Luke Martz, director of fundraising for Iowa State University's PrISUm Solar Car Team, said he thought the difference between the types of cells teams used had a major impact on the race.

CNN: Michigan solar car team wins 2,400-mile race

At an event on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, throngs of giddy students leap to their feet when he appears and drown out most of his rambling stump speech with rapturous applause.

ECONOMIST: The Republicans

He has donated several million dollars for an Entrepreneurial Centre at the University of Iowa, where students can learn from real businesspeople.

ECONOMIST: Iowa

He studied chemistry and English at City College and had a master's degree in creative writing from the University of Iowa.

WSJ: Alan Abelson, Longtime Barron's Columnist, Dies