PrISUm ExCYtor team shirt

This one I didn't really earn, but I was happy to accept it. This was from Iowa State's Sunrayce 97 team that had to overcome sooooo much adversity, it made my foray with the team in Sunrayce 95 look like a walk in a nice park.

Iowa State's cars are always #9, hence the number on the shirt. I always thought it appropriate, since it seems like that team has 9 lives.

The mean looking bird is Cy, Iowa State's mascot. This particular version, with the sunglasses, leaning and looking mean, was kind of a custom version for the solar car team. Can't recall who created it, but it's just right.

Iowa State's full name is Iowa State University of Science and Technology, and given the technical nature of solar car racing, it seems quite right to list the whole thing on the shirt.

The back lists the car's name: PrISUm ExCYtor along with all (or at least a bunch) of the team's sponsors.

As I recall, race regulations actually required all teams (first time in '97) to list the even sponsors on their t-shirts as sponsors.

Sunrayce 95 shirt from GM

I confess that this is one of my favorite pieces of solar crap.

This came, I believe, inside a backpack from the sponsors, that also contained all sorts of other goodies. But the shirt was cool. A big part of that was that it was NOT WHITE. It's going to be worn, sweated in, greased up, etc. So being NOT WHITE was a big bonus.

It's held up rather well, but I swear I haven't worn it in several years.

Got this back when I was actually racing, and not officiating.

EDS Sunrayce 99

I honestly don't recall getting this t-shirt. It is in such pristine shape, maybe Betsy had it squirreled away somewhere. I just don't know.

Therefore I don't really have any funny stories about this one. But I do really like the way the graphics on the back show both the start of the race (in D.C.) and the end (in Orlando - palm trees, natch). Thanks, EDS, for being a Sunrayce sponsor for so long!

I Got Scrutineered!

This must qualify as the most humorous "official" t-shirt. This was handed out at qualifiers, at Western Michigan University, for American Solar Challenge 2001. Front shows the ASC logo, and the back has the "scutineered" joke.

For those not in the know, scrutineered is racing jargon. A scrutineer is an inspector who makes sure the race cars are safe and meet all regulations, hence "scrutineering"

This shirt is not in good shape, although I'm not sure why. Don't recall it getting so dirty at ASC.

ASC 2001 was the last solar car event I attended or helped out with.

Sunrayce 99 Staff T-Shirt

This is actually Betsy's...she worked at the finish line of Sunrayce 99 at Epcot Center. That parking lot, as I recall, was like one big oven!

As I recall, temporary staff got t-shirts, with the more "permanent" staff getting polos. Could be wrong.

It's held up quite well. Love that green color, too.

World Solar Challenge "Swiss Army" Knife

I must have gotten this during Sunrayce 97. Two representatives from the World Solar Challenge (the world's premiere solar car event, held in Australia) were visiting to speak with my boss. I met with them, and got a polo (see later post) and I think later on Dan gave me this knife.

I never did make it to Australia, either as a solar car racer or as an official. Or even as a tourist, for that matter. But I did think about it quite a bit.

This knife ended up in the bottom of one of my many tool boxes, where it languished for a while. I re-discovered it, and brought it inside. Still not really using it, but it does look nice, doesn't it?

Sunrayce 93 Dress Uniform

Our racing team for Sunrayce 93 had a full set of clothes for our uniform. One important component was the "dress" uniform that we wore to the opening and closing banquets. They were pretty nice, eh?