It was a roller coaster 3 days at the Formula Sun Grand Prix in Austin, Texas (July 3-9). As the first team to complete qualification, Apperion, the solar car, and the team appeared ready for anything. It wasn't to be easy though. The team experienced major glitches such as a damaged circuit board that limited their ability to charge at full capacity, and minor glitches like a horn fix that caused a couple of quick pits. Despite all the adversity, the team endured, functioned well, and ultimately triumphed on the podium in second place. Not only did they show extreme endurance, they were recognized for 1st in solar array performance, emergency egress, and team safety. They were even voted by all teams as the model team.
"I experienced tears from joy and frustration multiple times throughout the event. Appstate is on the map now for solar car racing due to podium finishes in 2 out of the first 3 years..." said team mentor Chris Tolbert. "We had the best car and team in my opinion, but it just wasn't enough this year. As they say...that is racing."
It's a good day to be a Mountaineer!
To learn more about the team: http://appstatesvt.com/
Formula Sun Grand Prix 2017
Second Place at Formula Sun Grand Prix 2017