Solar cars scrutinised before major race

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Hundreds of students and motoring enthusiasts are gathering in Darwin for the first stage of scrutineering for an international solar car race.

A pavilion at the Darwin Showgrounds has been transformed into a pit bay to check 12 solar cars from Australia, Japan, the Netherlands and Great Britain.

Volunteer scrutineers are testing rear vision indicators, brake lights, batteries, car weights, rollover protection and the tyres of these cockroach-like creations that will reach speeds of over 100 kmh in the race from Darwin to Adelaide, which begins on Sunday.

The Delft University team has taken home the prestigous Silver Sun trophy for the last four international solar car races.

But for the last three weeks they have been working round the clock to repair the Nuna 5 after it rolled during testing in Darwin when it burst a rear tyre.

The shell was split and the motor and wheel severed from the chassis but it is now back together again.

The Turkish team also suffered a setback when the vehicle towing their solar car rolled south of Alice Springs.

Solar cars scrutinised before major race - Yahoo!7 News