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CORVALLIS, ORE., June 5, 2007 — San Juan Capistrano has its swallows to mark the seasons, but the surest sign of midsummer in Corvallis is the annual return of the electric cars.

For the 14th year in a row, the da Vinci Days festival will host the ENTEK International Grand Prix, the cleanest and quietest car race this side of the Soap Box Derby. The nation's longest continuously running Electrathon America-sanctioned event will hit the streets of Corvallis at 6 p.m. on Friday, July 20th.

A field of about 25 battery-powered cars will compete in this year's race, which will follow a new 0.8 mile course spanning the five blocks between SW Sixth and SW 11th streets. The drivers will attempt to complete as many laps as possible in one hour without recharging.

As in previous races, many of the cars will be sponsored by local high schools and colleges and have been built by students. Hai-Yue Han, a mechanical engineering student at OSU and co-captain of the university's Solar Vehicle Team, said the ENTEK International Grand Prix is as much about education as it is about racing.

"An Electrathon race gives students a platform for learning things like engineering, project management, fund raising, and teamwork," Han said. "Also, it raises awareness for people on and off the Electrathon teams to alternative methods of transportation. There's nothing like a fast, student-built electric vehicle driving around in a school's parking lot to get people to notice the feasibility and just the coolness of electric cars."

There will be several prime viewing areas for the race, including tree-shaded bleachers near the festival's Main Gate at the intersection of 11th Street and Madison Avenue. Due to the surprising speed and silence of the electric cars, spectators are reminded to stay alert when near the race course.

The race is sponsored by ENTEK International of Lebanon. CH2M-HILL and Les Schwab Tire Centers are co-sponsors of this year's event.

Full weekend passes, which include all events and activities from Friday evening through Sunday, can be purchased now from the festival's web site: www.davinci-days.org. The price is $15 for adults (12 and up) and $10 for children (6-11.) Pre-festival ticket sales begin June 15 at multiple locations around Corvallis and in Albany, and will be sold at the festival's Main Gate at 11th Street & Madison Avenue. Single-day admissions, available only at the gate, will be $10 for adults and $5 for children. Children five and under will be admitted for free.