CLAREMONT, Calif. — The University of Missouri-Rolla team won what was billed as the world's longest solar car race Wednesday, overcoming a shaky start to finish nearly five hours ahead of the pack.

The Solar Miner IV, which had engine trouble during the race's first leg, took the lead in Oklahoma and never relinquished it, completing the American Solar Challenge in 51 hours, 47 minutes and 37 seconds. The 3,700-kilometre race, which began July 12 in Chicago, travelled parts of historic Route 66 before ending in Claremont, east of Los Angeles.

The University of Minnesota placed second and Canada's University of Waterloo was third. The North Dakota State University team placed first in the stock car division, which consists of machines made from off-the-shelf parts.

The 20 cars raced each day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. The sun provided the sole source of power, beating down on photovoltaic cells atop the wing-shaped, single-passenger vehicles.

The second biannual Solar Challenge was sponsored in part by the U.S. Energy Department and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.