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So how did this car fare? Out of a total 60 cars that entered and arrived in California, Delaware finished square in the middle: 30th overall. While some would be disappointed with this finish, this was Delaware’s best finish to date. More importantly, the team accomplished its main goal, finishing every event. Never before had Delaware completed the entire competition, either failing to finish the Enduro or missing out on other Dynamic events. Best of all, after completing the Enduro (a feat many teams cannot claim), Delaware finished 5th in Fuel Economy! This was a complete surprise to the team, especially considering the very rough tune that was on the rich side. Delaware was even able to beat out the Honda Technical College team that builds a car to win Fuel Economy (HTC finished 8th in Fuel Economy).
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Lastly, it would be remiss to not show the final cockpit. Moving from left to right, we have the starter button, the brake bias adjuster, the AIM MXL dash, the radiator fan switch, the fuel injector cutoff (during testing the intake would sometimes flood with fuel after a stall. This switch turns off the injector so the driver can burn off the extra fuel), and the driver kill switch. All of the floor panels are aluminum and affixed with Velcro for easy removal if necessary. |
The team was very happy to finish this well, especially after losing both the clutch and shifter during the Enduro (the second half of the competition was completed in second gear only). The team plans to refine this design, lighten the car, and make it even better for 2012. With any luck, MotoIQ will be able to follow the team as it builds its new machine. A big thanks to MotoIQ for giving the University of Delaware the opportunity for this feature!
