FORT WORTH — Cars of all shapes, sizes and origins spent the week zooming around the track at the Texas Motor Speedway.

NASCAR? Nope.

SOLARCAR.

DRC/Al Key

Liberty Christian School solar car team members Cody Sparks, left, Cardin Menkemeller and Mandi Marsden, right, watch Reid Fitzgerald buckle into the driver’s seat of their car at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday.

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The race was the 14th annual Dell-Winston School Solar Car Challenge, an event that draws in students from around the country. This year’s competition garnered representation from 43 high schools from 10 states, including Liberty Christian School in Argyle.

“Last year we brought our car in for the first year, and we wanted to come back and show that we did some improvements,” said Cardin Menkemeller, a part of the Liberty team. “You get so much experience. You’re out here with tons of great people, learning about different means of electricity, solar, wind, et cetera.”

Liberty Christian’s car had a spell of trouble Friday, breaking down a few times throughout the final day of racing.

The event is designed to motivate students and get them involved in science, said event founder and organizer Lehman Marks, a teacher at The Winston School.

The students start working on their cars in September. Event organizers provided them with instructional materials on how to build the cars, then let the students have at it.

“Then we provide them a chance to display their product,” Marks said.

He said the event is about cooperation and not so much about competition.

Menkemeller said that’s one of the greatest features of the race.

“It’s all about helping each other out and getting the best car you can,” he said.

BJ LEWIS can be reached at 940-566-6875. His e-mail address is blewis@dentonrc.com.