We want to thank the good folks at Olin Mott Tires (528 West Brandon Blvd) for their use of old tires for our Electrathon Race on Saturday, January 16, 2016 at Wharton High School. Olin Mott and his family has supported ETO for a number of years. Please go by and support Olin Mott in Brandon when you make your next tire purchase.

Once again Rob Nolen and his Team at the Lowes in Valrico (1515 East Brandon Blvd) came through for ETO, donating yellow caution tape and a folding six foot table. Since the start of our race season this Lowes has supported ETO each month with a donation for each race. A special thank you to Rob Nolen and everyone at the Valrico Store. Please support them by driving the extra mile to visit their store to purchase your supplies.

It was a brisk morning when the teams started to arrive at Wharton High School for the fifth race of the season. Team members assisted in the set up of the track, moving cones, placing tires and even walking the track to clear any debris that could cause a safety issue. The new trailer that was donated to us was on display and everyone was asked to send us suggestions on setting it up and what we should place on the outside to promote ETO. As the teams lined up for the first race, Electrocutioners Car #90 was back on the track, the only car that accepted our challenge to teams that were missed and wanted back onto the track.

The green flag dropped for the first race at 10am, 12 cars were now competing for the winners circle. Brandon Car #9 had mechanical issues after fifteen laps and had to retire for the day. Tampa Bay Tech Car #242 had numerous challenges in both races as their car continued to put the pit crew to the test. Simmons Car #60 had two of their three wheels loose spokes causing their race day to end after 61 laps.

When the flag dropped for our second race at 1pm, only nine cars were racing for the checkered flag. USF Car #132 spun out sending the driver into a safe area until the pit crew arrived. Middleton Car #133 went over a curb and landed in the grass causing team members to pick up the car to place it back onto the track.

When the day was over the results were announced.

In our High School Division, Middleton Car #80 took 1st place for the day and had the fastest lap for their division 47.244 seconds. Coming in 2nd was Brandon Car #14 and 3rd place was Simmons Career Center.

In our Open Division, Tiger Racing Car #4 driven by Rodney Schreck took 1st place with the fastest lap for the division 47.171 seconds and 2nd place was Team USF in Car #132.

In our Experimental Battery Division, the three Electrocutioner Cars raced hard against one another with only one lap separating them after the first race. Car #72 did not return to the track for the second race as charging issues occurred and the batteries were not ready for the second race. First place was taken by Car #90 with the fastest lap for their division 36.965 seconds beating Pony in Car #8 by two laps for first place.

The results from the Simmons Race have been added into the 2015 – 2016 Season Points Stats.

On Tuesday, January 5, 2016 a trip was made to Pearson Georgia to acquire a brand new 2016 7×16 enclosed trailer for our organization. The trailer requires a 2 5/16 ball, has easy grease and electric brakes on both axles, LED exterior lights, a cargo light, assisted rear ramp door, a walk in door, and a roof vent. The trailer pulls smoothly and will make its first appearance at the Wharton High School Race on January 16, 2016. We thank and appreciate everyone that was involved in this major step forward for our  organization to grow and reach our business plan goals for this year. Donations can be made to our PayPal Account (listed in the top right corner of this website) to cover the cost to title (must pay sales tax when registered in Florida), insure and tag the trailer in our organizations name.

The Electrathon of Tampa Bay Executive Board hopes that everyone had a great holiday season filled with family, friends and fun.

Now that the holidays are over, we are back to Electrathon and Junior Solar Sprint Racing. Our next race is Saturday, January 16, 2016 at Wharton High School located at 20150 Bruce B Downs Blvd, Tampa 33647. The track will be located on the South side of the campus. Wharton High School Sponsor Chris Hart and his Team are providing us with great tracks for our Electrathon and Junior Solar Sprint Races along with a fundraiser lunch with refreshments. The green flag for the first race will drop at 10am and the second race will start at 1pm. Not only will you see Electrathon and Junior Solar Sprint Racing, Wharton High School will also be hosting the Robotics Competition in the gym from 10am to 2pm. Bring the entire family to this fun and exciting day of racing and competition.

The Electrathon of Tampa Bay Executive Board hopes that everyone had a great holiday season filled with family, friends and fun.

Now that the holidays are over, we are back to Electrathon and Junior Solar Sprint Racing. Our next race is Saturday, January 16, 2016 at Wharton High School located at 20150 Bruce B Downs Blvd, Tampa 33647. The track will be located on the South side of the campus. Wharton High School Sponsor Chris Hart and his Team are providing us with great tracks for our Electrathon and Junior Solar Sprint Races along with a fundraiser lunch with refreshments. The green flag for the first race will drop at 10am and the second race will start at 1pm. Not only will you see Electrathon and Junior Solar Sprint Racing, Wharton High School will also be hosting the Robotics Competition in the gym from 10am to 2pm. Bring the entire family to this fun and exciting day of racing and competition.

Welcome to the official home of Electrathon of Tampa Bay! Our vision is to contribute to the laying of a foundation for a green, vibrant, low carbon future full of possibilities and opportunities for tomorrow’s children in the Tampa Bay area. It is our mission to make this contribution by promoting Electrathon Racing and Solar Sprinting, endeavors full of technological entrepreneurial challenges and adventure.

Electrathon racing is a somewhat recent invention, first started in the 90s in Australia. It is has grown in popularity in the Northwest and New England States as well in Canada and Mexico. The relatively low cost of the Electrathon Racing has made the sport a popular activity for many colleges and technical schools although it has achieved its largest participation among high school age students world-wide. Students are actively exposed to a wide variety subjects from aerodynamics, AutoCAD, power electronics, computer control of electric vehicle propulsions systems, structural analysis, and skills directly related to technological business management.

