American Solar Challenge passes through La Crosse - WXOW News 19 La Crosse, WI – News, Weather and Sports |

LA CROSSE, WI (WXOW)—Eighteen solar powered cars rolled into La Crosse for their last over night stop on the American Solar Challenge on Friday afternoon.

College students from around the country built their own solar powered cars over the last two years.

They race the cars eight days, 1,600 miles, from Rochester, N.Y. to St. Paul, Minn.

Teams stopped over night in seven different towns along the route.

The object is to have the fastest over all time over the eight day journey.

"It's really about giving these students a hands on learning experience," Gail Lueck, American Solar Challenge Event Coordinator said. "This goes way beyond what they learn in the classroom. Working thought some problems in a textbook to going out, designing and building one of these cars."

The cars will take off for St. Paul Saturday at 9 a.m. from Western Technical College's parking lot on the corner of 7th and Badger Streets.