PENSACOLA, Florida - This Saturday, drivers will put technology to the test as more than 35 electric cars whir around the track at the eighth annual Emerald Coast Electrathon Classic 120 race at Five Flags Speedway off Pine Forest Road in Pensacola.

The race is one of several events Gulf Power is participating in this week to celebrate Earth Day.

High school and Open Class teams will be competing in the race with electric vehicles they have built from a kit or from the ground up. The vehicles must pass a pre-race inspection to ensure they meet Electrathon America rules which also includes safety features before they can race.

The race is two separate 60-minute heats to see how many laps they can complete on a battery charge. This year a new feature is being added to the race; the lap counting and timing will be recorded by the NASCAR track monitoring system used at all races at Five Flags Speedway.

The Gulf Power Engineering Society, Five Flags Speedway, ASHRAE of NW Florida, IEEE of NW Florida and the Northwest Florida Clean Cities Coalition sponsor the event.

“This event is so important for students,” said Natalie Smith, Gulf Power spokesperson. “These are the electric car designers of the future, and we’re so happy to host them right here at Five Flags Speedway.”

Electrathon America sanctions the event with 19 teams, 34 cars and more than 180 team members registered to compete. This year, two teams are running the advanced Lithium batteries in at least one of their Electrathon cars.

Schools in the Pensacola area include Pensacola High School, Crestview High School and Pensacola State College. Teams from Alabama, Georgia, central and south Florida will also compete in this year’s race.

Volunteers from Gulf Power’s Engineering Society, ASHRAE and IEEE will help facilitate the event.

The first race starts at 10:30 a.m. and the second race at 1:30 p.m. Trophies for completing the most laps in the two races will be awarded to the top three teams in each class, plus for the overall winner.

The event is free and open to the public. The track will open at 9 a.m. The infield will be open at noon, during the break between races, and after the last race for the public to view the vehicles, visit the teams and be a part of the awards ceremony.

Go to emeraldcoastelectrathon.com for more information including videos, sponsors and the day’s schedule. To follow the race live, download the free Race Monitor app for iPhone on iTunes or for Android on Google play.

Cutline: Racers compete at Five Flags Speedway during last year’s Electrathon. High school and Open Class teams compete in the race with electric vehicles they have built from a kit or from the ground up in two separate 60-minute heats to see how many laps they can complete on a battery charge.

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHO: Emerald Coast Electrathon Classic 120 Race sponsored by Gulf Power Engineering Society, Five Flags Speedway, ASHRAE of NW Florida, IEEE of NW Florida and the Northwest Florida Clean Cities Coalition

WHAT: Media members invited to the Emerald Coast Electrathon Classic 120 Race

WHEN: The track will open at 9 a.m. The first race starts at 10:30 a.m. and the second race at 1:30 p.m.

WHERE: Five Flags Speedway off Pine Forest Road in Pensacola.

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Gulf Power is an investor-owned energy provider with all of its common stock owned by Atlanta-based Southern Company. Gulf Power serves more than 450,000 customers in eight counties throughout Northwest Florida. The company’s mission is to safely provide exceptional customer value by delivering reliable, affordable and environmentally responsible electricity while strengthening our communities. Visit online at MyGulfPower.com or on the company’s Facebook page. News information can be found at GulfPowerNews.com.

Media Contacts:

Rick DelaHaya
Media Relations Supervisor
850-444-6433, cell 318-294-2338

Natalie Smith
Media Relations
850-444-6784, cell 850-375-6123

Kimberly Blair
Media Relations
850-444-6050, cell 850-206-5132