This is the first information for the hotels at the Energy Whiz Olympics in Cocoa the weekend of May 13th. I would suggest reserving NOW if you know you are going – you can always cancel closer to the date of the race if need be, but the rooms go FAST!!

This is always so much fun to end the season with and the more the merrier!!! We will go down on Friday before the event to do the setup and get checked in, and then stay until Sunday, which gives us lots of time for racing and then relaxing! Share this email with others who may be interested.

Hotel: For those who require accommodations Friday night (WE STAY SATURDAY NIGHT; TOO), a block of rooms is available at the Cocoa Beach Days Inn. The Days Inn shares the property with the Best Western which is right on the water (so the Days Inn has easy beach access with no road to cross) and both are next to the Cocoa Beach Pier. Rooms are $84.95 for up to four persons per room, with breakfast included. To obtain this rate, call (321)783-7621 extension 366, and ask for the “Energy Whiz” block of rooms in order to obtain this discounted rate. Rooms must be reserved before April 12th. More information for the hotel can be obtained at  www.daysinncocoabeach.com

If you have any questions about the event, please contact Penny at 321-638-1018 (email penny@fsec.ucf.edu). We are also happy to answer any technical or design questions that you and your students may have….please don’t hesitate to contact us with these types of ‘problems’!

We look forward to seeing you May 13th!!

~Your Energy Whiz Olympics team

Red – Sign In/Scoring

Blue – Pits, DO NOT DRIVE OR PARK ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD 

Purple – Vehicle Parking

Green -Tower

Track is the course

The West Central Florida Energy Whiz Expo will have events at McLane Middle School. The Expo will have Junior Solar Sprint, Solar Cook Off, and Critter Comfort Cottage competitions.

Our Electrathon races will be held at Brandon High School. The campus is located at 1101 Victoria Street, Brandon Florida 33510. This will be our only speed event of the race season. The track at Brandon High School has been resurfaced recently, this will be a factor for our teams and drivers.

REMINDER: ALL DRIVERS TO INCLUDE SPONSORS AND BOARD MEMBERS MUST HAVE ON LONG SLEEVE SHIRTS, PANTS, AND HELMETS – *** PIT LOCATION PENDING ***

845 a.m. to 915 a.m. – The course will be open to all teams for practice laps (ONLY PRACTICE LAP TIME)

925 a.m. – Drivers meeting with race steward at scoring tower

945 a.m. – Line up for the High School Divisions first 20minute speed race. The green flag will drop to begin the race at 10 a.m. race ends at 1020 a.m.

1025 a.m. – Line up for the Open and Experimental Divisions first 20 minute speed race. The green flag will drop to begin the race at 1040 a.m. race ends at 11 a.m.

1130 a.m. – Line up for our Sponsor and Board Members 15 minute speed race. The green flag will drop to begin the race at 1145a.m. race ends at 12/noon.

1245 p.m. – Line up for the High School Divisions second 20 minute speed race. The green flag will drop to begin the race at 1 p.m. race ends at 120 p.m.

125 p.m. – Line up for the Open and Experimental Divisions second 20 minute speed race. The green flag will drop to begin the race at 140 p.m. race ends at 2 p.m.

Awards ceremony will be held after the event clean up

These races will be challenging for our drivers and exciting to watch as a spectator.

Come out for a free day of fun for the entire family

Our next race will be held at the University of South Florida. The campus is located at 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa 33620. The Engineering Expo will have events on Friday, February 17, 2017, ETO will have Electrathon cars on display. Our Junior Solar Sprint (JSS) and Electrathon Races will be held on Saturday, February 18, 2017. The green flag for the first Electrathon race will drop at 10am. Our JSS Races will be between 11am and 1230pm. The green flag for our second Electrathon race will drop at 1pm. The Electrathon course is challenging for our drivers and exciting to watch as a spectator. Come out for a free day of fun for the entire family.

Yellow – Safety Tape

Red – Track/Course

Pink – Scoring Tower

Blue – Pits

Orange – Cones

The Electrathon of Tampa Bay trailer picked up a nail in one of the tires during its last venture to our December race, causing us to have it go flat after sitting over the holidays. We want to thank Matt and Bob Clarke at Clarke Automotive located at 131 Central Drive, Brandon, Florida 33510 for repairing the tire. Clarke Automotive is a great supporter of Electrathon of Tampa Bay and continues to be there for our organization. Their support has the trailer ready for its next venture to Wharton High School for our next race on January 14, 2017.

This is Tampa Bay’s oldest and biggest Maker festival celebrating the DIY Inventive Spirit! More than 100 exhibitors, comprising of more than 400 technologists, artists, crafters, mechanical and electrical wizards, costumers and prop makers, robot cists, musical artists, inventors, coders, gamers, electric car races, battle bots, drone racing, and more!

Every spring, Gulf Coast MakerCon holds an annual community festival celebrating the DIY (Do It Yourself) Inventive Spirit! Here’s some of what we have on tap for 2017:

• 40,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space at the Special Events Center at the Florida State Fairgrounds
• Cigar City Multi-motor Drone Race exhibition
• 3rd Annual Southeast Combat Robotics Championship
• 3rd Annual Electrathon Car Races
• Annual Inventors & Entrepreneurs Showcase
• Makers Market
• Young Makers Village
• Workshops & Demos
• Deconstruction Zone
• Gaming Expo
• Heritage Makers
• Transportation Exhibits
• Garden Tech & Sustainability
• 21st Century Tech
• And much more!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4pr8jtqkiti8a72/electrathon.mp4?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/n1q5f77t0d0xa2x/Gulf%20Coast%20Maker%20Con.mp4?dl=0

We have obtained a fix it up trailer for a team to transport their Electrathon car and supplies. Trailer is available and free to any high school or college team, trailer needs some TLC (tender loving care). The closed container of the trailer inside is 6′ long, 4′ wide by 3′ tall. It will connect to a vehicle using a 1 7/8 inch ball. Please have your team sponsor contact Charlie to arrange viewing and pick up of trailer. Trailer offered on a first come first gets it basis.

Our next event will be held at Wharton High School located at 20156 Bruce B Downs Blvd, Tampa 33647. The day will include two Electrathon Races (10am and 1pm), Junior Solar Sprint Races (1030am to 12pm), and RoboFlag Competition (10am to 2pm). Our Wharton Electrathon Team and Sponsor Chris Hart are hoping to debut their new car at this race.

We want to thank Matt and Bob Clarke at Clarke Automotive located at 131 Central Drive, Brandon, Florida 33510 for the use of the tires at the Lennard High School Race. Go by and say hello to them and tell them you saw it on our website.

We want welcome Ace Hardware located at 13364 Lincoln Road, Riverview, Florida 33578 as a 2016 – 2017 Electrathon Sponsor. Manager John Dallimore assisted us in the Lennard High School Race by providing us with bales of hay to use on our course. Please stop by and say hello to John and tell him you saw the post on our website.