HPVC Event Set for Weekend of April 29-May 1
Three-time Champion Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Looks to Defend Title
Demonstration by World Record Cyclist Sam Whittingham
NEW YORK, April 14, 2011 – The world famous Indianapolis
Motor Speedway will be the site of the 2011 ASME Human Powered Vehicle Challenge-East.
This 3-day engineering competition, presented annually by ASME (American Society
of Mechanical Engineers), will feature highly advanced human powered vehicles
designed and fabricated by some of today’s best and brightest mechanical
engineering students. Teams will compete in a series of events focused on
the vehicles’ overall performance, speed, safety and technical design.
The Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (Terre Haute, Ind.), the 2011-East
co-host and three-time defending HPVC champion, will lead a field of nearly
40 colleges and universities participating in this year’s event.
The ASME Human Powered Vehicle Challenge provides an opportunity for undergraduate
and graduate engineering students to demonstrate the application of sound
engineering design principles in the development of sustainable and practical
transportation alternatives. To prepare for the competition, students worked
in teams to design and build efficient, highly engineered vehicles for both
speed and everyday use – from commuting to work to transporting goods.
“The ASME competition brings classroom engineering theory and design
to actual concept and fabrication,” said ASME President Robert T. Simmons,
P.E. “These highly talented students learn to work in a team environment,
thus providing them with some of the tools and experience they will need to
be successful in the engineering workforce.”
On April 29, from 4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m., all competitors and their vehicles
will participate in an event photo, followed by a demonstration by world human
powered speed record holder, Sam Whittingham. Whittingham will take to the
IMS track in his record-breaking "Varna Diablo" recumbent bicycle,
a speedbike that reached a record 82.819 mph (133.284 km/h) in 2009, according
to the International Human Powered Vehicle Association. Whittingham will also
be the keynote speaker at the awards banquet following the ASME competition.
All-day events on April 30 will feature the HPVC Sprint and Utility Endurance
events. The Sprint event, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., will test the vehicles
for maximum speed and will take place at the west side straightaway of the
speedway along pit row. The Utility Endurance event, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00
p.m., will test the vehicles’ ability to negotiate turns and other obstacles,
while serving as functional transportation for everyday use. The Utility Endurance
event will be held on the infield shifter cart course at the northwest end
of the track.
The final day of competition, on May 1, will showcase the Speed Endurance
event, a grueling 2.5- hour marathon-style endurance race, testing the skills
and stamina of the drivers and pushing the speed, stability and overall soundness
of the vehicles to their limits. This all-out race to the finish will also
be held on the shifter cart course.
All race and skills events on Saturday, April 30, are free and open to the
general public.
At the conclusion of all events, top-ranking teams will be awarded cash prizes
and team trophies during an awards banquet held at the Brickyard Crossing
pavilion.
PARTICIPATING TEAMS ROSTER
2011 ASME Human Powered Vehicle Challenge EAST
Apr 29-May 1 – Indianapolis, Ind.
#28 ASU HPV, Arkansas State University
#11 Fifty-one-Fifty, California State University Fresno
#20 CCSU HPV Tea, Central Connecticut State University
#14 exito, Chitkara Institute of engineering and technology
#25 City Bullet, City College of New York
#15 Ram Chops, Colorado State University
#12 Team BikeFAST, Daniel Webster College
#29 The Flea, Ferris State University
#21 Pantera, Florida Institute of Technology
#4 Shadowfax, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering
#36 Roceinante, Grove City College
#24 Titan, Missouri University of Science and Technology
#16 Carbon Express, New Jersey Institute of Technology
#30 NDSU HPV, North Dakota State University
#31 The Orka, Northern Arizona University
#3 Bearly Racing, Ohio Northern University
#17 Orange and Black Shark Attack, Rochester Institute of Technology
#1 Helios, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
#13 Nottmobile, Union College
#38 UCV HPV, Universidad Central de Venezuela
#26 Thisismech, Universidad de Los Andes
#23 Blue Streak, University of Akron
#18 The Unsinkable Tritanic, University of Alabama
#19 U AZ HPV, University of Arizona
#32 LandShark, University of Central Florida
#33 Bi-winning cycle, University of Kansas
#34 The Big Beam, University of Missouri-Kansas City
#27 The Belter, University of Oklahoma
#5 Vortex, University of Toronto
#37 UWM HPV, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
#2 Moo Mobile, University of Wisconsin- Madison
#35 Spiral 1, Villanova University
#39 Gator Unit, University of Florida
About ASME
ASME helps the global engineering community develop solutions to real world
challenges. Founded in 1880 as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers,
ASME is a not-for-profit professional organization that enables collaboration,
knowledge sharing and skill development across all engineering disciplines,
while promoting the vital role of the engineer in society. ASME codes and
standards, publications, conferences, continuing education and professional
development programs provide a foundation for advancing technical knowledge
and a safer world.