Zipping around the Daytona International Speedway, an EV racer piloted by a student from Dunbar High School managed a second place finish, allowing the Lee County high school team a third-place overall in the FPL Electrathon Speedway Series.
The FPL Electrathon Speedway Series is a year-long student EV go-kart racing competition that wrapped up at Daytona Tuesday.
Dunbar students raced the cars they built from scratch, testing energy efficiency and engineering skills against other schools from Miami to Pensacola.
In collaboration with NASCAR and support from FPL, students tested their vehicles on the track and enjoyed behind-the-scenes access and other educational activities at the iconic motorsport venue.
Dunbar is among 25 schools FPL supports in this initiative by providing EV go-kart build kits and training resources, giving students a hands-on opportunity to apply engineering skills in real-world settings. At Daytona, they tested their vehicles, toured the motorsports facility, and got a front-row seat to careers in engineering, racing, and clean energy.
Many of the students involved are interested in future careers in STEM.
"My experience with Electrathon this year is perhaps one of the most informative things I've ever been a part of," said Sebastian Rodriguez, a student racer for Dunbar. "It's been really fun too. Really got to use your hands, really not a lot of opportunities to do that."
Electrathon offers high school students a hands-on experience where they use engineering skills to create and race the most efficient electric go-kart. FPL hopes the real-world experience and exposure to STEM and the racing world will help inspire students to pursue careers in STEM.
"It's also marking the end of our school year," Isabella Burckhardt, a Community Relations Specialist for FPL, said. "So many of the students here today will be graduating, moving on to their next chapter, we hope they take Electrathon and what they learned from it with them."
FPL Electrathon Speedway Series Champion (OVERALL WINNERS)
1. Navarre High School
2. Miami Coral Park
3. Dunbar High School
Electrathon Daytona 2025 Standings (HIGH SCHOOL):
1. Kirkland Ranch - 73 Laps
2. Dunbar High School - 69 Laps
3. Navarre High School (car 1) - 68 Laps
4. Allen D. Nease High - 67 laps
5. Lyman High School - 66 Laps
6. Miami Coral Park - 65 Laps
7. Navarre High School (Car 2) - 65 Laps
8. Plant City High School (Car 1) - 63 Laps
9. Terra Environmental Research Institute (Car 1) - 62 Laps
10. Navarre High School (Car 3) - 61 Laps
11. Plant City High School (Car 2) - 61 Laps
12. Port Charlotte High School - 43 Laps
13. S. Dade Senior High - 42 Laps
14. Terra Environmental Research Institute (Car 2) - 35 Laps
15. Creekside High School - 25 Laps
16. West Florida High School - 11 Laps
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