Lightning Deals Blow to Solar Racing Team

Team PrISUm's Sol Invictus solar race at the May 31-June 5, 2009 Formula Sun Grand Prix at the Motorsport Ranch in Cresson, Texas. Photo by Team PrISUm

Members of Iowa State University's Team PrISUm were working on their solar car's battery system on the eve of the May 31-June 5 Formula Sun Grand Prix at the Motorsport Ranch in Cresson, Texas. The team had spent two weeks repairing and upgrading the car's battery pack and brakes.

Then a nearby lightning strike took out the car's battery protection system and that eventually destroyed a circuit board.

The strike kept the team off the track for more than half of the three-day competition, but they did finally get Sol Invictus, its $400,000, 1,400-watt solar car, out for some racing. And they managed to finish 7th out of nine teams in the endurance test.

A team from the University of Minnesota, with their car Centaurus, won by completing 487 laps, 94 more than the second-place team from the University of Kentucky.