Thread: Electrathon - A Different Kind of "Hotrod"

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A good season indeed! Well done Jim, congratulations!

I got off to a really slow start this season. I had my second round of Covid in late July (Yes, I am fully vaccinated and boosted) and I had the post-Covid fatigue that hung on until after Christmas. On top of that, I pinched my sciatic nerve in mid-September and it almost crippled me. I walked with a cane for about a month and I still have a limp when I get tired. Therefore, I missed the first half of the racing season because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get out of the cars after a race! So.., the first race of the season was rained out and I just didn't go to the next four.

Finally, on February 11th I went to the University of South Florida race in Tampa. I took my red #13 car to run in the Advanced Battery class. I ran this same car at this race last year and hadn't run it since. Nothing was changed, so I expected to do OK with it. Unfortunately, I was involved in a little "bump and grind" incident with another car about 10 minutes into the first race that knocked off my chain. (Damage shown in pic 1 below) I coasted to the pits and, after re-installing the chain, I ran the car on the jack to check chain tension, sprocket alignment, etc. Everything seemed good (pic 2), so I strapped back in and rejoined the fray. Something was wrong, though, because every time I went around a right turn at speed, the chain was screaming. I made 3 laps and the chain jumped off again. I coasted to the pits and quit.

During the break between races, I re-inspected everything. Chain alignment was good. I tightened chain tension slightly. When the second race started, the chain was making bad sounds again on every right turn. I was puzzled; it lasted 11 minutes and the chain jumped again. I coasted to the pits and parked it for the remainder of the day. The only thing I could imagine was something must have been bent slightly in the earlier episode and I would have to investigate later when I could remove the body panels and do some measuring.

I finally got to spend some time on the car on Wednesday after the race. I couldn't find anything wrong at first. Everything measured correctly and everything looked normal, so I started looking for less obvious problems. Finally, I noticed on the left end of the axle, it appeared that the nut had moved in the fork flange! I grabbed a wrench and, sure enough, the axle was not completely tight on that end. It was snug, but not tight. I tightened it, of course, and I found no other faults anywhere. I hope it's fixed. I cleaned the tire marks off the rear body panel and bumped out the dent with a composite hammer. The white finish is a little discolored where the tire burned it, but it's good for now (pic 3). Next race is March 11th; we'll see what happens then.

Shame you couldn't finish the race and the scar adds character... I know, easy for me to say.
Thanks for the update -I always enjoy reading about your races,

Glad your fealing better. A friend of mine got covid around the same time as you. Just when he felt a little better he got pneumonia, and then the Flu. He took a big hit physically and is just now able to do things without rapid fatigue. I have sciatica on my left hip, it rears it's ugly head when I don't get out and exercise enough. I feel your pain litteraly. Glad you figured out the chain issue fingers crossed for your next race.

Glad your able to get back in racing. Is there a place you can test it before the race?

Well, I've been remiss in my reporting, so I apologize for that...
The March race was supposed to be our annual "Dash races" on a high school oval. That's where we suspend the 1-hour format and run 20-minute races. We get to gear the cars up and run as fast as we dare since battery life is not an issue in a 20-minute race. Unfortunately, the school where we were supposed to run cancelled the venue and the race organizers had to move the race. They moved it to a parking lot course at a different school that is a big triangle with one unusually tight corner. I don't think that particular course is suitable for the high-speed Dash races. Also, that venue is 3 hours away from me. I decided not to attend and I'm glad I didn't. The bad corner I mentioned caused two rollovers and one crash. The crash, thankfully, didn't cause any injuries, but one of the rollovers caused some severe bruising on one driver.
In April we raced at the Solar Energy Center in Cocoa, Florida. This is a course we have run several times and it seems to further deteriorate every year. It was so rough in one section this year that I dropped out of the race after about 15 minutes. I was running my purple Open Class car. At least two other cars dropped out because the beating actually broke something in their steering or suspension. Between races, the race organizers rearranged the course to eliminate the rough section. I finished the full hour in the second race and got enough total laps to get second place!

The final race of the season was at Mulberry High School in Mulberry, Florida (just south of Lakeland). I took two cars to the race, my purple #94 Open Class car and my red #13 Advanced Battery class car. The original intent was to let Isabella ("Bella") Burkhardt drive the purple car and I would drive the red car. However, when I got to the track, I ended up letting Jason Gaschel and Brian Kitchner share the driving duties in the red car.

Bella drove her first race of any kind ever to a 3rd place finish in a 6-car field. Jason and Brian garnered a 2nd place in a 4-car field. Bella, Jason, and Brian are all representatives from Florida Power and Light. They were getting a first-hand taste of Electrathon competition because they are recruiting and helping sponsor some new teams for next season! Thank you Jason, Bella, and Brian and thanks to FPL.

That's awesome!

