Going Home

On the flight home, the team was thinking about a new name for next year. But then we thought, we should keep the name Skiddles because it’s original, and when you say Skiddles, everyone will know its us. :] So we all agreed on keeping Skiddles. Then maybe, when we get another car, we can name it snickers :]

So we finally got back to New Britain at around 6:30. We’re pretty glad the week is over. It’s been a long week. We’ll finally be able to get some rest. The work, the arguments, the sweat, all paid off. J Can’t till next year. Driving from Texas to Colorado. That should be fun.

*The Skiddles team are going to modify the car so we can compete in classic division next year, and design a new car for the open division as well. Then, if we get enough funds we can compete in Australia for the Panasonic Solar Race in October of 2010.

-Skiddles

Day 6

We were all very sad today was the last day. :[ Our car didn’t go as well as we thought it would. One of the solar panels wasn’t charging enough so the car kept slowing down a lot. After a couple of laps we just decided to get off the track so the car could charge a little bit and go for the final finishing lap.

Quyen! Our only Driver.

At the awards ceremony, it was probably the happiest and the saddest moment. We were all happy because we placed SECOND!!!! And sad because tomorrow, we have to leave. :[ Congratulations to Houston team for the first place in Open Division and Classic Division. Good Job. Congratulations to Winston for second place in Classic division.

This is our first year in the competition, and placed second in the open division! Now aren’t you proud of us New Britain?!?And did i mention we received the Guntis Terauds Award!? :]

Skiddles!! & then theres Jonathan :]

Oh yeah, and we got 3rd place on the 100 meter dash. ^_^

- Skiddles

Day 5

Today Josh from the Houston team drove the car for us. Since we only have one driver, Quyen, and she was getting pretty tired. It was pretty cloudy today, so almost all the teams had trouble getting more laps in. We were hoping to get more than just 30 laps in today. But somehow our batteries kept dying even though it said it was fully charged. So we had to get off the track and fix that. All together we made 30 laps in today.

Today, we had the 100 meter dash competition, and the trailer competition. We did the 100 meter dash competition. It went pretty well. We didn’t even think about the trailer competition! Considering the size of our trailer! It’s too small!!! When we had to load it on to the trailer before we left, back in New Britain, it took hours! Next year, we’re going for the trailer competition though. :] When we get a bigger better trailer.

Look at Josh ^^ :] from the Houston Team

-Skiddles

Day 4

So now that we finally passed the general scrutineering, we have a couple more to do today. We’re almost there.

The electrical scrutineering was probably the easiest one! We just had to put some more electrical tape on some open bolts, so when people accidentally touch them, they don’t get shocked. And then were done! :] Next we had the endurance test. That one is where we go around the track once and then on the second lap, we have to fake a emergency stop, and the driver had to get out of the car. Then the rest of the team had to go out to the track and get it with the trailer. We passed that one as well. :] The tilt and turn test didn’t go so well. Since on of our wheels broke the day before, we were scared to do the tilt test (you had to tilt the car 20° and it had to be steady, on both sides!). Then we had to do the turning test. Ehhhh. At first it went too far, then it didn’t go far enough. So then we had to keep adjusting it, and then finally, about the seventh time, it went perfectly. The car turned better on the left side than the right. But we passed. :] Lastly, all we had left was the brake test. That took a quick 20 seconds!
And then…………..we finally got out on the track today!!! Yay! Everyone was just so happy. :] We didn’t have the car ready for the first session, so we raced in the afternoon session. We got in 20 laps. Not bad! :] it was the greatest feeling to finally see the car out on the track. Thank you to everyone that helped us out!! Biolxi, Houston, New York! ^_^ It was awesome! The car probably went 25 mph. At times the driver went so fast, we had to tell her to slow down.

