OKState Racing makes its way into the history books with first natural gas race car of its kind.

The OKstate Racing team, designs, builds and manufacturers a quarter-scale FormulaOne style race car each year, to compete against national and international teams, through Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (FSAE) rules. This is a challenge enough in itself, but this team has not let the rules completely guide all efforts.

The team started looking into alternative fuels in 2008, racing on ethanol (E-85) in competition for the first time. The following year, the team decided to accept the challenge of converting a vehicle to compressed natural gas, the first in of its kind in America.

Two years later, with the help of Tulsa Gas Technologies (TGT), sponsors and an open race track at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit, the team set three world records with the first FSAE CNG powered race car. The car traveled 328 laps, more than 590 miles, in a 24-hour period. Hallett is a 1.8 mile, 10 turn track between Stillwater and Tulsa Oklahoma. TGT also assisted with fueling for the event. CleanNG founder, Michael Tate, was one of the participating drivers during the 24-hour event. “It was all very exciting, Matt [Villarreal] and I introduced the idea to the team in 2009, and two years later, we’re setting world records, said Tate, after the event. It was truly a great feeling.” Matt Villarreal is also a founder of CleanNG.

Check out more photo’s on OKstate Racing’s facebook page.

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