OSU plans 24-hour run for CNG race car
Monday, June 27, 2011
“Several volunteer drivers, who've been involved with various aspects of the race car, will take the wheel to help us go the distance and finish the run by the next morning,” said Jim Beckstrom, adviser to OKstate Racing, a student-run Formula SAE racing team at OSU.
The event is another first for the car, which was recently converted to run on compressed natural gas with funding and assistance from Tulsa Gas Technologies. Chesapeake Energy and TGT will provide the fuel for the car's 24-hour run. Structural Composites Industries, a Worthington Cylinders Company, donated the specialized, bright orange gas cylinder.
“This has never been done before with this fuel in this engine, so we don't actually know if we'll survive all 24 hours,” added Beckstrom, “We have no reason to think that we'll break, but we're trying to manage expectations.”
This would also be the first SAE Formula car event in the U.S. to be over 30 minutes in length, according to Beckstrom, who said the plan is to run rain or shine, barring any severe weather.
“We hope this attempt will help more individuals understand that natural gas is a practical transportation fuel, and see how OKstate Racing's Formula SAE program is equipping students and growing OSU's human technical capability in natural gas.”
OKstate Racing, which includes student volunteers from various majors, is overseen by the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology at OSU.
Hallett Motor Racing Circuit is a 1.8 mile, 10 turn road racing course, located at the Highway 99 exit of the Cimarron Turnpike between Stillwater and Tulsa.