After spending the previous day performing tests at the Royal Flying Doctor Service's emergency landing airstrip, we set out this morning for Adelaide and the finish of our Mock Race. Our starting location was approximately 50 km north of Glendambo, leaving us around 670 km (418 mi) from the finish of timing outside Adelaide. We started at 8:00 AM with sunny skies at last--quite a relief after the weather of previous days.

Although we had only a small amount of energy left from the three cloudy days before, along with a threat of more clouds in the afternoon, we were able to cruise at over 90-95 km/hr (56-59 mph) in the morning. Thanks to the forecasts of our meteorologist, Chris McMeeking, we were able to track the clouds well ahead of Infinium. In the afternoon, when we were sure that we would not run into significant cloud cover, we started to cruise near the speed limit of 110 km/hr (69 mph). After three days of miserable weather, it was encouraging to be able to travel closer to race speeds.

We hit our control points in Glendambo and Port Augusta, and finished at the end of timing outside Adelaide with time to spare before the end of the race day. Best of all, we had perfect reliability on the car, with no time on the side of the road! Each of the divisions on our Race Crew truly deserves praise for their part in today's success: Engineering, for ensuring the car was reliable enough to last through the grueling mock race; Strategy, for tracking such unpredictable weather and managing our batteries through the cloudy days; and Operations, for keeping our whole team going through five long days and four nights in the Outback's ever-changing conditions.

With exactly three weeks until the Global Green Challenge starts, we have readied Infinium and ourselves for the trials of the Outback and will now turn our focus to the final details of our race preparations.

-Steve Hechtman, Race Manager

Phoenix Trailer and Body Company of New Hudson, MI is helping with maintenance and outfitting of the team’s semi-trailer for the 2009 World Solar Challenge.  The 1999 team procured a sponsorship from Scientific Leasing that provided us with the semi-trailer that we still use today. During races, it serves as a mobile machine shop, safe transport for the solar car, and storage for all of the team’s gear. Doc Buttermore, the owner of Pheonix Trailer, helped the team with the original outfitting and custom design of the interior.  Now almost a decade later, he has again kindly agreed to sponsor the team as we work to give the semi-trailer a face lift and makeover of sorts.

Last month, Precision Generators of Byron, MI sponsored a complete repair of the semi’s generator--thankfully there are no more leaks. And on Thursday, we went to Phoenix Trailer (the semi-trailer’s temporary home) to remove the graphic wrap from the Continuum project. The wrap is basically one giant sticker used in place of an old school paint job. Now, the Operations Division is designing a fresh and fancy wrap with the names and logos of new and returning sponsors for the 2009-2010 Infinium project. 

 Much of our time this summer will be spent getting the semi-trailer race ready once again before it ships out with Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics. This would not be possible without the support of sponsors, Chito Garcia, and all of the Infinium team members, so thank you!