Forty contestants from Island elementary schools participated last Saturday in the fifth annual Model Solar Car Race, held at the basketball court at the Chilmark Community Center.

Beginning with a standard kit of parts supplied by the Vineyard Energy Project, participating fifth and sixth graders put their technical knowledge, design sense and creativity to the test. Design of the cars was constrained only by the need to collect the sun’s rays.

After a brief interview with three judges, discussing technical and design merit, and knowledge of the science, each team then tuned up their cars. They found blue skies and sun breaking through just in time to clear the course of puddles and power the cars.