Spring Break
Student racers on campus
Omkar Baxi
Issue date: 4/18/08 Section: News
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The Formula SAE is a collegiate competition hosted by the Society of Automotive Engineers that challenges teams to design, fabricate and compete with small Formula-style cars, according to SAE International.
Collegiate teams from around the world design and create their cars over the duration of a year and are then scored based upon performance, endurance, cost and aesthetics.
The competition is the culmination of the team's efforts throughout the year to build a Formula One-type racing car that is both high-performance and low in cost.
"The Collegiate Design Series is a collection of important educational competitions challenging engineering students to demonstrate teamwork and apply textbook theory to real-world application in a variety of exciting events," Robert Sechler, manager of educational relations with SAE International, said. "In addition to designing and testing their own vehicles, students benefit from the opportunity to hone essential business skills and interact with potential employers."
Ryan McGuinness, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering and captain of the team, agreed and added, "This is an engineering competition that is designed to test the student's ability to take what they learn in the classroom and force you to apply it by challenging you in ways that the greatest co-op never could."
The major restrictions on the cars, according to the rules developed by the SAE, are engine size and safety considerations for the student drivers. The restrictions are intentionally kept to a minimum in order to promote creativity in the design of the cars.
"The competition is mainly about building and driving a formula car," Mike Ashleigh, a pre-junior majoring in mechanical engineering and three-year member of the Drexel team, said.
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