To the editor:

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who made this year a winner for the South Whidbey High Drag Race team.

As some of you already know, we successfully defended our world record in the ¼ km on the summer solstice in Wenatchee by beating all other teams who entered.

This is the second year in a row, and it goes to show how well this team has prepared itself to compete. The team would like to thank everyone in the community for its outstanding support both during the year and at the race site itself. In addition, I would like to thank the team members and these community members who made the dragster a winning program, two years running.

The Highly Capable Program for the travel funds, Glen and Gail Corell for the loan of their sweet truck and trailer; Skip Stephens for always being willing to help out; Jeff VanDerford for making sure we had publicity for both years; Paul Mathews for teaching mechanical design software to the team, Paul Dickerson for being an incredible teacher and mentor; Ward Philips for the funding and the modules; Duran Ulrich for being both the teacher and the able helper; Kelly Keilwitz, without whose water, juices and encouragement would have made a slower and less enjoyable experience; Kit Housego for videography and sparkling juices and support; the South Whidbey School District for the space and the encouragement; Jay Freudlich for his unreserved love of working with and helping kids and for being a great student of life; all the wives, mothers and friends who supported the aforementioned folks; Dave at the Half Link Bicycle Shop for teaching the team to build wheels; and, last but not least, are the team members who gave up their free time after school to help build the worlds fastest solar dragster: Chad Yingling, Theodore Housego, Brad Groce and Trevor Ulrich.

I thank you one and all, and hope you have a great summer!

Tim Economu

Clinton