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Although one of the car's motors failed just before the first heat on Sunday, the shoebox-sized contraption powered by baking soda and vinegar stayed in the running.
University of Utah students Derek Harris and Jeff Davis finally got both Air Hog motors running during a competition at the Salt Palace, where students from 29 universities competed with cars powered by controlled chemical reactions.
''It'll be better next year,'' said Harris, whose car, built with Lego-like connectors, went farther than the required 67 feet on the second try.
The Chem-E-Car competition, designed to encourage alternative fuels, came during the first day of the convention of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Some 4,000 chemical engineers from universities, government and corporations are expected to attend meetings that end Friday.
This year's focus is on energy, biotechnology, nanoscale science and engineering, and environmental sustainability, said association spokeswoman Jeanette Krebs. About 700 technical sessions will be conducted.
For the students, the convention also had to do with calibration. An hour before the competition, they were told the cargo and distance, requiring teams to make last-minute calculations and adjustments.
First place went to students from Cooper Union in New York, whose Cooper's Shooter also was powered by baking soda and vinegar. The school might be considered a sentimental favorite. Its founder, Peter Cooper, built America's first steam railroad engine.
Even more endearing - at least to Utahns, whose official state snack is Jell-O - Cooper also is credited with inventing instant gelatin.
During Sunday's competition, students used everyday ingredients, often materials found in grocery stores.
The University of Idaho set off their car's chemical reaction with Alka-Seltzer tablets, while the University of California at Los Angeles opted for Tums. Power sources have ranged from fuel cells to beef liver, organizers say.
The other winners were:
* second place, Carnegie Mellon University students, whose car was powered by a copper-zinc battery.
* third place, the University of Oklahoma, which used hydrogen peroxide and potassium as fuel.
* fourth place, Louisiana State University, another vinegar-and-baking-soda entry.
* fifth place, Bucknell University, with a car powered by a zinc battery and magnesium fuse.
"The competition teaches students about handling chemicals and chemical waste safely," said Edward Trujillo, an associate professor in the U.'s Department of Chemical Engineering. "It also teaches about the importance of working in teams."
The association, based in New York City, is a professional society of more than 40,000 chemical engineers in 92 countries.