Our Philosophy:
ETO’s Executive Committee believes that a “hands-on” approach to the education of today’s students can contribute greatly to the learning of fundamental physical principals and the building of a technical foundation. This approach has received less emphasis in the education of youth due to changing cultural influences, changes in educational expectations and opportunities and changes in technology itself. All of these changes have diminished the opportunities for basic hands on understanding of physical phenomena. Culturally today’s youth are less hands on when compared to the shade tree car and bicycle mechanics of the 50’s. Today’s students are more “connections oriented” with respect to the devices they use whereas in the 50’s they may have picked up a tool and opened up their car radio to check the vacuum tubes inside. Further compounding this move away from hands on learning is that today’s education system has shifted more to training for service oriented occupations as manufacturing has disappeared from America’s shores further depressing the gaining of knowledge through hands on experience. Lastly technology has become software based for example to carry out such basic functions such as braking or adjusting fuel/air mixture thus making the acquisition of basic principles somewhat less accessible through hands on. We believe, as Educators and Engineers that the providing of opportunities through “the hands on application of science and engineering knowledge in a competitive technical arena” can strengthen students in their preparation for tomorrow’s jobs in transportation and engineering. Through outreach, partnerships and support of K12 and Community College Clubs throughout the (8) county area ETO’s Engineering and Educational staff will make a lasting difference in the lives of members and they will in turn impact their communities in a positive way.

Please support Electrathon of Tampa Bay by becoming a member. Your membership identifies you with promoting engineering education and strengthening America’s Future. You will be featured on our website and at our Races. Make a donation of any amount for your membership to help support our teams.

Donation Levels:
$1-$40 Basic Believer
$41-$80 Green Pioneer
$81-$120+ Electric Vanguard

Race Stats for Simmons and Year to Date

The new guys on the block put on a good show at the race on their home track.  We want to thank the staff of Simmons for their help and support.  The food booth was a popular place on race day.  The track was tight and rough with lots of turns but teams were turning lap at 30-35 sec. intervals.

In the High School class there were lots of ups and downs during the two races.  Simmons won the first race with 107 lap with the Middleton 80 car second with 96 laps.  The Middleton 133 car, the girls team, with new batteries came in 3rd with 93 laps, after they lost laps when the ballast fell out of the car and had to be reinstalled.  TBT was 4th with 85 laps after loosing laps with a blown tire.

In the second race Simmons broke a chain and lost a lot of laps before they could get it running again.  TBT had problems in the second race with more blown tires and wheel problems.  That left the two Middleton cars battling for the lead.   The girls team in the 133 car kept up a fast and steady pace and won the second race by 4 laps over the Middleton boys in the 80 car.

The Middleton girls team beat out the Middleton boys team by 1 lap after 2 hours of racing to take the overall 1st place in the High School Class.  Both cars ran steady and fast races.

In the Open Class in the first race it was Tiger Racing against the field.  After 1 hour of racing and 119 laps it was  Robinson Racings 13 car by .233 sec. over Tiger Racing  with Robinsons 94 car 3rd with 116 laps and USF 4th with 82 laps.  After the races were over Robinson Racings 13 car had holes rubbed in the nose cone and Jim Jr. had scuff marks on his shoes.  That was how rough the course was.

In the second race Robinson Racing had the 94 car withdraw early in the race and the 13 car blew a tire late in the race to drop to third and USF improved to 2nd place with 122 laps just 2 laps behind Tiger Racing in the 4 car with 124 laps.

In the Experimental Battery Class there was a lot going on with the Electrocutioners and ProEV battling hard over both races.  The surprise of the day was the Electrocutioners new 72 car.  Drew came up with an actual Go-Kart  running on Lithium Ion batteries.

In the 1st race the 72 car racked up 111 laps for a strong 3rd in its first ever race.  The Electrocutioners 08 car battled the ProEv 39 car for a one lap win.  Towards the end of the 1st race the 08 car, with 128 laps,  and the ProEv 39 car, with 127 laps got together on the front straight and the 39 car lost its canopy and messed up a tire.

In the second race the 72 car was going like a bat and put in 126 laps for a 1st place.  Cliff in the 39 car had problems with his canopy, too much duct tape holding it together.  Then he had problems with his rear drive wheel and other stuff and had to withdraw.

Pony driving the Electrocutioners 08 car held off Drew in the 72 car for 1st place overall in the EX Battery class by 1 lap.

Girl Power came on strong with Overall 1st place finishes in the High School and EX Battery classes.

Blown tires, locked up drive wheels, busted chains, mirrors, loose ballast, to much duct tape and other gremlins caused much consternation in the ranks, standings and order of finish.

The next race is in Jan. at Wharton HS.  That will be the last tune up before our biggest race of the year at the USF ENGINEERING EXPO.  We should see some new out of town cars with upward of 20 cars total and a large crowd of spectators over the two days.

I would like to wish every one a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah and great end of the year.  Have a great time and be safe.  See you all rested and ready to go for the second half of the Electrathon Of Tampa Bay season.

Vic

We want to thank Manager Rob Nolen and the Lowes Team in Valrico (1515 E. Brandon Blvd) for all of their support to Electrathon Racing. Over the past few months they have donated all of our yellow caution tape for our races and this month they donated a 6′ folding table for our scoring system computer and monitor. Please support them by driving to their store in Valrico for all of your home furnishing needs. If you get a chance to see Rob walking around in the store, make sure to introduce yourself and thank him personally for their support to Electrathon of Tampa Bay.