http://www.jconline.com/article/20130420/SPORTS/304200022/Purdue-Grand-Prix [image] Jimmy Simpson takes checkered flag at 56th Purdue Grand Prix by Sam King Apr 20 2013
[image http://bcdownload.gannett.edgesuite.net/lafayettein/40792583001/40792583001_2315198738001_vs-5173308ee4b05658e86092ba-672293879001.jpg Purdue Grand Prix: Sophomore communications major Jimmy Simpson wins the 56th annual Purdue Grand Prix. http://cmsimg.jconline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BY&Date=20130420&Category=SPORTS&ArtNo=304200022&Ref=AR Jimmy Simpson pumps his fists Saturday as wins the Purdue Grand Prix. / John Terhune/Journal & Courier http://cmsimg.jconline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=BY&Date=20130420&Category=SPORTS&ArtNo=304200022&Ref=V1 Jimmy Simpson of team EVC pours milk over his head after winning the Purdue Grand Prix Saturday, April 20, 2013, on the campus of Purdue University. Simpson started in the pole position. / John Terhune/Journal & Courier ] Purdue Grand Prix: Sophomore communications major Jimmy Simpson wins the 56th annual Purdue Grand Prix. Jimmy Simpson’s celebratory milk splashing of his pit crew left the kids from Purdue’s Electric Vehicle Club a sticky mess for post-race photos. Seeing Simpson make history was worth the milk shower. The sophomore communications major dominated the 56th annual Purdue Grand Prix, leading 142 of 160 laps to win from the pole. Simpson also won last year’s Purdue evGrand Prix, making him the first driver to win the electric and gas races. “That is the coolest thing. I can’t believe it,” Simpson said. “We won the race here last year, the ev, and we won the one at Indy a couple weeks after. These guys are phenomenal — we work together very well, and I can’t wait for the ev race this year.” As a freshman, Simpson did not participate in the Purdue Grand Prix, a decision he’s beaten himself up over for a year. After winning the electric kart race, his team went to Indianapolis Motor Speedway and won the collegiate evGrand Prix. Now he’s added the third piece to the triple crown. It’s no accident that Simpson has proven to be the best driver at Purdue. He grew up racing go-karts before making the jump to USAC sprints and midgets. In January, Simpson won his first Formula Atlantic race in the Sports Car Club of America series. He’ll soon be testing Firestone Indy Lights cars, a minor league series to IndyCar, in hopes of racing in May’s Freedom 100 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He admitted his main reason for studying communications at Purdue was to help get sponsors to support his racing career. But as long as he’s in West Lafayette, he knew he had to take part in the Grand Prix. “It’s a really cool race to win, a cool race to race in,” Simpson said. “A lot of my friends in karting have won this race in the past. A lot of them raced in it. I really wanted to race in it, and luckily, we won.” Early in the race Saturday, there was little doubt who had the best chances to win. Simpson’s only competition came from Pi Kappa Phi racing entry Chip Challis, a sophomore studying aeronautical and astronomical engineering. Challis assumed the lead when Simpson pitted on lap 102. He led 18 laps before an issue with the belt forced him to the pits. Challis finished 20th after starting third and running up front most of the day. “We burned through the entire belt, so we stripped it while we were leading by about 10 seconds,” Challis said. “It’s a little bit frustrating, but it’s racing — that happens. I would have loved to see it come to a race at the end. I was really excited with how we were doing.” Challis’ exit left everyone inevitably chasing Simpson, who had patiently saved his kart by running about 85 percent so he could go full bore at the end. At 85 percent, Simpson was able to put gaps between himself and the other competitors. At full go, he was uncontested. “He just checked out from the start and he was better through traffic than we were,” said runner-up James French, a junior motorsports engineering major. After Simpson and French, Nick Bartlett, Chris Young and Greg Burns rounded out the top five. [© 2013 jconline.com All rights reserved] http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/EVLN-Student-designed-and-hand-crafted-racer-for-Purdue-evGrandPrix-tp4662027.html;cid=1366509676359-780 EVLN: Student designed and hand crafted racer for Purdue evGrandPrix ... Purdue evGrandPrix race — an adaptation of the storied Grand Prix race for electric vehicles. The vehicle that began as an inspiration has been assembled piece by piece, with many components crafted by hand. It will make its debut run April 27 at the fourth running of the evGrandPrix...Mar 24 http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/EVLN-EVC-racing-Purdue-students-start-up-video-tp4661887.html;cid=1366509676359-780 EVLN: EVC racing, Purdue students' start-up (video) ... the Electric Vehicle Club took home first place at the third annual Purdue Electric Vehicle Grand Prix this last weekend. The race started out a little rocky with a black flag and tire coming off within the first three laps of the race. Yellow cautions were abundant, but with driver Jimmy Simpson... Mar 16 http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/template/NamlServlet.jtp?macro=search_page&node=413529&query=Purdue+Grand+Prix&sort=date evdl nabble archive search for Purdue Grand Prix For all EVLN posts use: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/template/NamlServlet.jtp?macro=search_page&node=413529&query=evln&sort=date Here are today's archive-only EV posts: EVLN: Hooligan Electric bicycle project EVLN: Electric Motorcycles Invade 2013 Pikes Peak Hill Climb EVLN: eRoadRacing World Cup replaces TTXGP and FIM e-Power EVLN: Drive Oregon EV grant$ funding from OR State Lottery + EVent: Atlanta, IL to host 1st Route 66 EV "Cruise-In" Jun 8 2013 {brucedp.150m.com} -- View this message in context: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/EVLN-Jimmy-Simpson-s-EV-wins-56th-Purdue-Grand-Prix-tp4662573.html Sent from the Electric Vehicle Discussion List mailing list archive at Nabble.com. _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org For EV drag racing discussion, please use NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
