UC Berkeley Student Journal - Racing solar cars across America's heartland https://newsarchive.berkeley.edu/news/students/2005/ Chariots of fire: CalSol's quest to race a solar car from Texas to ALberta Steve McConnell - steve.mcconnell@berkeley.edu en-US About the project https://newsarchive.berkeley.edu/news/students/2005/solar/solar_about.shtml The California Solar Vehicle Team designed and built the Beam Machine over the course of two years. This summer, they will race it 2,500 miles from Texas to Alberta in the North American Solar Challenge. About the writer https://newsarchive.berkeley.edu/news/students/2005/solar/solar_bio.shtml Michelle Yong puts her lifelong zest for learning new things -- plus her passion for power tools -- to the test as a member of CalSol's solar car construction team. 1. Building a solar car: Bunny suits, low-tech hacking and dialing for dollars https://newsarchive.berkeley.edu/news/students/2005/solar/solar1.shtml After months of meetings, it was time for some action if the CalSol team was going to have a car to race. 2. Frayed nerves and all-nighters: Racing to qualify mixes hospitality with insanity https://newsarchive.berkeley.edu/news/students/2005/solar/solar2.shtml As they compete in the Formula Sun Grand Prix, the CalSol team must contend with sickness, sleep deprivation and some scary moments with overheated batteries. 3. Cruising the Central Valley in a solar-powered UFO https://newsarchive.berkeley.edu/news/students/2005/solar/solar3.shtml Lab-bound Michelle plays Rashomon, reconstructing a daylong test drive through the Central Valley by her CalSol teammates. 4. On the road again: Dodging thunderstorms and stoplights all the way to Canada https://newsarchive.berkeley.edu/news/students/2005/solar/solar4.shtml The CalSol team completes their run in the North American Solar Challenge with a narrow second-place finish in the Stock class.