Land Speed Record Entry Expected to Reach 180 mph

TOOELE VALLEY, UTAH — Miller Motorsports Park is not unaccustomed to seeing sleek, fast, state-of-the-art racing vehicles on its tarmac. However, the vehicle that will take to the track on Tuesday, July 27, may be the fastest –¬ and the quietest – to date.

The Ira Fulton College of Engineering and Technology at Brigham Young University has prepared a unique entry for the Bonneville Salt Flats this season. Four and one half years of student effort have resulted in a lightweight, battery-powered streamliner capable of 180 mph. It will be tested at Miller Motorsports Park from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 27.

The vehicle will compete in the electric class E1 at the Bonneville Salt Flats, requiring that the finished race car weigh less than 1100 pounds. This has been a difficult goal to achieve until the availability of new Lithium Ion (LiI) batteries that provide sufficient energy storage to achieve high speeds while keeping the car under the required weight limit.

The BYU streamliner features a 150 kw AC induction motor powered by a pack of 880 LiI cells. The motor will pull up to 400 amps at 396 volts for a total of 212 hp. Power is transferred to the axle via a toothed belt and using only one speed. It is front-wheel driven with 65 percent of the vehicle weight on the front wheels. The two rear wheels are arranged in line to accommodate a narrow, teardrop-shape body (see attached Info Sheet and photo).

More than 100 students from majors both inside and outside the BYU College of Engineering have contributed to the design and construction of the streamliner. Support from external donors and many sponsors has made the project possible.

The BYU Streamliner team will attempt to set a new land speed record in the E1 class when Speed Weeks at the Bonneville Salt Flats gets underway on August 14. The car's driver this year will be Jim Burkdoll of Ogden, Utah, a veteran land-speed driver and current president of the Utah Salt Flats Racing Association.

Miller Motorsports Park has agreed to allow the BYU team to conduct preliminary tests of the streamliner on their smooth, 3500-foot straightaway. The tests will verify that the motor, controller and battery system function properly, and that the car handles and stops safely. Such testing is essential for a vehicle that has less than one inch of ground clearance and a 200-yard turning radius.

The public is invited to come out and observe the test at no cost.

For more information on the BYU Streamliner program, visit www.BYUStreamliner.com. For more information regarding Miller Motorsports Park, call 435-277-RACE (7223) or visit www.MillerMotorsportsPark.com.