A Record Setting Day for Local High School Students

DELTA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, Oct 05, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Attention Features, Automotive, Assignment Editors:

Delta Secondary School automotive students hit a new milestone on September 30th, setting Canada's first electric drag racing record. With rains threatening, instructor Casey Mynott was determined to provide his students an opportunity to make history in their electric drag racing truck. The weather held off and student Alex Lehmann put together two repeat runs in Canada's first electric drag racing vehicle to stand for an official track record, setting Canada's first and only electric drag racing record.

With all of the i's dotted and t's crossed, the paperwork has been filed and the sanctioning body of electric drag racing, the National Electric Drag Racing Association (NEDRA), has confirmed Delta Secondary School's Electric Drag Racing project, as the Canadian record holder. "It's a great achievement for the students who have committed so much time and energy to this project over the past two years," says Casey Mynott, Delta Secondary School Automotive Instructor and Project Leader. "In order to set the record the same student was required to be behind the wheel for two repeat quarter-mile runs, so for now, Alex holds the record."

Mynott notes the project is far from done. With each trip to the track the students are learning more about their electric drag truck, tweaking and changing the vehicle to get better and better performance. With limited track dates available the team will now have to refocus their efforts in the shop at Delta Secondary School, as the high school drag race program at Mission Raceway has wrapped up for the 2011 season.

"We always get asked how many horse or how fast will it go?" says Ian Donaldson, a grade 12 student at Delta Secondary School and committed project team member. "400 horse and 400 foot pounds of torque at zero rpm - that's the answer for those that are wondering." Donaldson and his instructor Mr. Mynott aren't necessarily concerned with how fast, but how cool it is that they have built, from the frame out, the only electric drag racing project of its type in Canada and one of only two high school projects like it in North America.

So does the truck go like lightning? The record was set with two consecutive runs running the quarter-mile in 14.67 seconds at 83.58 mph. "We've set the bar - is it crazy fast? Not yet; but we are raising the bar and are setting new goals which allows new students to come into the automotive program and continue the learning experience," remarked Mynott.

Born of the idea of a combustion engine racer, the students of Delta Secondary School thought they would simply rebuild an old Toyota truck to participate in the local high school drag racing program. Their instructor, Casey Mynott, had a slightly different idea - one that takes no engine, no gas, no oil and makes no noise; a 100 percent electric drag racing truck. After two years the project has taken on a life of its own engaging electric vehicle enthusiasts far and wide and providing students an alternate view into vehicle transportation.

For a photo history of the Delta Secondary School Electric Vehicle project visit www.dssev.ca .

For video footage visit www.youtube.com/caseymynott .

Source: http://www.marketwatch.com