1st Race of 2017 in the Books at Wharton High School

Visit the Photo Album for Wharton Race at: (Copy and paste link into Browser) https://www.flickr.com/photos/132647601@N06/albums/72157675532300803

What a day and what a race.  The course was one of the best we have been on in a while.  14 cars battled for 2 hours of racing and in the Experimental Battery Class the margin of victory was a whopping 1400ft.

Wharton High School did an outstanding job putting on the races and had their BBQ grill working overtime between the races.

In the High School Class we want to give a shout out to Palm Bay Magnet High School.  They are over on the east coast, south of Cocoa Beach.  They took a third place finish in the second race.  They are still working the bugs out of their car and will be a contender in the near future.

There were some close finishes in the High School class.  In the first race the Middleton High School #80 car and #365 finished 1st and 2nd with the #80 finishing 4 seconds ahead after 1 hour.  In the second race it was the Brandon #14 car beating out the Middleton #80 car by .47 seconds over the one hour.

The Open Class was a lonely place with only the #04 car of Tiger Racing running.  We missed the HCC and Robinson Racing cars this race.

In the Experimental Battery Class it was a tight race all day with Cliff from ProEv taking the day with a total of 159 laps over the Electrocutioners #08 & 72 cars with 158 each.  Cliff has always had a VERY fast car but in the past has been plagued by mechanical problems and wearing out the tires on his car.  Today it all came together and he ran two trouble free races, except for trading paint once during the race.

We were glad to see Slam make it back on the track to round out the three car Electrocutioners team.  Something about he had to work all those past race days.  His new #90 car, which was late starting the first race and was on a shakedown run.  It was very fast and was the best looking of the field.  If he doesn’t have to work next month watch out.

Can’t wait to see what Drew Jet has to show from his fancy drone he was using at the race.  He has the coolest toys.

We hope to see Strawberry Crest, Wharton, Jefferson, Plant, Foundation and our other Open Class cars for the BIG RACE at University of South Florida in February

OVERALL STATS:

OPEN CLASS:  1st Place #04 Tiger Racing 145 laps

EXPERIMENTAL BATTERY CLASS:  1st #39 ProEv with 159 laps,  2nd #08 with 158 laps,  3rd #72 with 158 laps,  4th #90 with 146 laps, 5th #132 with 41 laps.

HIGH SCHOOL CLASS:  1st #80 with 138 laps,  2nd #365 with 130 laps,  3rd #14 with 123 laps,  4th #101 with 97 laps,  5th #133 with 93 laps,  6th #09 with 67 laps,  7th #86 with 39 laps,  8th #30 with 33 laps.

Our biggest race of the year is coming up in Feb. at the U.S.F. Engineering Expo.  We will have a display area on February 17th where teams can show their cars, equipment and answer questions.  The race is on February 18th and has the most challenging course we race on all season.  Wheels and tires take a beating so now is the time to get everything in top shape.  Charge up those batteries and get those tires and wheels ready to go.

More info on U.S.F. Race will be up shortly

Vic

Thank You Clarke Automotive

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.

April 8, 2017 MakerCon at Florida State Fair Grounds

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

 

Free to High School or College Team

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.

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Dr Lennard Starts Lennard High School Electrathon Races

img_0107It was a great day for racing at Lennard High School with 14 cars from 10 teams in 3 divisions.

The schools name sake, Dr. Earl Lennard, former Hillsborough County School Superintendent dropped the green flag a 10 A.M. on a bright and sunny day.

The course was just short of a half mile around the drivers ed. range, a parking lot and as an added treat around the dumpsters.  The fastest lap of the day was just over 54 seconds by Drew in the 72 car.  He also img_0110turned in the top lap count of the day at 111 for both races.

Our ranks are growing.  USF was back with their Lithium Ion battery powered car.  They were here for testing and only ran the second race.  As fast as they were going the other cars in the Experimental Battery Class better look out when they are 100%.

Strawberry Crest was back and put in a good showing with a 3rd place finish in both races for 3rd overall.

The home team did a fantastic job getting the course ready for the races.  There were a lot of hay bales and tires to sling.  The Lennard 86 car was having a great day in the first race, right up to the point where their rear drive wheel had a slight problem when it lost its ball bearings.  Any time there is a problem with the drive wheel on any of these cars it makes for a real bad day.  Lennard missed 3rd place while sitting in the pits at the end of the race.

In the second race Brandon High School took 1st and 2nd in the High School Class.  The #14 car edged out the #9 car on time with the same lap count.  Strawberry Crest beat the Middleton #365 car by 13 seconds for 3rd place over the one hour.

Brandon took 1st in both races for their 1st overall of the year.  Something about new batteries in old cars.  They are working on a new car to start replacing the 8 year old cars they are using.

In the Open Class, in the first race Tiger Racing and Robinson Racing were neck and neck the whole race with Robinson Racing edging out Tiger for a 1st.  In the second race it was Tiger Racing all the way when Robinson Racing had to withdraw with mechanical problems.

In the Experimental Battery Class we want to welcome back Team USF.  They should give the Electrocutioners and ProEv a run for it when the are fully operational.  They only ran the second race but were very fast.  ProEv had some chain problems in the first race but kept it together in the second for a close 1st place heat win.

OBSERVATIONS FROM THE PITS

Some teams need to work on their mirrors.  Way to much duct tape could cost you next race.  Check the rule book.  You can not continue racing if any safety device or ballast item fails during a race.  YOU MUST fix it or be DQ.   Our cars are electric/battery powered, everyone who works on them should know how to hook up a battery or electrical item properly and the wiring should be either red for positive and black for negative.  Positive = RED, Negative = Black.  One of the cars was having a problem getting their transmitter to register at the start of the race.  The transmitter was fried/killed/dead when it was hooked up when the ground side was connected to the positive side of the battery.  $50 plus transmitter fried.  This is the third or fourth one in two years.  All team should keep 9V batteries in their kit to use with the Red transmitters or if there is a problem with the wiring harness on the white ones.

We want to welcome Jefferson High School.  They are working on a car and had a team at the race to get a feel for how its done.  Word is Plant High School might have their car ready for the January Race at Wharton High School.

RACE RESULTS

High School  1st Brandon #14, 2nd Middleton #365, 3rd Strawberry Crest #30, 4th Brandon #9

Open Class 1st Tiger Racing #4, 2nd Robinson Racing #94, 3rd HCC #13

Experimental Battery Class  1st Electrocutioners #72, 2nd Electrocutioners #8, 3rd Pro Ev #39, 4th USF #132

Vic

Longwood Parade – December 3, 2016

We are in a parade, Longwood Florida on December 3rd, if your team plans to attend, please contact Fredi to obtain all of the information.

ETO will pick up and transport at least 4 cars from the Tampa area to the race as long as teams have contacted and arranged it with Fredi, cars will be returned to the school on Monday or Tuesday after the parade.

Update: We took 3rd place in the Auto Division of the parade, Monday, December 19, 2016, we will be presented the award. Here is the video link that Andrew (Electrocutioners) made. Thanks

ELECTRATHON RACING