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Sundancer takes victory lap at the Texas Motor Speedway 2006 race
Houston High School in Houston, Mississippi is on the cutting edge of tomorrow's technology with their solar car. Houston Vocational School's Sundancer, a solar powered car, just won the Dell-Winston Solar Challenge for the eighth straight year against national and international competition!
In 2001 The Winston Solar Challenge was a 1,400 mile race of solar powered vehicles built by high school students from across the United States and Mexico. The race began in Austin, Texas, and finished in Columbus, Indiana. The race was covered by CNN, ABC's Good Morning America, and NBC's Today Show. The Sundancer from Houston, Mississippi, blew away the competition, winning by a margin of 244 miles! A welcome home celebration was held on the Houston Courthouse Square. Mississippi Governor Ronnie Musgrove was among the many dignitaries present to honor the Houston Solar Race Team.
The 2002 Winston Solar Challenge was held in July at the Texas Motor Speedway just north of the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. The three day race around the oval track ended with the Sundancer holding a seven lap lead over second place finisher Indiana.
Texas Motor Speedway Loading Sundancer on trailer following 2006 victory
The Houston Solar Race Team entered the Sundancer in the 2003 Dell-Winston Solar Challenge, a road race starting at the Dell Headquarters in Round Rock, Texas in July and ending in Cocoa Beach, Florida. The race came through Houston, Mississippi, with the teams spending one night here. The teams and their sponsors were treated to a southern catfish dinner with entertainment provided by an Elvis Presley impersonator. The Governor of the State of Mississippi, was on hand to welcome the teams to our State and to Houston. The Sundancer finished the race in Cocoa Beach with a 107 mile lead over the second place team.
The Sundancer competed in the World Solar Challenge in Australia in November 2003 and become the first high school in the history of that race to complete the race!
In 2004, the Houston Solar Team returned to the Texas Motor Speedway with the Sundancer where they again captured top honors by winning for the forth straight year.
In 2005, with a completely redesigned car, the Houston Solar Team again traveled to Round Rock, Texas to enter the race. The race began at the Dell Headquarters and ended in Pasadena, California. The Sundancer ran every mile of the race, setting several records along the way, including the most miles traveled in one day and the highest average speed. The Sundancer's top speed was 64 miles per hour.
In July 2006, the Sundancer returned to the Texas Motor Speedway. Again, the Houston Solar Team and their car came away with top honors.
The summer of 2007 saw the Sundancer racing from Round Rock, Texas to Newberg, New York with the Sundancer taking first place. In July 2008, the Houston Solar Racing Team returned to the Texas Motor Speedway with two cars, Sundancer and Sundancer II. Both Houston cars came in first place in their divisions.
2005 Team approaches starting line in Austin, Texas Somewhere between Round Rock and Brady, Texas
Race day 5 between El Paso and Globe, Arizona Racing toward Twenty Nine Palms, California
The 2005 Dell-Winston Solar Challenge comes to an end with the Houston Solar Team and the Sundancer crossing the finish line at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. This marks the fifth straight title for the Sundancer. What a tribute to the students, faculty and staff of the Houston School District!
A special thanks to Dell Computer and the Winston School for sponsoring the Dell-Winston Solar Challenge.