UK solar car team stops in Bowling Green ahead of race

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Universities across North America are sending their best engineering students to Bowling Green this week for the Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix.

Thirty teams design and build solar-powered cars that will be put through several days of testing before they are raced on the National Corvette Museum Motorsports Park’s track.

News 40 caught up with the University of Kentucky’s team on Tuesday.

Clay Parsons, a member of UK’s team, says, “We all come here for one reason, and that’s for the love of the craft. This isn’t really a competition. It’s a chance to build your car with people who have had different but similar experiences. Like, we have all had the same experience of designing a car that has never been designed before.”

The event is free to the public, and the actual racing begins on Thursday, with laps beginning at 10 a.m. and continuing to 6 p.m., with opportunities to see the cars close up and speak with the team following.

Racing continues on Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. An awards ceremony will be Saturday at 7 p.m.