Team Mercury to Compete in Formula Sun Grand Prix June 3-5

Illinois State University's Team Mercury will race its solar-powered car, Mercury II, in the Formula Sun Grand Prix competition, June 3-5, at the Motorsports Ranch racecourse in Cresson, Texas.  Team Mercury will compete against solar car teams from other universities in the closed-track event that will test the car's endurance.

Vehicles entered in the race must be powered solely by sunshine, using photovoltaic cells to convert sunlight into electricity.Ten Illinois State students and a faculty advisor will take part in two days of pre-race "scrutineering," June 1-2. During that process, all solar-powered vehicles will be inspected to make sure they meet race criteria and safety requirements. Once past the "scrutineering" process, teams will complete as many laps as possible with their vehicles on the closed track during three days of racing, June 3-5.   Racing will take place from 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. on those days.

Team Mercury is a multidisciplinary group of students who have dedicated hundreds of volunteer hours to designing and building Mercury II. Professors Daniel Holland, Brian Clark, David Marx and staff member Jim Dunham of Illinois State's Physics Department serve as the team's faculty advisors.  Support for the project comes from Illinois State University and a variety of corporate and private sponsors who have donated money, equipment, materials and other in-kind gifts.