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The Chisago Lakes Supermileage team participated in the Minnesota Technology and Engineering Educators Association 23rd annual Supermileage competition at Brainerd International Raceway May 16 and 17. The team of 13 students competed in all four classes of the competition, Stock, Modified, E-85 and Experimental. Advisors who accompanied the team were Mike Sandell and Ryan Dewey.

The Modified Class vehicle, built by Jordan Eng, Cole Loeffelholz and Austin Ohme, finished sixth with a mileage rating of 439 miles per gallon. The E-84 Vehicle, designed to run on 85% ethanol fuel by Courtney Dale, Andy Goossen and Sam Torp, took a third place finish with a mileage rating of 291 mpg.

The Experimental Class vehicle, crewed by Sam Engel, Jimmy Larson, Logan Lange and Dylan Dahlheimer, finished first in class with a mileage rating of 439 mpg.

The Stock Class vehicle, built by Austin Letourneau, Carson Eng and Alex Molina earned a First place trophy with a mileage rating of 616 mpg.

The event sponsored by the MTEEA, Briggs and Stratton, the Minnesota Corn Growers Association and Brainerd International Raceway attracted 54 schools with 98 vehicles.

The vehicles make a mileage run of two laps on the three mile race course at BIR. The vehicle fuel is weighed to the 1/100th of a gram before the vehicle leaves and when it returns. The weight is entered into a computer program that then computes a mileage rating for the competition run.

A team needs to complete six mileage runs, averaging 15 miles per hour, to earn a mileage rating to be considered for competition honors. The teams have 14 hours of track time in which to complete as many of the 20 minute runs possible.

Local supportors for the efforts of the team this year are Ronald and Quanita Morgan, H&L Machine, the Chisago City Fire Department. The vehicles were hauled to Brainerd and back by Mike Boyer, with the use of a trailer donated by Mid Minnesota Wire.

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