ASC 2024 Info - Strategy Team

American Solar Challenge (ASC) (this document ASC2024)

Race Logistics

The Tour consists of a series of Stages. Stages include a Base Route, Checkpoint(s), and optional Loops. Standard Tour Day is 9am - 6pm (9 hours)

Each Stage begins with a Staged Start (all cars released from the same point in 1-minute intervals, and by the end of the driving day the team should reach the next Stage Point). 

I highly recommend reading through a couple slides here. This was the Route Book for the 2022 race. In each stage you can see there is checkpoint and loop info. Teams that qualify for the Tour will get the Route Book. 

Note: Loops are not considered to be part of the Base Route. Teams that fail to complete the Base Route are ranked below teams that do. 

Scoring

The team that completes the most miles wins (Official Distance). 

Race Elements

Checkpoints

Mandatory stop in a predetermined location. Checkpoints remain open for a certain number of hours. 

Official Checkpoint Arrival Time is based on the entry at an Open Checkpoint. Teams entering an open checkpoint are subject to a mandatory 45 minute hold time. (Failing to stop at a checkpoint results in no credit for distance driven beyond that). If a Checkpoint has an Earliest Release Time, no teams can proceed to the next Base Leg before this time. 

If a team doesn’t run Loops, their Checkpoint Release Time will be when they finish serving their Checkpoint Hold Time. If a team runs Loops, their Checkpoint Release Time will be when they finish serving their Loop Hold Time after the successful completion of their final valid Loop (see Loops for more information).

After a certain number of hours, Checkpoints shut down and become Closed. Teams do not have to stop at Closed Checkpoints and should proceed along the Base Leg.  

Stages

Stage Finishes are a mandatory stopping point for all teams. The Stage Finish opens based on the fastest car and closes at a predetermined time (announced in the pre-Tour briefing). 

Here are the stages if you are interested:

Stage 1:

July 20th – Start: Adventure Science Center; Nashville, TN

July 20th – Checkpoint: Downtown Paducah Farmers Market; Paducah, KY

July 21st – Finish: Southern Illinois University Edwardsville; Edwardsville, IL

Stage 2:

July 22nd – Start: Southern Illinois University Edwardsville; Edwardsville, IL

July 22nd – Checkpoint: Missouri State Capitol; Jefferson City, MO

July 23rd – Checkpoint: Uptown Farmers Market; Independence, MO

July 23rd – Finish: Pony Express National Museum; St. Joseph, MO

Stage 3:

July 24th – Start: Pony Express National Museum; St. Joseph, MO

July 24th – Checkpoint: Homestead National Historical Park; Beatrice, NE

July 25th – Checkpoint: Kearney Archway; Kearney, NE

July 26th – Finish: Scotts Bluff National Monument; Gering, NE

Stage 4:

July 27th – Start: Scotts Bluff National Monument; Gering, NE

July 27th – Finish Line: National Historic Trails Interpretive Center; Casper, WY

Loops

At Stage Finishes and Checkpoints, teams can drive an optional Loop to increase their distance for that segment. 

At checkpoints, teams can proceed to Loops after serving their 45 minute hold time.

At the end of each loop, teams must serve a mandatory 15 minute Hold Time before beginning their next loop (or continue along the base leg). 

Loops cannot be started at the end of day grace period. For the teams that complete at least one valid Loop, their Official Loop Start Time will be when they began their first loop from the Checkpoint/Stage Stop

Loops that are partially completed by the Loop Close Time (for checkpoints) or the Stage Close Time are not valid. 

Charging

Natural solar radiation is the only source of energy that can be used for propulsion (except for energy stored in the car’s battery at the beginning of the event). Energy recovered from the motion of the car may also be used. 

Charging is allowed during mandatory Hold Times (so this includes checkpoints), as well as pre-race and post-race. 

Charging areas are provided for teams at Stage Stops. At Non-Stage Stops, teams are responsible for choosing appropriate charging areas. 

Charging from the solar collector while Trailering is allowed during non-impound hours.

Others

Drafting is not allowed

Elektrek Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP) (this document FSGP2023)

Date: July 16 - July 18

Day 1: 10am - 6pm

Day 2 & 3: 9am - 5pm

Format

Winner is determined by the total number of laps completed over 3 days of racing, 8 hours each day. 

Scoring

Scoring is based on the highest overall distance driven (which is essentially most laps completed over the duration of the event). Ties are broken via lowest overall official elapsed time or fastest lap

Team & driver that completes the fastest single lap around the track is recognized at the awards ceremony

Race Logistics

All cars can begin with a fully charged battery pack. Once the event begins, charging can only occur using the car’s array in designated charging areas (14.12.A)

Start order is determined by performance at Scrutineering (14.9.B) (and subsequent days based on previous lap count (14.9.C)

Speed limit is max 104.2 km/h (14.13.A)