Race organizers have officially announced the checkpoint locations for the 2010 American Solar Challenge. On June 23, 2010, the solar cars will stop for the day in Rolla, Mo., home of Missouri University of Science and Technology.

The race will start in Tulsa, Okla., on June 19, 2010, and finish near Chicago on June 27, 2010.
Other checkpoint locations along the 2010 American Solar Challenge route include Neosho, Mo.; Topeka, Kan.; Jefferson City, Mo.; Alton, Ill., and Peoria, Ill.

Following the overnight stop in Rolla, the teams will race to Alton on June 24.

The race is expected to feature university teams from North America and Europe.

Missouri S&T students have been designing, building and racing solar-powered cars since 1993. The university has won two national championships in solar car racing, in 1999 and 2003, and has entered competitions around the world. Last year, the Missouri S&T team completed a race that covered 2,500 miles between Dallas and Calgary, Alberta.

The solar cars are capable of going the speed limit for long distances, using no gasoline. However, speeds are dependent on the amount of energy that is captured from the sun over the duration of a race.