2012 Baja 1000 To Introduce Electric Vehicle Racing

At the kick-off of this year’s Baja 1000, race organizer SCORE and Redstone Energy Group announced the Redstone Sun Cup Challenge. Their aim: to spur the best and the brightest in the electric vehicle and solar technology fields to work with racing teams to develop an electric-powered “EVPV” Baja race vehicle with battery charging provided by solar power.

The organizers hope the challenge will serve as a catalyst for developing the clean technologies of the future and, in turn, help reduce U.S. dependence on fossil fuels. Racing has always translated to big advances on the highways.”The goal is to apply technology and ingenuity, at which our nation excels, to create world-changing results,” said SCORE President & CEO, Sal Fish in announcing the new car-racing division and challenge cup.”By demonstrating that the technology can maneuver the rugged terrain of an off-road racecourse for 1,000 miles, this will show the world that this technology is more than ready for use in typical urban commuter settings,” added Sun Cup Challenge and Redstone Energy Group co-founder, Rick Skelton.

Retired Army Three Star General James Pillsbury, CEO of Redstone Energy Group and former Deputy Commanding General of the U.S. Army Materiel Command, underscored the importance of this initiative to America’s energy security and noted that the U.S. military is already testing EVPV buggy technology in the field.

“As these technologies take off in the military and the civil sectors it will help create home-grown jobs and enhance U.S. economic growth,” he said.

Cole Walker, co-founder of Redstone, reminded the audience that 60 minutes of sun would power the world’s energy needs for a year.

“If an electric car powered by the sun can cross the 1000 mile desert it can get you to the office.” he added.

“Remember the moon shot? We are saying its time for a sun shot.”

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SCORE International is the off-road sanctioning body in the sport of desert racing and is famous for its flagship event, the Baja 1000. SCORE races are held in United States and Mexico. Founded by Mickey Thompson in 1973, SCORE continues today under the direction of Sal Fish.

Redstone Energy Group, a company headquartered in Huntsville, AL – home to Redstone Arsenal and the Marshall Space Flight Center – is working with the U.S. military to provide renewable energy on installations and forward areas around the world. The company is focused on land-based solutions, mobile solutions, alternative fuels and their commercial applications. Retired Three Star Army General James Pillsbury, former Deputy Commanding General of the U.S. Army Materiel Command, is the company’s CEO.

Rules and details regarding this “Challenge” will be available through www.score-international.com and www.redstoneenergygroup.com or energygroup.us in the near future.