Scrutineering...passed!

The University of Minnesota became the first team to pass scrutineering today at the North American Solar Challenge. It has taken a lot of time and effort to get the car ready for all the inspections, and the team is incredibly proud to be finished with all the tests. We now have the remainder of the week to test the opening route of the NASC competition, putting some quality mileage on the vehicle.  Check out the photos posted today to see the driver egress test as well as the body and sizing test. There are many shots of tired teammates sleeping, but due to our success today we now have some breathing room to get some rest.

Keep the comments coming everyone. We love to hear them.

July 12, 2005

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Comments:

Mom Meinz
Congratulations on an excellent job! You are a great team that works very well together. Keep up the good work and good luck in the BIG RAYCE!
P.S. Peter, all that climbing and jumping in your youth has paid off, I see! 
Can't wait to order my Solar Shirt. Hope to have it for Winnipeg.

Posted by: Mom Meinz | July 13, 2005 at 12:04 AM

 Trevre Andrews
Passing scruitineering this early is no coincidence and can be attributed to everyone's long hours in the shop and forward thinking abilities. You will find if you talk to a team member of this team they aren't usually thinking about what we are going to do today, but what we need to do tomorrow and that is the difference between the lets get it done and lets have it done attitudes you see in these competitions.

Watch yourselves, you now have bulls’ eyes on your backs and every other team isn't going to let you get far ahead. Every step we take away from the pack lights fires under the rest of the teams and soon they will be where we are now.

Everyone on this team knows when the rayce starts and what we need to do after it has started.

Kick back but don't relax and I wouldn't think twice if Minnesota is back tomorrow helping out other teams and officials instead of taking vacation time. 
Posted by: Trevre Andrews | July 13, 2005 at 12:42 AM

 Aaron Westman
Good work on scrutineering. But now what are you going to do for the rest of the week? For what its worth I have a few comments.

#1. I'm calling you out John Wanner. Unless you sawed my beautiful shell in half it is not 190 cm in length. Its not even 190 inches. It should be 196.69 inches, give or take.

#2 Dost mine eyes decieve me? A green on body and sizing? I dont know how you pulled that off.

#3 I'd like to see a few pictures of the chassis and the strakes/fairings. The gap between the strakes and the fairing boxes looks OK. It should get the job done.

#4 Post some pictures of some new cars (ones we didnt see at FSGP).

#5 Someone needs to tell Zac to call me. I dont have his number on my new cell phone.

#6 Shuttle Launches today - I hope youre all watching. Wish us luck. We're gonna need it.

Posted by: Aaron Westman | July 13, 2005 at 08:33 AM

 Jason Halpern
Hey gang,

Could you create a separate photo gallery dedicated to beauty shots of the other competing solar cars? As Paris Hilton would say, "B3 is hot," but it would be great to see what other teams have been doing the past two years too.

Keep up the updates and congrats on passing scrutineering first!

Posted by: Jason Halpern | July 13, 2005 at 08:35 AM

 Photo Mama
Fantabulous, everyone!

Trevre, great advice for our team about the fire brewing under the other teams. Kudos to your leadership.

For those seeking photos of other cars and what they've been doing to get to NASC, I found a Canadian site with links to all-cars-solar worldwide! Try: http://www.teamisun.ca/en/links/

The car must not be the only thing absorbing and storing energy... how do you find the time and energy to keep us up to date? Commendable to say the least. Wish we could be at every stop.

Keep up the great teamwork.

Posted by: Photo Mama | July 13, 2005 at 10:57 AM

 Travis Lee
I am proud of all of you. Your hard work is showing, but don't let it go to your head. Keep an underdog mentality and remember "picowatts" matter. Race safe and hard - this is the year for a Minnesota win!

Also, would someone please buy the guy that crimped all of your solar cells a NASC t-shirt? I'm sure he would pay you back =).

Good luck, we are all cheering for you!

Posted by: Travis Lee | July 13, 2005 at 11:43 AM

 T-bag
T-dog,

Man where ya been? Yeah the whole team owes ya a big hug and sloppy kiss for all that cell crimping you did. Not to mention you were the brain child who helped Al and I become master solar raycers. I am not sure I have the extra cash to buy you a shirt but if you can give me your credit card info I can probably work something out.

Hey what’s up with the little brown jug? You guys paint that thing yet. You know Michigan will need some time to paint it too. Speaking of Michigan, are they sharing their internet? I hear that is what the satellite dish is for. You may be able to "borrow" their wireless.

Good luck testing, may the sun be with you.

T-bag
Posted by: T-bag | July 13, 2005 at 12:33 PM

 LAZER
Great job guys! Man I wish I could be there. The car is so hot. Kick MIT's ass for me, OK? Thanks.

Hey Tom, hows SF doing? Did you figure out the BDLC stuff? Also, whats the strategy? :) Do you have pretty strategy charts prepared yet?

Go Solar Car!

Posted by: LAZER | July 13, 2005 at 02:07 PM

 LAZER
Great job guys! Man I wish I could be there. The car is so hot. Kick MIT's ass for me, OK? Thanks.

Hey Tom, hows SF doing? Did you figure out the BDLC stuff? Also, whats the strategy? :) Do you have pretty strategy charts prepared yet?

Go Solar Car!

Posted by: LAZER | July 13, 2005 at 02:09 PM

 Sammich
Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation!

Fisher's strategy... Go Faster!

Oh yea, that is some quality construction and encapsulation of the removable array!

Posted by: Sammich | July 13, 2005 at 04:09 PM

 Sammich
Article in the MN Daily.

http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2005/07/12/64775

Posted by: Sammich | July 13, 2005 at 04:11 PM

 Brad Schulz
Good job again. Car looks great. This solar old fart is impressed. You have some big dogs in the rear view mirror...just keep it that way.

Keep up the attitude too...it breaths some life into the event.

Try hard to keep the site updated.

Posted by: Brad Schulz | July 13, 2005 at 06:42 PM