THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 4, 1996 TAG: 9610040531
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY ANNE SAITA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CONWAY LENGTH: 79 lines
Like a lot of rural counties in Northeastern North Carolina, Northampton is known for its slow pace and quiet surroundings.
The first Northampton Electric Vehicle Rally that begins today reinforces those qualities.
Battery-powered cars will move at or below speed limits and barely make a sound as they compete in an autocross today and a road rally Saturday.
More than 20 electric cars representing 17 high schools, colleges and private companies in three states will be a part of the event, which is believed to be the first in the country hosted by a public high school.
``We're the only school that has thrown an electric car rally that I know of,'' said Lucas Vaughan, a student at Northampton County High School-East who is helping with publicity.
``We've sent information all over the country on this, so if there was another school, we'd have heard about it by now,'' he said.
Northampton-East has earned widespread praise from the world of electric car racing after finishing on top in regional and national competitions the past few years.
They've done it with two student-built cars - Shocker I and Shocker II - that were converted from gas to electric power.
The success of the school's environment-friendly endeavors helped Northampton-East earn grants for a planned solar recharging station at the high school in Conway.
Eventually, this tiny town of 758 residents could become a national leader in alternative energy programs.
This weekend's rally is being put together primarily by the 25 students who currently make up the high school's Electric Vehicle Program.
The response to the first rally appears to uphold the school's standing in auto racing.
``We figured we'd get 10 responses at the most because it started out kind of slow,'' said Vaughan, a second-year Electric Vehicle Program student.
As of Thursday, 23 team entries had been recorded.
``It was kind of a shock to us,'' Vaughan said.
Competitors include technical centers and high schools from Suitland, Md., and Salem, Fishersville, Chesapeake, Gloucester, Richmond and Lexington in Virginia. North Carolina contestants come from high schools in Raleigh, Kenly, Conway, Dudley and Ahoskie.
In addition, Duke University and Virginia Tech are sending cars.
Private firms participating include Bearskin Technologies of Monroe, Carolina Power and Light of Raleigh and Virginia Power of Richmond.
Today from 1 to 4:30 p.m., teams will maneuver through a challenging course at the Becker Village Mall in Roanoke Rapids.
The following morning, cars will drive along two separate routes through Northampton County.
One route begins at Gaston Middle School at 9 a.m. and travels to Garysburg Elementary at 9:40 and Turner's in Seaboard at 10:10.
The other path will cross Conway Middle School at 9 a.m. and then on to Olney School in Woodland at 9:40, Rich Square Park at 10:10 and Northeast Academy in Lasker at 10:40.
Both routes will finish at Sir Archies in Jackson later in the morning and will remain in town until 2:30 that afternoon.
The cars on Saturday will be incorporated into the Jackson Revitalization Committee's Market Day, billed as the county's largest festival with crafts, food and entertainment.
Some $7,000 has been raised or granted through state and national agencies and private donors. Among the major sponsors are the North Carolina State Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources and Teach for America.
Other big sponsors include the Northampton County Chamber of Commerce, 360 Communications, Primestar Video and Sprint/Carolina Telephone.
Any surplus funds will be used for next year's rally, already being planned, Vaughan said. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo courtesy of Northampton County High
School-East
Northampton-East has earned widespread praise from the world of
electric car racing after finishing on top in regional and national
competitions. Two student-built cars - Shocker I and Shocker II -
were converted from gas to electric power.
KEYWORDS: ELECTRIC CAR ALTERNATIVE FUEL by CNB