The 2023-24 season kicked off on September 16th at Hillsborough Community College. Unfortunately, I didn't get to go. My collapsed left arch decided to flare up and keep me off my feet all week, so I didn't have my E-car ready to go. The second race was at the Kirkland Ranch Academy in Wesley Chapel, Florida. I didn't attend that one either - it's a 3-hour drive to get there and almost 4 hours to get home because of afternoon traffic in and around Orlando. It's just not worth it to me...

This past Saturday, November 4th, we had a race at Plant City High School. I took my Open Class car. The racecourse is set up in the front parking lot. It's a long narrow space, so the course has two long straights connected by a hairpin turn at each end. The backstretch has a double chicane in it to make it more interesting for both drivers and spectators. The surface is relatively bump-free, but it's old sunbeaten asphalt that is very hard on tires.

There were 11 cars entered, but only 3 in the Open Standard Battery class. The first race went smoothly. I hadn't driven since last April, so I was taking it easy and getting re-acquainted with my car and its "feel". Rodney Schreck won it by 4 laps over me and a new entry from Florida State University. I got second by a scant half lap. For the second race I picked up my pace a bit and was running with the leaders. The FSU car dropped out at about 15 minutes with a flat tire, so I thought it would be an easy run to second place. At about the 30-minute mark, the FSU car rejoined the fray with a new tire. We were red flagged a few laps later because the scoring apparatus had come unplugged and laps were not being counted! After a 6-minute delay we continued. All was going well until about 19 minutes to go when my rear tire went flat! I limped to the pits and became a spectator. In the end, Rodney Schreck won our class by 20 laps and the FSU car beat me by 4 laps. Maybe next time...

During the previous week, I had switched motors in my E-cars. My Open Class car now has the Motenergy ME-909 motor. It has a higher power rating than the Etek I took out. Because it runs at a different rpm, the ME-909 requires a lower gear ratio. The end result is faster acceleration when needed and better efficiency overall. The Optima Yellowtop batteries I have are 7 years and 9 months old! I wasn't sure they could even last a full hour, but they did. However, they do start showing some weakness after the 35-40 minute mark; I guess it's time to replace...

Well, I have been really lax in my reporting this season. It's mainly because I haven't been as active as past seasons. I have been beset with health issues at inopportune times that kept me away from racing dates...

On December 2nd there was a race at Mulberry High School, but I was in Miami presenting a seminar on Electrathon car assembly (Pic below. I'm the old gray beard guy in the center). I was representing Florida Power and Light and doing the presentation to three of the schools that received FPL car kits, so I consider this an excused absence. The Vice-president of Electrathon America, Steve Archer, attended this seminar and took notes. The following week he did a similar presentation to three more teams in the Pensacola area.

I had a stent put in one of the arteries on my heart on December 11th. I felt good and everything checked out OK when i went for my 2-week follow up. Unfortunately, after New Years I started feeling tired all the time and was getting weaker. I missed the race on January 20th at Middleton high School because I was in no shape to go. Finally, on January 22nd I ended up in the hospital; my medications were causing me to bleed internally. Long story short - I spent 7 days and nights in the hospital and missed the Jacksonville race on the 27th.

So sorry for your medical issues, Jim! The adage "Getting Old Ain't For Sissies" rings true but seems trite. Hoping that you are recovering well, and that we'll see some glowing reports of Electrathon wins in the coming months!! I enjoy seeing your reports, and your encouragement to the young guns who are racing!!

I got out of the hospital on January 29th, just in time to do another seminar on the 31st! This one was at the Florida Solar Energy Center in Cocoa, Florida, just 20 miles from home. Four more schools attended this one. FPL has seeded 10 new teams this season and plan to seed 10 more next season! After that, who knows?

The University of South Florida's annual Engineering Fair was the weekend of February 10th. They host an Electrathon race in conjunction with the fair every year and it is one of Electrathon Florida's favorite events. Unfortunately, I was still recovering from my hospital stay and was too weak to attend. The next race, on March 2nd, was our annual "Dash Races" where the races are shortened from 1 hour to 20 minutes each. Without the need to conserve battery power, we can gear the cars up and let 'em fly. Unfortunately, Electrathon Florida chose to run this event at Kirkland Ranch. I just can't bring myself to travel 3+ hours there and 4 hours back to run two 20-minute sprints on a track that I deem unsuitable for a speed contest. So, I did not attend.

April 20th brought our annual race at the Florida Solar Energy Center. The course was redesigned this year to avoid a car-breaking bump from previous years, but it was still awfully rough. I had bought new batteries and converted my car to a 36-volt system. The difference in acceleration was impressive and I managed a 2nd place finish in the first race. The second race started out OK, but about 20 minutes in the race my seat pan broke loose and my butt cheeks were about .040 inch (aluminum thickness) from becoming friction brakes!

