High School Teams Begin 630-Mile Solar Car Race Across Texas

Dozens of high school teams begin a five-day, 630-mile solar car road race from Fort Worth to Fort Stockton, Texas, on July 19, The Verge reported. The 2026 Solar Car Challenge marks the 30th anniversary of the annual event founded in 1993 by Dr. Lehman Marks, with the first national competition held in 1995.

The route passes through Palestine, Round Rock, Fredericksburg, and San Angelo. The 2018 edition was the last open-road race before this year. The Verge reported that the program has engaged over 85,000 students across 39 states and countries including Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Spain, and Singapore, with more than 260 active high school solar projects currently underway.

Three existing categories—classic, advanced, and electric-solar power—continue this year alongside a new cruiser division for four-seater vehicles with solar arrays integrated into the body. Dr. Lehman Marks advised teams to accumulate at least 500 test miles beforehand so they can identify and fix issues before the race.

Dr. Lehman Marks stated the program began after he viewed a collegiate solar car project at the University of North Texas and realized high school students could not compete fairly against college teams. He said the goal is to build students’ commitment, dedication, teamwork, engineering, and battery-technology skills.

Blake Wood, 17, a rising senior at Fort Worth Country Day High School and co-captain of the Old Rip Racing team, said the 14-member group from three schools began planning about a year earlier with paper sketches before shifting to computer-aided design software. The team continues refining its vehicle through repeated assembly and repairs.