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View Full Version : What I have been up to all week..


elripster
05-18-2008, 10:14 PM
Well I started in New Jersey Sunday, went to New York, back to Jersey, then to Baltimore, and now am in DC. Whew what a road trip! Nothing like taking 16 prototype vehicles on a ride like this.

There's more info here...

http://www.youtube.com/Challengex08

Frank
YotaGirl
05-18-2008, 10:19 PM
Very cool. How did the vehicles do? The computer I'm on doesn't have any speakers, so I didn't get to watch the youtube vid.
elripster
05-18-2008, 10:27 PM
They vehilces have done remarkably well. We only lost one that had to ride the tow truck for part of the rally. Some had little glitches that worked themselves out, others, the students fixed in minutes and had 'em going again. I tell ya' we threw everything at them, NY city traffic, torrential rain, highway, surface streets, lots of hard driving.

Frank
Good Times
05-19-2008, 01:55 AM
awesome Frank!!!
Bob98SR5
05-21-2008, 08:56 PM
frank, that's pretty darn cool. must be great to be involve in something like that
elripster
05-21-2008, 10:33 PM
It is and very exhausting. I just got home. Now, if I can find SDSU's skit-night video submission, I'll post a link. It is down right hilarious. (not that I'm partial or anything)

Frank
slosurfer
05-22-2008, 09:00 AM
Frank, that's awesome! Are there any videos of the drag races?
elripster
05-22-2008, 09:37 AM
I don't think there are any complete videos. I have to be honest, while Mississippi State's car beat the production Equinox, they still arent' that fast. Now for experiemental student build cars, they rip.

Here are more videos.

http://www.youtube.com/Challengex08

And some pictures...

http://www.digitalrailroad.net/challengex/Default.aspx

We had the Sectetary of Energy annouce the first place team at the DOE facility in DC.

I'm excited about the EcoCAR challenge we are planning next. The Vue is WAY faster and better handling then the 'nox so it should make the autocross and drag racing portions of the events pretty exciting.

Frank
elripster
05-22-2008, 09:40 AM
http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/biodiesel-challenge-x-47052202
elripster
05-22-2008, 09:43 AM
One thing that was funny was the schools got together and created their own event where they pushed their cars on the drag strip to see who could cross 60' father. Oddly, and maybe because most of use use the metric system, or maybe just due to a strong competitive spirit, most teams were pushing past 60 meters.

My favorite quote of mine, *in a deep loud voice* "Gentlemen, unstart your engines..."

Frank