It was a great day for racing, Sunny, Clear Skies, Cool Temps and a great USF course. This is the 8th time we have raced at USF and it has always been a great event on our most challenging course. Its a great test of teams and equipment.

As the cars lined up for the start of the first race and were checking their transponders for the automatic scoring system, a HITCH struck the 80 car from Middleton High School. As they were pushing the car under the scoring bridge to check the transponder they noticed that one of the front wheels was going straight and the other was in a hard right turn. A catastrophic steering system failure. The team had to carry the car back to the pits to work on it.

The race started on time with the Electrocutioners in the #8 and #90 cars and the Tiger Racing #4 car jumping out to an early lead and stayed there. The #8 car which is one of the faster cars had problems with charging the Lithium Ion batteries and ran low of battery power and had to withdraw late in the race and was not able to start the second race. The 90 car was the class of the field taking both class races and First Overall with 150 laps.

Simmons Career Center showed up with a new car. The #35 car was built by Robinson Racing and was one of the faster cars during the day. They were the first in the High School division first race by one lap over the TBT 242 car. In the second race they got bumped with 10 min, to go and had to pit. That allowed the TBT 242 car to pick up laps and finish first overall in the High School Class by three laps.

Wharton High in the 58 car had a drive wheel eat up the bearings and had to withdraw in the first race.  They were turning some fast laps when it happened.

Now back to the HITCH/disaster with the Middleton 80 car. They pulled off a feat never seen before in an Electrathon race. They first repaired the steering system with the welder they just happened to bring with them. When the repair didn’t work they  fabricated a complete new steering system and had it ready to go for the second race where they put in some fast laps.

We had some Electrathon Alumni stop by.  We want to give a shout out to Ken Nay, a retired instructor from Plant City and his number one driver and builder Zack also from Plant City.  They stopped by to say hello and just like when they were running their cars back in the day they jumped in and helped Middleton with their car.

We have a race scheduled at the Florida Solar Energy Center later this year and representatives from the center came over to check out the Expo and our race. They had many favorable comments on our race, the teams, the pits and the enthusiasm and cooperation exhibited by all.

High School Division:  1st TBT, 2nd Simmons, 3rd Brandon 14, 4th Brandon 09, 5th Middleton, 6th Wharton

Open Class Division: 1st Tiger Racing, 2nd USF, 3rd Robinson Racing

Experimental Battery Division: 1st Electrocutioners 90, 2nd Electrocutioners 08

Next race is on the track at Middleton High School on March 12th.  Hope to see everyone there.

Vic Nieves

Our next race will be held at the University of South Florida Campus located at 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa 33620. The Engineering Expo will have events on Friday, February 19, 2016 of which ETO will have cars on display. Our Junior Solar Sprint (JSS) and Electrathon Races will be Saturday, February 20, 2016. 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.

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

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.

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