ASHLAND-SUPPORTED ELECTRIC VEHICLE HOPES TO SET SPEED RECORD
06 October 2004 - Ashland Inc

In testing in August at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, the Buckeye Bullet set the historic mark at 308.317 mph. Students will return there on Oct. 13-16 in an effort to officially set the world electric land speed record. The Buckeye Bullet, which currently holds the official U.S. land speed record for electric-powered vehicles at 256.894 mph, set last October at Bonneville, is a student project at OSU's Center for Automotive Research in Columbus, Ohio.

The Buckeye Bullet features a carbon-fiber polymer composite body infused with one of Ashland's premium epoxy vinyl ester resins. The vehicle's tooling utilizes an AROPOL™ polyester resin for overall strength and durability.

The 2004 Buckeye Bullet Electric Land Speed Racing Team consists entirely of undergraduate students, and the car is driven this year by professional driver Roger Schroer, manager of driver training at TRC, Inc.

Ashland continues to support the Center for Automotive Research during its pursuit of a new national record with more than $20,000 in materials and more than 300 professional hours.

'Ashland has always believed in supporting education initiatives and we feel privileged to contribute to this type of hands-on learning experience,' said OSU alumnus Larry (Dean) Doza, national sales manager, Ashland Composite Polymers. 'These engineering students inspire us with their perseverance and dedication to continuous improvement.'

Professionals from Ashland Composite Polymers will be on hand at the American Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA) trade show, Oct. 6-8 in Tampa, Fla., to discuss AROPOL and Ashland's other composites and gel coats.

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