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SARSEF

Every child. Thinking critically. Solving problems.

Racing the Sun

  • Competition
  • Grades 9–12
  • Throughout Arizona
  • Fall–Spring

Racing the Sun (RTS) is a hands-on, innovative engineering program that challenges high school students to design, build, and race electric and solar-powered go-karts. Racing the Sun is a college preparatory program available to any Arizona high school.   

Working with teachers, mentors and industry professional advisors, students spend nine months preparing for Race Day. Along the way, they apply the principles of physics, engineering, and energy. Through collaborative efforts with school sites and educators, race teams solve real-world problems, using mathematical, analytical, and critical thinking skills. Students work in teams and are challenged to translate their ideas into a working prototype and build leadership excellence skills.

Students gain valuable real-world skills

Students spend nine months preparing for Race Day with the support of their teachers and mentors. Along the way, they apply concepts from physics, engineering, and energy to solve real-world problems through collaboration within their teams.

Interpersonal skills

  • Teamwork
  • Critical thinking
  • Communication
  • Adaptability
  • Social skills

Technical skills

  • Mechanical engineering
  • Electrical engineering
  • Math
  • Physics
  • Fabrication

Workforce skills

  • Project management
  • Leadership
  • Fundraising
  • Marketing
  • Budgeting

How it works

Racing the Sun runs throughout the school year, beginning with Orientation in September and culminating with Race Day in late April. Throughout the year, Faculty Advisors support their teams in designing and building their solar-powered karts.

Before building

  • Faculty advisors decide on kart types and register their teams
  • Registered faculty advisors attend orientation and invite students to join their teams
  • Participants learn the basics at Workshops Day

While Designing and Building

  • Students meet regularly as a class or after school to plan, design, and build their karts
  • Students present their progress to mentors and make changes through iterations
  • Students visit companies and universities on Career Day

After building

  • Teams undergo safety checks and conduct trial runs on Test Day
  • Teams present their work to industry judges
  • Teams compete on Race Day
Two standard team go-karts lined up on a track with participants wearing helmets. Two other people stand behind the karts.

Team types

Racing the Sun is a rigorous and challenging program. The student teams must compete under a set of rules designed to promote competition fairness. All teams are provided with identical solar panels and may compete using one of three types of go-karts:

$4,750

The Standard Kart uses a pre-fabricated steel frame chassis. This kart is great for first-year teams, schools with less technical expertise, or those lacking specialized facilities and equipment. The standard kart chassis is not meant to be modified.

$2,750

The Standard Kart uses a pre-fabricated steel frame chassis. This is a division for second-year schools. Uses existing standard kart with updated components.

$2,750

The legacy kart is a standard kart provided previous to the 2021-2022 season and can be modified or unmodified from its original form.

$2,750

The Maker Kart is for experienced teams who want to build a kart from the ground up. They design and purchase their own materials according to rule limits. Teams building maker karts require specialized facilities, tools, and expertise. They must submit their designs for approval prior to fabrication.

Important dates and resources

Racing the Sun 2026–2027 Season

2026

  • August 13 – September 14 – Registration open
  • August 26 – Program information drop-in session
  • September 23 – Orientation Night – Virtual
  • October 19 – Tucson Workshops Day
  • October 22 – Phoenix Workshops Day
  • November 28 – Preliminary Project Plans & Mechanical and Electrical Drafts Due

2027

  • January 18-30 – Progress Checks
  • January 31 – School Fees Due
  • February 9 – Tucson Career Day
  • February 11 – Phoenix Career Day
  • March 19 – Final Drafts Due
  • March 15-26 – Final Progress Checks
  • March 27 – Test Day
  • April 24 – Race Day
Competition rules
Waiver forms for participants

Registration for this program is currently closed

We invite you to sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date when registrations open in the future. Get Email Updates

Volunteers needed

We are looking for mentors who can guide faculty advisors and teams through the design process and offer feedback and support as needed. We also need event volunteers to assist at Test Day in March and Race Day in April.

Volunteering opportunities

Recent Racing the Sun posts

A large group of students wearing pink team shirts celebrate on top of a stage area. One student in the front is holding a trophy triumphantly.

Join us to support student innovations

We are proud to partner with caring donors and organizations to support critical thinking and problem solving in Southern Arizona. Thank you for your investment in STEM education in our communities! 

Learn more about ways to donate and what your support means for Arizona students.

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Please contact rts@sarsef.org with questions or for more information