Russell Short's black car with silver racing stripes sped down the metal track in the outside slot, tying for first in the heat.

Short's was one of 96 cars that raced at Utah Valley State College on Monday.

The cars were made by high school students from Utah Valley and all over the Wasatch Front. The students designed miniature cars using 3-D design software and then they were printed on a high-tech printer.

The printer is as big as a refrigerator and renders the cars in layers of plastic. They are all one piece and look like they have come from soap molds.

The students added axles and tires to make them complete. Finally, the cars were lined up four at a time for a showdown, where they raced at speeds of 200 miles an hour.

The race was part of an effort to give students an opportunity to have a hands-on learning experience. The school also wanted to connect with students.

"It gets them excited," said Gordon Stokes, associate dean for the School of Technology and Computing. "We need to keep our students excited."

Teachers said the students learned most of all how to use the technology. Gary Roberts brought students from Wasatch High School.

"It taught them how to use the program," Roberts said. "With them figuring it out, it sticks a lot longer."

Ronald Brailsford brought students from Pleasant Grove High School. He said students learned how to take an idea clear through the design practice to production -- and not to procrastinate.

Austen Sweeten, 17, from Pleasant Grove High School said his favorite part of the project was learning to use the software and printing the design on the 3-D printer.

For others, the activities have more of a vocational bent. "I learned how many jobs that you can do through this," said Jacob Packer, 17, who also attends Pleasant Grove High School.

Parker's car was a blue Batmobille he said he built because he likes Batman.

The students also had more fun creating a model car than they would have had simply following a set of assigned drawings.

"The kids have just eaten this up," Roberts said.

The project was more complicated than just the race.

Stephen Trane, a professor in the Engineering, Graphics and Design Technology department, said students also handed in a basic design sketch, detail drawings and a rendering of what the car would look like. Those, along with the car's performance on the track, were judged to find the winners.

First place went to Clinton Buchanan, 17, of Wasatch High School. Second place went to Nathan Last, 17, of Timpanogos High School. Nathan Robbins, 18, also of Timpanogos, was third, and Patrick Walton, 17, of Timpview High School placed fourth.

The cars will be on display today in the McKay Events Center as part of the Technology Fair.

Brittani Lusk can be reached at 344-2549 or at blusk@heraldextra.com.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page D1.