2008 Woodie Awards
PSU racing team rolls out 2008 entry
Issue date: 4/24/08 Section: Campus Life
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The Pittsburg State University racing team's Formula SAE car passed its first test on Friday as it motored around the Kansas Technology Center parking lot to the approval of sponsors and university officials. The bigger test comes April 23-26 at the Virginia International Raceway, where the car will compete with cars from 49 other universities.
The Formula SAE competition was created to allow SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) student members to conceive, design, fabricate and compete with small formula-style racing cars. Last year was the first year that PSU entered the competition, finishing 47th.
Larry Williamson, adviser to the group, says the PSU entry easily fulfills the SAE goal of providing a "meaningful project as well as the opportunity of working in a dedicated team effort." The team is made up not only of manufacturing engineering technology and mechanical engineering technology majors, but also includes a marketing major from the College of Business
Williamson says the racing team benefited by tapping in resources throughout the College of Technology. Students in plastics engineering technology helped in the design and construction of the nose cone and other plastic parts. Students in wood technology created a frame on which the plastic pieces were manufactured. Students from automotive technology provided their expertise.
The teamwork extended well beyond the campus, Williamson says.
Companies provided both materials and parts, but also cash gifts to make the trip possible.
The students provided the time, working countless hours to complete the project on time.
Although the racing team has high hopes for the competition in Virginia and a second in California in May, Williamson says that winning is not the most important thing about the project.
"The experience is the most important thing," he said. "Learning to work as a team, using each person's skills and expertise, planning and executing a design, solving problems - these are the things that have the greatest value."
Members of the team include Travis Budenbender, Eric Herbers, Eric Richardson, Jared Jeffries, Kim Welch and Yao-Chun "Chris" Yang.
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