Purdue International evGrandPrix Sunday at IMS
May 7, 2013
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — At least 30 electric-powered go-karts are expected to run in the third Purdue International Electric Vehicle Grand Prix on Sunday (May 12) as part of opening weekend festivities at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The teams are from universities and community colleges in the United States and Great Britain.
Pre-race events will begin at 12:30 p.m. on the east side of the Speedway's Hall of Fame Museum. Two 60-lap races will be run, at 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
The race is part of the Speedway's opening weekend, which includes practice for the Indianapolis 500. Speedway tickets for Sunday, which include admittance to the evGrandPrix, are $10. Tickets can be purchased at the gate or in advance at http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com
The evGrandPrix is an outgrowth of the Indiana Advanced Electric Vehicle Training and Education Consortium (I-AEVtec), which has developed degree and training programs for the electric-vehicle industry.
The International evGrandPrix grew out of the Purdue Electric Vehicle Grand Prix, first run in 2010. This year, 25 go-karts competed in the fourth Purdue evGrandPrix on April 27 with teams from Purdue, Ivy Tech and Vincennes University, all of which will compete at the International evGrandPrix.
In addition to race performance, evGrandPrix scoring is based on energy efficiency and engineering design.
Among the racers Sunday will be Purdue sophomore Jimmy Simpson, who won last year's Purdue and International evGrandPrix events, along with this year's Purdue evGrandPrix and Purdue's Grand Prix for gas-powered go-karts.
This year, Autodesk Inc., a maker of 3-D design, engineering and entertainment software, is the primary sponsor of the Purdue International evGrandPrix.
Dave "The King" Wilson, a WFBQ 95 radio personality and race announcer, will be commentator for the evGrandPrix.
More information on the Purdue International evGrandPrix can be found at http://www.evgrandprix.org
Writer: Judith Barra Austin, 765-494-2432, jbaustin@purdue.edu
Source: Danny White, Purdue motor sports outreach specialist, 765-496-7748, white66@purdue.edu