Although the race officially begins on Sunday, qualifying is going on now and Michigan is currently in the lead for the top pole position. Follow along here, www.umsolar.com, and be sure to show some support because they're awesome. Also this: 
Also this:
In everything.
The Solar Car may not have the national attention that out sports teams do, but it is still Michigan. It is a test bed for our future engineers and managers to gauge their skills, before we wend them out to solve problems.
I am as proud of the Solar Car as I am of any other Michigan endeavor.
Go Blue Solar!
Our convoy's got wings.
Really? ONE solared power car surrounded by FOUR "gas guzzlers?" Irony...
But seriously, without the support convoy, there would be no race. Lead, chase, scout, and weather vehicles are a component of every competitive team. And the semi serves as a 'workspace on wheels' for performing nightly maintenence on the car.
Whoa, I've had non-solar cars that couldn't go this fast: UM solar car tops out at 105 mph. Good luck and Go Blue!
I've had cars where the speedometer doesn't go that high!
(100 MPH speedo in Jeep Wranglers... I've had two, the first one was scary at 75, the second scary at 80)
I had no Idea Scotty was a Michigan grad!
...the Solar Car Team isn't aware of the Curse of the LiveBlog. Here's their CiL for today's event. Scintillating stuff.
Here's a good article from the University Record covering team happenings.
The (solar car) team's 10th-generation vehicle, Infinium, was unveiled in June of last year ...
Personally, I'd like to see the 11th-generation named Dilithium.
Thanks for the links!
might be toooo fast then though. We gotta give the others guys a chance, right? ;)
...Denard wanted to come to Michigan. He knew the engineering dept. could turn his dreads into photovoltaic speed-enhancing secret weapons!
National champions? This should be included as part of the Director's Cup.
Cause my friend spent all of last semester in Australia racing it! YEAAA!!!
I stop and see the '93 car every time I stop in the Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago)! It makes me so proud to be Maize, Blue, & Geek.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1993_"Maize_%26_Blue"_University_of_Michigan_Solar_Car
UM has clinched pole position. Nice way to kick things off!
The company I work for is a sponsor of the solar car team. Last year, we hosted a weekend conference for about 100 folks. One of the highlights was a presentation by members of the solar car team at our opening night dinner. They were outstanding! Very professional, knowledgeable, and interesting. If you have the opportunity to see one of their presentations, I highly recommend it. I'm proud my company sends 'em some bucks.
GO BLUE!
I never get tired of that photo of the MSU Solar Car, although it's a little unfair to compare it to the Infinium, since it represents U of M's fourth generation solar car. So let's compare it to U of M's first generation solar car from 1990, Sunrunner. 
Still not feeling any pressure....