The Ohio State Solar Car Team didnÕt let a little rain keep them down. The team, despite being overrun by severe thunderstorms, finished in 11th place at Sunrayce 99, a 1,300 mile, 10-day solar-powered vehicle race. Their car, Red Shift III, was greeted by well-wishers as it crossed the finish line in Orlando, Fla.The team had an elapsed time of 74 hours, 50 minutes and 57 seconds and an average speed of 19.02 mph.The University of Missouri-Rolla took first place with an overall race time of 56 hours, 16 minutes and 44 seconds and an average speed of 25.30 mph.The race got underway on June 20 in Washington, D.C., and concluded at Epcot Center at the Walt Disney World Resort on June 29. Teams from 29 colleges and universities participated.ÒThis is my third race and from my experience, we still have the best car, the best support and the best fans,Ó said Mark Eyman, spokesman for the OSU Solar Car Team. Since the Sunrayce programÕs inception in 1990, intercollegiate teams have competed to design, build and race solar-powered cars in a long-distance event. ÒSunrayce provides students the challenge of taking an idea from the paper to the pavement as they design, build and race a vehicle that is powered exclusively by energy from the sun,Ó U.S. Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson said. The OSU Solar Car program encompasses many departments at OSU including the Aeronautical and Astronautical Research Laboratory and the Center for Automotive Research. OSU has participated in three races since it began its Sunrayce program in 1993. The 1995 car, Red Shift, placed 33rd out of 40 teams and the 1997 Red Shift II placed 18th out of 40 teams.