By Kevin Sanford
CLAIRMONT, CA – July 31, 2001 – After ten days and 2,300 miles of racing, Sarah Highhouse of Callicoon drove Messiah College’s solar-powered car across the finish line of the American Solar Challenge on Wednesday.
Highhouse, who was among the group of engineers responsible for the car’s design and construction, piloted her team to a 13th place finish out of 30 qualified competitors. Though “Team Genesis” may not have taken home the victory, they did manage to earn top technical honors.
Race officials reported that Genesis’ solar array was the most powerful of any in the race, operating at an efficiency rate seven percent higher than the average competitor. This, along with the team’s radical new lithium-ion polymer battery, was enough to earn them the “Technical Innovation Award.”
Highhouse, whose senior project was improving the car’s braking system, graduated this year as a mechanical engineering major.
For more about the race, visit www.formulasun.org/asc or see the July 20 issue of the Democrat.