Bearcat Motorsports finishes fourth in SAE North competition

Bearcat Motorsports, the University of Cincinnati Formula SAE Team, earned fourth place out of 22 teams this month in the Formula SAE North Competition in Barrie, Ontario.

After a strong finish at Michigan International Speedway one week prior, the Bearcat team closed its season by once again finishing and scoring points in all competition events, winning third in the endurance event and earning fifth in design.

Bearcat Motorsports is the UC Academic Intercollegiate Competition student group that participates in Formula SAE, a collegiate design competition sponsored by the Society of Automotive Engineers and supported by all of the major automotive companies and suppliers.

The Canadian Ecole De Technologie Superieure won the event. Michigan finished second while Carleton University placed third.

View complete event results

The competition involves the design, construction and testing of an open-wheel, Formula One style racecar. Students design the car, conduct the cost analysis and give sales and marketing presentations as well as static and driving competitions against other collegiate teams from around the world during four days of competition.

This is the second event of the North American Formula SAE Competition, with 24 teams registered and 22 teams actually competing in the event. Nineteen teams successfully completed the technical inspection and were allowed to compete in the driving events, with over 50% of the field completing the endurance event. Bearcat Motorsports competed with a one-third of the full team in Barrie, Ontario, since the availability of the seniors on the team is limited by graduation and the academic calendar. Other affiliated Formula SAE or Formula Student Competitions take place in England, Germany, Italy, Australia, Japan and Brazil.

Bearcat Motorsports is partially supported by the University Funding Board, as one of several Academic Intercollegiate Competition groups. Other funding comes from the Mechanical and Materials Engineering Department, UC's College of Engineering and Applied Science, the 1819 Innovation Hub and the UC Structural Dynamics Research Lab along with numerous local industry partners and FSAE Alumni (GE Additive, Valvoline, Marathon, Stearns Companies, Millenium Metals, Makino, Mubea, Performance Electronics, Lasercraft, Signal.X, Industrial Tube & Steel, Full Throttle Indoor Karting, Cincy SCCA, ANZA, HMS Motorsport, AIM MRO, Kutney Automotive, GE Aviation, Marque Engineering, Woodco Distributing, Gorilla Glue, Rockwest Composites, Powder Coating Specialty, Cylinder Works, SMC Clutches & Sprockets, The Modal Shop, Honda, Yamaha, Avid Signs, Kinetic Vision, Curbell Plastics, Northside Grinding, Finishing Technologies Inc., SKF, T&B Manufacturing Services and Vivid Wraps). 

This year’s team is dominated by 33 senior mechanical engineering students who earn class credit for participating in this activity. The team leader this year is Joe Tucker who worked with a strong technical committee to organize the activity and get things done on a schedule that began in 2018 with the start of classes. The technical committee involved specialty team leaders along with the faculty advisors.

The specialty team leaders are:  Business – Ted Simmons, Tech Team – Akanksh Shetty, Frame – Andrew Ditmer, Electrical – Jacob Mueller, Suspension – Alex McIntyre, Drivetrain – Nate Blodgett, Engine – Will Imbus, Aero – Brodie Hensler and System Integration – Eric Schaefer. The FSAE North driving team included Andrew Ditmer, Eric Schaefer, Matthew Newberry and Jordon Osterholt. The 33 graduating seniors contributed many long hours and depended upon over 60 undergraduate and graduate students, and FSAE® alumni, who volunteered their time when possible.

For more information, please contact team leader, Joseph Tucker, graduate teaching assistant Ruchinda Gooneratne or the team's faculty advisors, Professor R.J. Allemang or Professor M.L. Mains.

Featured photo at top: The Bearcats Motorsports team poses together in Barrie, Ontario. All photos provided.