This past May, Ram Racing, CSU’s Formula Society of Automotive Engineers chapter, crossed the finish line on the Formula SAE competition at the Michigan International Speedway. It was a historic moment – the team participated in the main racing event for the first time in a decade.
Ram Racing is a student organization made up of students from colleges across CSU including engineering, computer science and business, as well as a Senior Design team to create a formula-style racecar. Over the course of 15 months, the students worked together to design and manufacture a competitive race car.
Despite some minor bumps in the road, CSU passed its vehicle inspection tests, and the team moved on to the main event, endurance.
During the four-day competition, the team participates in a series of events with 120 teams from all over the world. After passing a technical inspection, all teams undergo a tilt, noise, and braking test.
Endurance is the capstone of the competition—a 25-minute, 17-kilometer race around the track with a driver swap five laps in. Recently graduated mechanical engineering seniors, Hunter Flowers and Tim Hunt, brought their team to the finish line, and a roar of cheers and celebration came over the Ram Racing pit.
“When we passed the braking test, I had tears streaming down my face—that itself was an accomplishment we were so proud of,” said Oscar Wenham, Ram Racing president. “So, when we finished the endurance event, the energy was electric. Everyone was jumping around and yelling, ‘We did it! We did it!’”
Qualifying for a competition like this is no small feat—Wenham estimates hundreds of hours are spent preparing for the SAE and he says the experience makes it all worthwhile. “I can’t say our hard work paid off at competition because it pays off all the time. It’s not about winning competitions, it’s about being a part of the process. We had an amazing team and we’re so proud of all the work we’ve put into this.”
