6-23-99

Contacts:
Allen Ihlefeld, Team PrISUm, (515) 231-0363
Skip Derra, News Service, (515) 294-4917


MIX OF SUN AND CLOUDS MARK DAY 4 OF SUNRAYCE 99

AMES, Iowa -- After four days of racing the Iowa State University solar car is in fifth place.

Bright morning sunshine greeted the Iowa State solar car team members in Charlotte, N.C., as they set off June 23 for the fourth day of Sunrayce 99. But the clouds were soon back, making the day another endurance test for participants of Sunrayce 99.

Iowa State's PrISUm Phoenix was the 10th team to complete the 150-mile race route, doing so in 6 hours, 25 minutes and 2 seconds (6:25:02) for an average speed of 23.29 mph.

The first team to complete today's leg (Charlotte, N.C., to Clemson, S.C.) of Sunrayce 99 was Messiah College, which finished the course in 5:09:20, for an average speed of 28.99 mph. The next three finishers were Kansas State University, which finished in 5:33:47 (26.87 mph); University of Missouri-Rolla, in 5:34:36 (26.80 mph); and Queen's University in 5:40:45 (26.32 mph).

Iowa State began the day in 4th place overall.

"We had some good sunshine until 11 a.m. or noon. Then the clouds rolled in so we decided to slow down and conserve energy," said Team PrISUm Strategy Leader Jeff Lanning. "But later in the day, the sun came back out and we decided to make a run for the finish line to recharge our batteries."

Tomorrow's 134-mile leg of Sunrayce will be from Clemson, S.C., to Atlanta. Friday will be a rest day for all solar car teams. The race will resume on Saturday, June 26.

Sunrayce 99 coincides with the week of the summer solstice. The 1,424-mile race began June 20 in Washington, D.C., and ends June 29 in Orlando, Fla.

Sunrayce is an ongoing educational program that culminates in a biennial cross-country race of solar-powered cars. The program is open to colleges, universities, trade schools and other post-secondary educational institutions.

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Editors:
The ISU News Service will provide daily updates on Team PrISUm to reporters covering the race. Contact Skip Derra, (515) 294-4917 or (515) 255-3422 (home). Updates can also be accessed on Today's News.

Official race standings and times | ISU Team PrISUm Web site

Iowa State homepage

University Relations, online@iastate.edu
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URL: http://www.public.iastate.edu/~nscentral/releases/day4.html
Revised 6/23/99