08-19-94 Electric Car Wins Race

                          NEWS ADVISORY
            OHIO STATE STUDENTS WIN ELECTRIC CAR RACE

     A car designed and built by Ohio State University
engineering students won the Electricore Lightning Race Thursday
(8/18) night at Indianapolis Raceway Park.  The Ohio State entry,
which had a top lap speed approaching 85 miles per hour, led the
entire 15-lap race.  The University of Notre Dame finished
second, and Bowling Green State University finished third in the
nine-car race.  Ohio State had placed second to Notre Dame in the
qualifying race, and the two were in close contention throughout
the race, although Ohio State never relinquished the lead.

     Each team (eight university teams and one high school team)
fielded an entry whose chassis, tires, suspension and body were
identical.  The electric drives, battery packs and drive trains
were student-designed.  Individual schools selected and installed
their own motors and batteries.  The single-seat, open-wheel
electric cars resemble sleek Indy 500 cars, and race rules
require a professional race car driver.  Bryan Herta, an Indy
driver who is an Ohio State student, had been the Buckeye driver.
He was injured on the professional race circuit earlier this year
and was replaced in last night's race by Craig Taylor of Taylor
Engineering, the designers of the Ohio State transmission.  Herta
was at Indianapolis last night, along with about 10 of the 30
mechanical and electrical engineering students who have been
involved in the year-long project.

     Plans are now underway for a second racing season, to begin
next spring.

     For more information, contact Brian Gaft at (614) 374-9371.


[Submitted by: REIDV  (reidv@ccgate.ucomm.ohio-state.edu)
               
Mon, 22 Aug 1994 13:23:06 -0500 (EST)]
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