[Rachaelb]

Shipyard Labs is sponsoring an event to showcase the art and innovation of a new generation of alternatively-powered vehicles. October 10th – 13th 2008, a variety of vehicle entries will compete in a road rally from Berkeley, CA to Las Vegas, NV.

The three day course will take contestants from the Pacific Coast, over the Sierra Mountains, down through Death Valley to the finish line across the Las Vegas strip.

Event rules allow the contestants to use any non-petroleum fuel or power source. However, all fuel must be scavenged along the route. Contestants cannot bring the fuel with them, nor buy it along the way. Rally organizers expect something like “Mad Max meets the DARPA Grand Challenge.” Cash prizes will be awarded to the rally time winner and for notable accomplishments in engineering and art.

Jim Mason, founder of Shipyard Labs, touts the event as an opportunity for, "NASA scientists to go head-to-head with junkyard fabricators in the perennial battle of engineering prowess vs. creative excess. This time, bragging rights for SAVING THE WORLD hang in the balance. Part engineering problem. Part artistic opportunity. All post-apocalyptic road trip adventure."

Escape From Berkeley (by any non-petroleum mean necessary)

[freeztar]

That's the best spam I've seen! That sounds cool, will it be recorded?

[Rachaelb]

The event will be recorded. You will be able to follow along with the teams as they go at Escape From Berkeley (by any non-petroleum mean necessary)

Also, the event will be covered by news groups and on websites other than our own. More details about the camera crews coming along for the ride will be released closer to the event date.