The Wisconsin Racing team is dedicated to the design, fabrication, marketing, and racing of a small open wheel formula-style racecar. The team consists of students from mainly Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering majors, but also students in Business and even Psychology. With a history spanning over 20 years, the Wisconsin Racing team has progressed a long way, finishing in the top five for five of the past seven years.
The team is composed of six special-interest groups: Suspension, Drivetrain, Powertrain, Electrical, Frame and Body, and Business. A group leader heads each group, with two team leaders overseeing the whole team and providing communication with the team’s faculty advisor. Through a variety of talent and lots of dedication, we work each year to design and fabricate the car ourselves in our own facilities. We then compete in the international SAE competition each year against 140 other colleges and universities. The ultimate goal is to win, but the experience and problem solving skills gained along the way help prepare us for careers in industry.
Why do we do this? First of all, it's loads of fun. Secondly, we can get degree credit for it. Finally, it is one of the best engineering experiences that we could ever have in our undergraduate studies. Students join the team by volunteering or enrolling in the courses Mechanical Engineering 491/492 Formula SAE, or Mechanical Engineering 291/299. The course is structured as a three-credit design elective, or a one-credit elective course, both of which count toward fulfilling College of Engineering graduation requirements. Building a car requires a lot of hands, so the only requirement for joining is a will to learn and a drive to succeed.
The Formula SAE Competition is held each May in Detroit, Michigan. Bringing together 140 teams from around the world, the competition gives teams a chance to show off what they've designed and built, as well as learn from other teams. Cars are judged in both static and dynamic events, making the design and preparation just as important as the final car performance.
Static Events
- Cost Analysis................100pts
- Business Presentation....75pts
- Engineering Design........150pts
Dynamic Events
- Acceleration.................75pts
- Skid-Pad.......................50pts
- Autocross.....................150pts
- Fuel Economy................50pts
- Endurance Track...........350pts
Total Possible Points.....1000pts
For results from last year's competition, as well as previous years, take a look at the News and Cars sections.
