Team Speedway Prepares Arrow SAM Car for Optima’s Ultimate Street Car Challenge

(Lincoln, Neb. Oct., 7) Speedway Motors announced today they were selected by Arrow Electronics to prepare Sam Schmidt’s vehicles for Optima’s Ultimate Street Car Challenge where he will race for the first time since becoming a quadriplegic in 2000. Team Speedway will also serve as Schmidt’s pit crew on-site at the event which will take place Oct. 9, 10 and 11 at NCM Motorsports Park in Bowling Green, KY.

Arrow Electronics modified a Chevrolet Corvette to create a smart, connected vehicle that he can operate safely and independently. Known as the Arrow SAM Car- SAM stands for semi-autonomous mobility- Schmidt controls the Corvette using head controls and voice commands. Sensors on an Arrow-designed headset that Schmidt wears connect to infrared cameras mounted on the dashboard and detect his head motions to steer. A sip-and-puff device enables him to accelerate and brake using his breath.

In preparation for the upcoming race, Team Speedway took the Arrow SAM Car to the chassis dynamometer for tuning and replaced the plugs and wires to ensure it is race ready.

“Using a chassis dynamometer we were able to determine why it wasn’t running correctly in a controlled environment where we could see the tune and data under load rather than having to go 160mph to log any data,” said Bill Schneider, Team Speedway Manager. “After multiple dyno pulls, changing the tune we were able to reach just over 700HP.”

The Z06 sports an overdriven supercharger, methanol injection and Dewitts® upgraded heat exchanger and radiator.

For more information about Team Speedway or the upcoming race visit www.speedwaymotors.com/the-toolbox/sam-schmidts-arrow-corvette/30982