March 13, 1997
Shocker takes 1st in Arizona
ROBERT MOHL
Herald News Editor
PHOENIX-- The electric vehicle team of Northampton Couty High School-East tied
for first place in the APS Electrics national competition.
"The kids were great, the car was dynamite and the weather was fantastic," said
Eric Ryan, electric vehicle instructor.
"We`re real tickled," added EV instructor Harold Miller. Eleven students and
three teachers attended the Phoenix, Ariz. event March 4-11.
The NCHS-East team tied with Gloucester High School, Va. for first place.
Thirty-four teams competed in the electric car rally, held at the Firebird
speedway.
"It was the best performance we ever had," said Ryan.
The competition was not without its problems. Five miles into the feature race
the electronics locked up on Shocker III, a converted 1985 Ford Escort GT. NASCAR
driver Keith Edwards of Conway managed to bypass the electronics and kept
driving, Miller said.
Ten miles into the 25-mile race the right rear tire began wobbling, but Edwards
kept driving.
"We had the best handling car out there, even with the problems we had," said
Miller. "We won our race in the curves."
The handling paid off, since the special shunt engine installed in Shocker III
blew up two weeks before the race. The electric vehicle team had to use the
shorter range series engine from Shocker II.
Despite the obstacles, the Shocker III completed all 23 laps, coming in second.
The average 1.6-mile lap was run in one minute, fifteen seconds.
Teams at the rally competed in oral and design presentations. Vehicles were
tested for acceleration, braking, handling and range. Points for each event were
totalled for the overall ranking.
The NCHS-East team placed first in the oral and design competitions. The
vehicle placed second in acceleration, third in range, and eighth in braking and
handling.
This is the third year NCHS-East has competed in the rally. In 1996 the earlier
Shocker I and II placed fourth and third. In 1995 Shocker I placed first overall.
(
geocities.com/rjmohl)