HAMILTON - McMaster University's Solar Car team overcame an electrical fire that damaged part of the car's solar array to qualify for the World Solar Challenge, which began October 25 in Darwin, Australia.

After two days of racing the team is in 18th place. The team is now 633 km south of Darwin, where they are camping overnight at a check point in Dunmarra, which they reached in 15 hours and 33 minutes. Twenty-four cars qualified for the Challenge Class of the race, including two other solar cars from Canada, which sit 21st (Esteban from École Polytechnique de Montréal, 633 km, 15:47) and 22nd (Eclipse VI from École de technologie supérieure in Montreal; 633 km, 16:36).