Collegiate Teams To Compete in Electrek American Solar Challenge Along Route 66

The 2026 Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix and Electrek American Solar Challenge are on track to be the largest field in the program’s history, according to event organizers in a press release. Collegiate engineering teams from across the United States, joined by international entries from Canada, Belgium and the Netherlands, will compete this summer across the American heartland.

The event arrives at a convergence of three anniversaries: the 250th anniversary of the United States, the centennial of Route 66, and the 25th anniversary of the American Solar Challenge first traveling the Route 66 corridor. The Electrek American Solar Challenge has been named an Official Route 66 Centennial Project and is a supporting partner of America250, the national, nonpartisan organization charged by Congress to lead the commemoration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

2026 Event Schedule & Format

The series opens with the Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP), July 21–23, 2026, marking FSGP’s first year at Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minnesota. Teams that pass technical and safety inspections and meet on-track benchmarks qualify for the Electrek American Solar Challenge (ASC), July 25–Aug. 1, 2026 — a cross-country event tracing the Great River Road and historic Route 66.

Both events test engineering and endurance, noted the release. At FSGP, cars complete as many laps as possible on a closed track; ASC sends qualifying vehicles onto public roads to cover hundreds of miles stage by stage, running on sunlight and the energy their teams have learned to store and spend. Behind every car are thousands of hours of student engineering.

From the Track to Commercial Applications

That rigor feeds directly into the commercial pipeline. The skills students master — battery and solar integration, vehicle dynamics, systems engineering and energy efficiency — are why recruiting partners include Tesla, SpaceX, Wattch, and Blue Origin, and why these events serve as a launch pad into students’ careers, event organizers said.

“Team registrations this year are shaping up to be the largest field we’ve seen, and we’re excited to bring the Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix to Brainerd International Raceway for the first time,” said Gail Lueck, event director and operations director, Innovators Educational Foundation. “Every solar car that arrives at the track represents thousands of college student hours of engineering, manufacturing, fundraising and more. Then those vehicles must pass a scrutineering inspection process and qualify during the track event to participate in the Electrek American Solar Challenge — which first traveled Route 66 25 years ago.”

“America’s 250th anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate the ingenuity, innovation and determination that have driven our nation forward for generations,” said Jen Condon, executive vice president of America250. “The Electrek American Solar Challenge showcases the talent and creativity of the next generation of engineers while honoring America’s legacy of exploration and technological progress, making it a fitting part of the Semiquincentennial celebration.”

“Route 66 has always represented innovation, movement and the spirit of exploration,” said Bill Thomas, chair of the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership and commissioner for the Route 66 Centennial Commission. “Seeing collegiate teams travel this historic corridor powered entirely by the sun is a powerful reminder that the Mother Road is still a living laboratory for American ingenuity. As we celebrate 100 years of Route 66 and look toward the next century, this project connects our shared history with the future of clean transportation and engineering excellence.”