Part of the qualifying process involved a complete mechanical and electrical inspection to ensure each vehicle's safety and its compliance with the competition's many regulations.

Out of the 30-odd teams on hand in Topeka, only 10 vehicles passed the inspections -- one of which was Polytechnique's Esteban III. This gave car and team the green light to move onto the final qualifying rounds on July 14 and 15 in Austin, Texas -- mere days before the official rally kicks off on July 17.

Given the results obtained in Topeka, the judges' many positive and constructive comments, and the chance to fine-tune the car between now and the race, Esteban III's team is more confident than ever of earning a place at the starting line of the NASC 2005: a first in its young history.

Stay tuned...

Source:
Hugo Careau
Director - Esteban Project
Société technique du véhicule solaire de l'École Polytechnique de Montréal