We were supposed to have the 100 meter dash competition today, but since it was so cloudy, the judges delayed it until tomorrow. But we won 3rd place for the car carrying competition! We didn’t think we’d win anything because we dropped it, but wa-la we got a trophy. Never underestimate yourself! This is what you call a perfect day! :]

-Skiddles

Day 3

Today was the first day of racing. Sadly we weren’t able to race today. We haven’t passed all the scrutineering tests yet. So we worked as all the other teams went on the track. Everyone was pretty down. But the people who weren’t racing help us out. We had a lot of trouble with brakes. They needed to be bleed, and that took forever! (Bleeding the brakes is when you need to get all the air bubbles out of the mass cylinders or else the brakes wont work.) Then we connect the solar panels.

FINALLY we tested the car. IT WORKED!!!!!! We nearly screamed our heads off. We were soo happy. All the hard work paid off. The car went around the parking lot a couple of times. We all started making phone calls to everyone else back home. “We did it! It works!” and THEN, the car broke…………………. The driver didn’t want to hit the building so she took a sharp turn. Ehhhh. The left and the back wheel were turned at an angle and got twisted. So, we pushed the car back into the garage and took off the left and the back wheel. Work, heat, sweat. We were tired. When we were finally done putting everything back together, we went to the general scrutineering. We passed. Finally. Maybe, finally, we’ll get to race tomorrow. :]

At the end of the day, we went for the car carrying competition. What were we thinking?!? Our car weighs like 500 pounds!!! We dropped the car after a couple feet. :[

Alicja got tired ;]

Our car <3

-Skiddles

Day 2

We moved the car into the Texas Motor Speedway Garage Today. The track was beautiful. It was a longgg day today. Our main goal was to get pass the general scrutineering today so we can get the car out on the track tomorrow. We met a lot of new people from other states. The other cars were awesome, some great designs. They were all very friendly; they offered to help us out. :]

Sadly....we didnt get pass scruinteering today. :[

The boys working hard.

Dylan hard at work :]

- Skiddles

Day 1

It was SUCH a long day today! We all expected to come to Texas and enjoy the compition, no. When we arrived at the hotel, a beautiful one may i say, we met with Mr. Ouellette, then we checked in, and went to the team orientation. After the orientation, We found out that our car, just broke!!! and the first scruinteering was an hour away. The problem was that, since we had such a small trailor, We had to tilt the car to make it fit. So when we tilted the car, and on the way down to Texas, since our batteries were so heavy, they just slide to the front, and broke the auminum bar supporting it. The batteries were 75 pounds each! Then with the weight of the batteries, the shocks weren't able to support the weight, so have to take those off as well. Here's the list of things we had to do:

• Change the direction of the horns
• Lock tight al the bolts
• Take off the shocks & replace it with iron bars
• Fix crush zone.
• Fix battery box
• Fix wiring.

When we went for the first scruinteering, the judges told us we had to :

• Get a 5 point harness seat belt
• Grind down all the sharp edges
• Move the horns to the front
• Lock tight all the bolts again
• Label all the switches

It was a LONG day.

-Skiddles

Texas

Tomorrow morning we are heading off Texas!
Thank you to Mr. Rudnik, Mr. Mendito, Mr. Pelliter, Mr. Bennder, and of course, Mr. Ouellette! ♥

-Skiddles

Clean Up

We had to come one last day to clean up the mess we made in the metal shop! Thank you Mr. Rudnick! for staying after and letting us use the metal shop :] 2 more days until Texas!

-Skiddles

Too Small

Today, we loaded the car into the trailor. we'd expected it to take 20 minutes tops. it took hours! part of that reason is that we didn't get a good trailor. The traior we used was rented, and it wasn't even big enough! so it took hours to get the car on to the trailor!
*one thing to keep in mind, GET A BIGGER TRALIOR NEXT YEAR.

-Skiddles

Steering

The steering is the hardest part of the car. It's difficult! We worked on the steering for the whole day. And we also finished the shirts. They look great by the way. :] Today is our last day to work on the car, because tomorrow, Mr. Ouellette, our sponsor & mentor, is driving the car down to Texas. What a long trip! The steering took the whole day! and when i say whole day, i mean literally. We finally left at around 7!

We took a last group picture :]

-Skiddles