It has got to be pretty unique to participate in an event on a track at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville. To race a car made essentially from scratch is all the more impressive, and some of Newtown High School's students had that claim to fame late this past school year.

Calvin Savoia, a senior, was the main student behind the task of making an electric car for the annual Electrathon Challenge, which took place at Lime Rock Park in late May.

Newtown High technology education teacher Steve George credits Calvin for not only putting the car together over the past couple of school years, but doing so not from a kit, as most of the participants did, but from miscellaneous parts.

Erik Holst-Grubbe, chairman of the Business & Applied Arts Department at Newtown High, got Mr George's class involved with the Electrathon Challenge and provided some of the parts needed to help in the creation of the car.

It did, however, take a lot of time and research on Calvin's part to obtain a bulk of the parts and create a car that not only worked, but also passed the Electrathon's safety regulations. Because the car was not from a mass produced kit, it was a bit different than the other couple dozen cars in the event representing technical and public high schools in Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts.

"Ours rolls in there like a tank. It was huge compared to everybody else's," Calvin said proudly.

"Ours looked like nobody else's," Mr George concurred.

That is what made the project so special, Mr George noted, saying, "There were no directions, no kit, nothing. It's just an idea and a bunch of pieces. It took Calvin's design and thought, and a lot of work to put it together and accomplish making it work."

The vehicle, comparable to a go kart, was a bit taller than the competing electric cars, but was among the best performers at the track during the event, Mr George noted.

The process began with a model made from PVC pipes. The final product's frame was made from steel tubing and a wooden base.

Calvin and his classmates created a braking system that worked after some trial and error. The car has three BMX bike tires, just one in the back, and was powered by car batteries. The two wheels in the front steered the car and the one in the back was connected to a motor by a chain to make it go.

Getting the two brake plates into proper position took months of trial and error, and some stripped nuts along the way made for a challenges that Calvin and his classmates found a way to overcome.

Calvin's creation, which was dismantled at the end of the school year so future classes can make use of the parts, is small compared to the gas-guzzling forms of transportation most people use every day.

The objectives of the Electrathon include driving an electric-powered vehicle as far as possible on a closed circuit course for one hour, using a limited electrical supply; providing a forum where skill and ingenuity may be displayed; and providing public awareness and understanding of efficient electrical vehicles.

Calvin's car, which Mr George named the Savoyager as a play on Calvin's last name, completed more than 40 laps in the event.

Shane Gattey was a part of the car-making process and got to drive the vehicle during the race. It buzzed around the track at a top speed of 26 miles per hour.

"He was basically my right-hand man. He helped out with everything," Calvin said.

Being able to race the car was a thrill for Shane.

"Turning the corners and passing people - it was an experience I think everyone should try," Shane said. "It was probably one of the most fun things I've done in my life."

"Seeing the car go off on the track for the first time was great," said Calvin, adding that it was rewarding to see Savoyager and Shane pass during each lap.

Other classmates who played key roles in the making of the car were Erik Benson and Macks Koziol, Calvin notes.

Erik, who will attend the University of Maine to study engineering, welded the frame of the car.

"I really enjoyed doing the welding. It was good practice for me," Erik said.

Savoyager's number was 424 which, Calvin explained, is binary code for NHS. Next year's NHS electric car creation, Calvin said, will have the number 368, in honor of former Newtown High student and motocross standout Ryan Fetchick, who passed away this spring, and whose racing number was 368.

Calvin, who was part of Newtown High's Technology Team and already had some background in robotics and drafting, both of which applied to the creation of Savoyager, has a strong interest in the computers and electronics.

"I've gotten into computer programming and what I want to do is game design," said Calvin, who will attend Western Connecticut State University to study computer science in the fall.

Calvin plans to visit Newtown High next year to see the progress of the reincarnation of the car. Student Sebastian Vona will be among the leaders of the project, following in Calvin's footsteps, Mr George said.

"I'm looking forward to it," Sebastian said. "It was fun this year."