AMES, Iowa -- Team PrISUm couldn't fix a few loose wires along the road to Broken Arrow, Okla., on Monday.
So Iowa State's student-built solar race car lost its lead in the stock class of the North American Solar Challenge. Auburn University's solar car started today's racing about 30 minutes ahead of Iowa State's Fusion car.
Even so, Fusion traveled 306.8 miles under overcast skies and drizzle in the morning and scattered clouds in the afternoon. The car averaged about 40 mph.
Ryan Pfeiffer -- a member of Team PrISUm and a senior from Council Bluffs who's studying mechanical engineering -- said he expects more from Fusion today. He said the electrical problems were fixed during the team's overnight stop near Tulsa.
Pfeiffer said the car should make the race's next checkpoint in Topeka, Kan., sometime today.
"We're pretty happy with the performance of the car," Pfeiffer said. "It's running well and we're making pretty good time."
The North American Solar Challenge is a 2,500-mile solar car race from Austin, Texas, to Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Iowa State was ninth through the Broken Arrow checkpoint, trailing Auburn and seven cars competing in the more powerful open class. Eleven of the race's 20 teams made it as far as the Broken Arrow checkpoint on Monday.
