VIDEO: The Making of Team PrISUm's Solar Car, Now Running A Strong Race to the American Solar Challenge

Team PrISUm, 's solar car team, finished second overall Thursday in a three-day qualifying race for the the cross-country American Solar Challenge currently being held in New York.

No one should be surprised by that success. After the second day of the race, Wednesday, the reigning champs of Michigan were starting to take notice of the Ames team, according to a release from Iowa State University's News service:

“It was another good day for us,” said Evan Stumpges, Team PrISUm’s project director and a May graduate in mechanical engineering. “We hope to have the same tomorrow. The car is holding up well.”

So far, Hyperion, Iowa State’s 11^th solar race car, has turned 271 laps. That’s second to the University of Michigan’s 303 laps.

The track racing will determine the starting positions for the eight-day, eight state, 1,650-mile American Solar Challenge from Rochester, N.Y., to St. Paul, Minn. That race begins on Saturday.

Stumpges said the Michigan team, winner of the past four races across America, is beginning to notice the team from Ames.

Yes, Stumpges said. “We were neck and neck with Michigan a good part of the day.”

Watch the video to learn about the making of the car.