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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nRace & Performance Highlights<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Event:<\/strong> An eight-day, 1,500-mile cross-country endurance rally running from Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Amarillo, Texas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Distance & Efficiency:<\/strong> Driving their upgraded solar vehicle, Spark MK 2.5<\/strong>, the team completed 1,248.1 official miles<\/strong> while accumulating only 11 penalty miles<\/strong>\u2014giving them one of the cleanest driving records in the entire field.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- National Standing:<\/strong> Phoenix Racing placed behind only the University of Washington (4th overall) and Stanford University (5th overall) among American competitors. They finished ahead of long-established collegiate programs, including UC Berkeley and the University of Florida.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- International Top 3:<\/strong> The overall podium was claimed by international powerhouses: KU Leuven (Belgium) in 1st, TU Delft (Netherlands) in 2nd, and \u00c9TS Montr\u00e9al (Canada) in 3rd.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Warm-Up Success<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Warm-Up Success<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Just prior to the cross-country challenge, Phoenix Racing placed second among U.S. teams and fifth overall<\/strong> at the qualifying Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix track race in Brainerd, Minnesota, completing 235 laps (728 miles).<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n The 2026 cross-country debut highlights a rapid rise for the young program, which built its first competition vehicle just two years ago.<\/sup> The team is already preparing to optimize vehicle aerodynamics, dynamics, and weight reduction ahead of the 2027 Formula Sun Grand Prix and the 2028 American Solar Challenge.<\/sup><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Florida Polytechnic University’s solar racing team, Phoenix Racing, finished sixth overall and third among U.S. teams in its debut at the 2026 Electrek American Solar Challenge. 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