May 5th was our final regular season race at Mulberry High School. I took both cars. My red #13 Advanced Battery car hadn't been run since this same race last year. Just as we were staging for the first race, I discovered my purple #94 Open Standard car had a flat rear tire! It was OK when I loaded the cars Friday evening and still OK when we unloaded in the pits earlier that morning, but... Ryan Norden started the race in #13 while I stayed in the pits changing the rear tire on #94. The 13 car started shutting off every few minutes just like last year. Apparently, the modifications I made to cool the battery didn't help; the BMS in the batteries must be defective. When Ryan came into the pits for the umpteenth time with about 20 minutes remaining, I told him to get out of 13 and take the (now repaired) 94. He did and he turned some impressively fast laps. For the second race of the day I had Ryan stay in the 94 and I started the race in 13. After about 20 minutes and having to restart the 13 a dozen times, I parked it. Ryan continued in the 94 and ran to a 2nd place finish. With the abbreviated first race combined with the second (total laps), Ryan in the 94 earned a 3rd place class finish (5 cars).

At the awards banquet (after the races), it was announced that FPL was going to host a race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on June 8th!

Sorry to here you were in Hospital, but love reading this thread every time you get to update it. Plus you have a great way of putting things, like the 0.04 clearance buttcheeks and braking! Keep it up, and considering the problems you guys seem to always finish somewhere in the top three positions

It’s great to hear the updates Jim. I’ve been wondering where you have been. Let me know if you have any races coming up on the Tampa side of the state. I’d like to stop by if I can.

I meant to do this right after my last post but got sidetracked (again!) ...

Anyway, we had a race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on June 8th, sponsored by Florida Power and Light. I hate driving the highways around Miami. Everybody drives like they're late for something and they run bumper-to-bumper. If the speed limit is 70, that's just a suggestion. If you're running under 85 you're likely to get run over. I don't mind going fast if I'm familiar with the roads, but if you aren't sure where you're going, it's helpful to run a little slower so you can find the road signs and markings. HA! The drivers down there are about as courteous as rattlesnakes... Aside from getting there, it was a fun time.

Saturday, June 8th was a new experience for most of the race teams. We were treated like VIP's. Each team was assigned a garage just like professional racers from NASCAR or IndyCar. Florida Power and Light had everything well planned. They had bottled water on ice for free all day and a whole bevvy of people to give assistance wherever and whenever needed. The track staff provided the flagman, safety crews and trucks, and even an air-conditioned suite for spectators. Everything ran very smoothly... except the weather.

As we were staging the cars for the first race, it started sprinkling rain. It didn't rain hard, just a steady sprinkle that lasted about 30 minutes. When it finally stopped everything was nice and wet - cars, drivers, and most importantly the track. Thirteen cars finally took the green about 9:25 AM. I had arrived at the track later than planned that morning (bad directions from a hotel worker) and had no practice laps, so I didn't know the track. I took the first part of that first lap fairly conservatively, when I came off the infield part of the course onto the main straightaway, I cranked up the throttle to about 80%. I was clocked at 43 mph on the frontstretch. OK, now I knew the track layout, I would turn a faster lap... so I thought.

As I turned off the frontstretch onto the infield road course, I ran across a trickle of water that was only about 1/4 inch deep. When I picked up the throttle again, the car died! I was absolutely stunned. I played with the throttle and the dead-man switch and got going about walking speed. I limped back to the garage and parked. I put the car on the jack and tried everything I could think of. I blew out the controls with compressed air - no good. I borrowed a heat gun and dried them out more - no good. Between races Rodney Schreck and I replaced the potentiometer (throttle) - no good. One fairly good lap in the first race followed by the slow limp back to the pits and one trial lap in the second race gave me a total of 3 laps and I was done for the day! CRAP!

Anyway, all three of the Miami area teams that FPL gave cars to were there, the FPL-seeded team from Lyman High (Longwood, FL) was there, and one of the FPL-seeded teams from Pensacola was there with 2 cars (Pensacola to Miami is an eleven-hour drive! That's dedication!). Rodney Schreck, Florida State University of Jacksonville, and I were the three entrants in the Open Standard class. Cliff Rassweiler was the only entrant in the Advanced Battery class. When it was over, the High School class was won by the team from Pensacola (25 laps) in the FPL-seeded car that I designed. FSU broke on the first lap and was scored 0 laps, I was scored with 3 laps (second place), and Rodney turned 26 laps total (57.2 miles) for the win. In fact, he turned more laps than anyone in the car I built for him in 2012! (Yes, I'm bragging again.) Cliff's Advanced Battery car broke its brand-new 3D printed rear swing arm on the first lap and was scored 0 laps.

After the racing was over, we loaded up and reconvened in the infield building for a buffet lunch. After the lunch we moved across the hall to another room for trophy presentation. Second place earned me a nice plaque. With all the disappointment of my car quitting, it was still an enjoyable experience. Will I go there again? Absolutely! I hate the Miami area traffic, but it's worth it. There is talk of us running there again in January and also possible races at Sebring and Daytona. If it happens, I'll post it all here. Meantime, any of you who might be in the Tampa area during our racing season, come and see what Electrathon is all about.

By the way - there was one other car that had the same problem! After my car had 48 hours to dry out, everything works perfectly! I was under the impression that my controller is waterproof.., it's not. Before I run it again the controller will be protected from splashing water.