KALAMAZOO (WTVB) Western Michigan University’s solar car has qualified for the next phase of the Sunrayce, a Grand Prix event at Monticello Speedway, after it became the second of 18-cars in the event to pass muster from a team of engineers for design, testing and adherence to safety regulations. Team Leader Byron Izenberg says they have a few team members who have raced before and experience counts.

 If the Sunseeker can complete 105 laps today, or 160 laps over the next 48 hours, it will qualify for the big race, 16-hundre miles from Rochester New York to St. Paul Minnesota that begins on Saturday.  If all goes as planned, the cars will race through Michigan, making a pit stop in Kalamazoo a week from today.