Formula Sun Grand Prix

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Formula Sun Grand Prix
FSGP Color Logo 250x165.png
Formula Sun Grand Prix
Venue Racetracks
Location Varies
Corporate sponsor Innovators Educational Foundation
First race 2000
Last race 2015
Laps Most laps wins
Duration 3 days
Most wins (team) University of Minnesota

The Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP) is an annual solar-car race that takes place on closed-loop race tracks. In the race, teams from colleges and universities throughout North America design, build, test, and race solar-powered vehicles.

Every two years the race serves as a qualifier for the American Solar Challenge road race.[1]

FSGP 2015 took place between July 29 and 31 at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.


Format and organization

Rules

  • The race consists of three days of freely driving laps around the race track.
  • The team with the most total laps driven wins.
  • The total area of all solar cells and related reflectors, etc., must not exceed six-square meters.
  • The solar array may be reoriented toward the sun for charging batteries for specified time periods before and after race hours.
  • Strict specifications and engineering scrutiny process is provided for vehicle configuration, safety requirements, and other standards.
  • Previous races have divided teams into "open" and "stock" classes based on levels of solar cell and battery technologies.

History

Formula Sun Grand Prix is governed by the Innovators Educational Foundation,[2] and was started in summer 2000 at Heartland Park race track in Topeka, Kansas, in conjunction with a solar-bike race.

It has served as a qualifying race for the biennial American Solar Challenge road race.

The race was held there every year through 2005 until the 2007 American Solar Challenge was canceled due to funding issues. It resumed in 2009 and has been held every year since then at a few different venues.

2000

The inaugural race was held at Heartland Park Topeka race track in Topeka, Kansas. It was won by Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology's Solar Phantom V.[3] The stock class was won by the University of Missouri-Rolla's Solar Miner II.


2001

FSGP 2001 served as a qualifier for the 2001 American Solar Challenge and was the only year when multiple events were held.


2002

FSGP 2002 was held at Heartland Park Topeka and was won by the University of Missouri-Rolla's Solar Miner III,[6] while the stock class was won by Kansas State University.


2003

FSGP 2003 was held at Heartland Park Topeka and served as a qualifier for the 2003 American Solar Challenge. It was won by the University of Minnesota's Borealis II,[7] while Kansas State finished just one lap behind in second place. The stock class was won by North Dakota State University.


2004

FSGP 2004 was held at Heartland Park Topeka and the University of Missouri-Rolla's Solar Miner IV[8] took first place overall.


2005

FSGP 2005 was held at Heartland Park Topeka and served as a qualifier for the 2005 North American Solar Challenge. It was won by Minnesota's Borealis III.[9]


2009

After a three-year hiatus due to a lack of funding, FSGP 2009 was held at the Motorsports Ranch in Cresson, Texas. The University of Minnesota's Centaurus took first place overall.[10]


2010

FSGP 2010 was again held at the Cresson Motorsports Ranch and served as a qualifier for the 2010 American Solar Challenge. It was won by the University of Michigan.[11]


2011

FSGP 2011 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana, as part of the Indianapolis 500's 100th-anniversary celebrations. Minnesota's Centaurus II took first place overall.[12]


2012

FSGP 2012 was held at the Monticello Motor Club in Monticello, New York, and served as a qualifier for the 2012 American Solar Challenge. It was won by Michigan.[13]


2013

FSGP 2013 was held at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. Oregon State University's Phoenix took first place overall, while Illinois State University's Mercury IV finished one lap behind in second place, and Iowa State University's Hyperion finished one lap behind them in third place.[14]


2014

FSGP 2014 was again held at Circuit of the Americas and served as a qualifier for the 2014 American Solar Challenge. It was won by Michigan. The race was marred by an electrical fire in a garage causing many team's cars and equipment to be damaged by water from the complex's sprinkler system.[15]


2015

FSGP 2015 was held again at Circuit of the Americas on July 29–31. It was won by Iowa State University with 223 total laps and a fast lap of 4:30.444, both track records for solar cars. [16] Hot weather forced most of the teams to have to pull into the pits at times to cool their batteries.

* Teams with a Cruiser Class vehicle tied below the next conventional team.


2016

FSGP 2016 will take place at Pitt Race in Wampum, Pennsylvania on July 26-28, 2016. It will serve as a qualifier for the 2016 American Solar Challenge.[17]

See also

Other solar vehicle challenges

References

  1. ↑ FSGP Info Page
  2. ↑ IEF Info Page
  3. ↑ RHIT history
  4. ↑ RHIT history
  5. ↑ WMU Article
  6. ↑ MST site
  7. ↑ UMNSVP blog
  8. ↑ MST site
  9. ↑ FSGP 2005 video
  10. ↑ New Paltz site
  11. ↑ ASC/FSGP 2010 page
  12. ↑ FSGP 2011 page
  13. ↑ ASC/FSGP 2012 page
  14. ↑ FSGP 2013 page
  15. ↑ ASC/FSGP 2014 page
  16. ↑ FSGP 2015 page
  17. ↑ ASC/FSGP 2016 page

External links

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