SARSEF

Every child. Thinking critically. Solving problems.

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Racing the Sun

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.  

2023-2024 Team Registration

Registration is now open for the 2023-2024 season of Racing the Sun! Faculty Advisors can now register teams through the link below. Team members will join once the team is registered.

How it works

Before building

  • Teachers are oriented to the program and gather their teams
  • Participants learn the basics at Workshops Day
  • Participants submit release forms

While Designing and Building

  • Students plan, design, and build their carts
  • 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

Challenges and 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