DAY THREE -1999 WORLD SOLAR CHALLENGE - 19/10/99
Sunshark moves up into third place in the Solar Challenge
Web Posted 1800 19/10/99
The University of Queensland's Solar Racing vehicle Sunshark is now in third place, just 30 minutes behind the 1999 World Solar Challenge race leader Queens University from Canada at the end of the racing on day three.
Sunshark team publicist Elana Maher said sunny skies gave the leading teams a big boost in speed with Sunshark averaging 80 kilometres an hour, an increase of 15 kph compared speeds during yesterday's overcast conditions.
"We overtook the Northern Territory University's 'Desert Rose' during todays racing,
and now we have our eye set on getting past the "Aurora" team which is just 10 minutes ahead of us," she said.
Starting the day in fourth position, Sunshark driven by Glen Rowlinson averaged 65kph in the early morning run but when the sun broke through at about 11 am central time Glen was able to accelerate to 80 kph.
Ms Maher said the Sunshark was running well and the crew's roadside pit work was improving rapidly.
"We changed drivers in a tick under 60 seconds today," she said.
"We had to lift the solar array shell off the chassis, help Glen out of the drivers seat, get relief driver Philip Moncrieif settled in and then replace the shell - all this in under a minute.
"We felt we were almost as fast a Ferrari pit crew during a Formula One pit stop!"
The Sunshark team finished day three of the World Solar Challenge race about 200 kilometres south of Alice Springs. The Sunshark covered 620 kilometres during the day.
Ms Maher said the Sunshark and the accompanying road crew was getting a great reception from crowds along the route.
"We had a terrific reception in Tennant Creek and again today the people of Alice Springs gave us a big send off," she said.
The forecast for Day Four is for sunny conditions to continue.
For further information contact Elana Maher on satellite telephone 0145/199 360
Or Ron Drynan in Brisbane on 0412/261 529
At the end of Day Three racing which began at 8am and finished at 5pm and which included a 30 minutes media stop, the top four cars were as follows: (unofficial information)
Leader Queens University Canada
Second Melbourne entrant 'Aurora'
Third University of Queensland 'Sunshark'
Fourth Northern Territory University 'Desert Rose'
Web posted: 1800 Tuesday 19 October 1999
