Sprint, Climb, Crawl, Maneuver, Endure…

To have designed, built and tested a vehicle is not enough… The car must pass technical inspection, be judged on its design, beat the clock in four separate events, and then survive a grueling 4-hour endurance course over varied terrain.

Welcome to the Baja SAE International Western Region Student Competition hosted by the South Dakota School of Mines in Rapid City, SD. This four-day competition tasks students to design and build an off-road vehicle that will survive the severe punishment of rough terrain and water. All vehicles are powered by the same engine - a ten-horsepower Intek Model 20 engine donated by Briggs & Stratton Corporation.

“This is as intense and exciting as it gets. Competition goes on rain or shine and if your car breaks, students have to recover and rebuild it, sometimes within minutes,” asserts Allen Arthur, Applied Science Associate Dean and the Baja Team’s Faculty Advisor. “This is an experience the team members will never forget.

“Competitions like this demand teamwork and precise, clear communications. They provide a real life experience in designing and building a prototype with all the time pressures, scheduling conflicts and budget constraints common to industry. We have participated in the Baja SAE Competition for the past 15 years because it complements our co-operative work experiences and adds value to the students’ resumes. This team’s members already have jobs upon graduation.”

“This was a daunting task from the get go,” exclaimed Aaron Foulk, Baja Car Team Leader. “You can’t imagine what’s really involved until you’re in it.” Some of the challenges overcome included raising $14,000 to build the car, overcoming four redesigns of significant areas of the vehicle, getting the car built within tight time lines and the SAE rules, parts shortages at critical times, and borrowing a vehicle to transport the team and the car to South Dakota.

Learning occurred throughout the project. Team members report that among the best lessons were: working as a team, being aware of each other’s needs, making compromises and sacrifices in one area to accommodate issues elsewhere, comprehending the enormity of tasks needed to take a concept and make it a real product, and managing time so that the car got completed and academic work completed.

Tech Expo 2007 is the initial showcase for the Baja Car. A week later on the 23 rd, the car faces a technical inspection and the competition is underway as more than 100 schools vie for 1 st place. Day 2 a panel of judges evaluate the design and a presentation on the vehicle’s components to determine manufacturability and marketability. Then, it’s time for action!

Day 3, also termed dynamic event day, centers on four independent races against the clock. First, is a hill climb, followed by an acceleration run across a flat, then a rock crawl over terrain marked by boulders, pits and streams, and concluding with a maneuverability exercise dodging around a marked course. Now, it’s time for the main event!

Day 4 dawns with a “really rigorous” course to conquer over a long four hours. Endurance is the key factor here. Agility built into the vehicle and a robust design are imperative to withstand the course. The vehicles and their drivers must hold up to the punishment, stay intact and survive. Among the survivors will be the 2007 victor. “…and we aren’t going 2400 miles to loose. We plan to win,” claims Bill Boling, team member.

No matter the final standings, these students learned a great deal and won the best prize – good starting positions upon graduation. Aaron will be joining Messer Construction as a systems engineer, Bill is slated to join the aerospace department of General Tool Company, while Die Craft gains both James McCafferty as an engineer in the CAD & Design Department and Justin Westerfeld as an engineer in the Programming Department.

Baja Mini Car Web Site