Formula racing team unveils student-designed carMay 1, 2009 KALAMAZOO--Western Michigan University's student Formula Racing Team will unveil its high-performance racecar Friday, May 8. The team recently took first place in the Detroit Section Student Exhibit Competition at the 2009 Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress. A reception will begin at 3:30 p.m. in front of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences followed by comments at 4 p.m. from the leadership team and Dr. Claudia Fajardo, team faculty advisor and WMU assistant professor of mechanical and aeronautical engineering. The event will conclude with the unveiling of the 2009 racecar and a summary of team activities. The students are preparing for this year's Formula SAE International competition May 13-16 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich. Students win SAE exhibit competition This is the second consecutive year the WMU team captured the top spot in the Student Exhibit Competition held in Detroit. WMU surpassed teams from six other Michigan universities with its presentation, "Sustaining the Spirit of Racing, Renewing the Approach," to win a $1,000 award. Second place was awarded to Michigan Technological University and third to the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. The theme of this year's competition was "Racing to Green Mobility." WMU students who participated in the Detroit competition included WMU SAE student chapter president Sarah Gerbig, a senior from Grand Blanc, Mich.; Zach Tuyls, a sophomore from Battle Creek, Mich.; Paul Rotarius, a senior from Warren, Mich.; and Ryan Pringle, a graduating senior from Clinton Township, Mich. All four are mechanical engineering majors at WMU. WMU competes at Virginia International Raceway During the same week the Detroit competition was held, a core team of 15 Formula SAE students led by Jeffrey Terry, a mechanical engineering junior and 2009 FSAE project manager, represented WMU for the first time at a competition at Virginia International Raceway. Contact For more information, contact Dr. Claudia Fajardo at claudia.fajardo@wmich.edu or (269) 276-3434. Media contact: Deanne Molinari, (269) 387-8400, deanne.molinari@wmich.edu WMU News |