MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WLNS) — A group of Okemos high schoolers not only built a solar-powered car from scratch — but placed second in a 631-mile race across Texas.
In July, before the Okemos Solar Racing Club made the drive down south for this year’s Solar Car Challenge, club co-captain Evan Zader-Baumann told 6 News he wasn’t “too confident” and he simply hoped they wouldn’t “get last.”
So he was “pretty happy” with their placement in the Advanced Division, driving a total of 623.5 miles — around 33 miles shy of the Texas team that placed first.
After making some final adjustments to the car, named Solaris Lupus, the team loaded it into a borrowed trailer and hauled it down to the Lone Star State for three days of scrutineering at the Texas Motor Speedway. Judges inspected the car, making sure it was up to code and met all the safety requirements…