Sports

Tech hosts Baja SAE International Competition

Tech's Baja team prepares their car for the competition.
Photo by Allison Rison.

Tech engineering students competed in the 2019 Baja Society of Automotive Engineers International at Hyder-Burks Pavilion April 11-14. 

 

Co-captains Max Lamantia and Craig Bowen said Tech’s team placed second in the sled pull, ninth in maneuverability and 13thin endurance.

 

Lamantia and Bowen also said 96 schools competed this year.

 

“We’re the most winning team of all time,” engine tech Samantha Scheringer said.

 

Teams from all over the United States, Canada, Mexico and India attended the event.

 

Teams build their own Baja vehicles and put them to the test at the SAE International Competition.

 

“The entire car is built from scratch except the engine,” Tech team member Weston Johnson said.

 

Other competitions at the event include maneuverability, endurance, sled pull, acceleration and suspension and traction. 

 

The maneuverability contest consists of a course of road cones that must be navigated quickly while knocking down the least amount of traffic cones possible. 

 

In the sled pull, a weighted sled is attached to the car to test its pulling capability. 

 

During the acceleration contest, a sensor at the end of a track measures how quickly the car can accelerate in a short distance. 

 

The traction and suspension contest consists of an exciting off-road course of ditches, hills and logs. 

 

Lastly, the endurance contest is made up of a long track in a pasture at Shipley farm with a few logs and ditches. 

 

Event coordinators rescheduled the endurance contest from April 14 to April 13 due to tornado predictions. 

 

For information regarding the Tech Baja SAE team, email Ttubajasae@gmail.com

A competitor navigates the suspension obstacle course.
Photo by Allison Rison.