A dedicated group of Pennsylvania College of Technology students ushered in a new era of competition with a strong showing recently at Baja SAE Oshkosh in Wisconsin.
The Penn College team – comprised of students from several engineering-related majors – finished 10th in the endurance race, considered the toughest test at the international event that requires schools to design, manufacture and build a single-seat, all-terrain vehicle. For the first time, all cars were mandated to be four-wheel drive.
The Penn College Baja SAE team includes the following local residents: automated manufacturing technology students Daniel W. Bujcs, Allentown, and Mitchell M. Wight, Hatfield; manufacturing engineering technology student Isaac H. Thollot, Milford; and engineering design technology student Marshall W. Fowler, Sellersville.
Of the 57 cars in the four-hour endurance race, 17 failed to complete more than 10 laps around the rugged, muddy terrain. Penn College recorded 36 laps in earning its 13th top-10 finish in the event since 2011, including wins last year with its two-wheel-drive system at Baja SAE Tennessee Tech and Baja SAE Rochester.
At Wisconsin, Penn College began the endurance race in the 15th slot and quickly moved to second before a rollover caused a setback. Later in the race, the team had to replace a broken CVT belt and the car’s rear axle, dropping the club to 30th with just 90 minutes remaining. Penn College posted a remarkable finish, passing 20 cars to earn 10th place.
Penn College’s performance in the endurance event bested the likes of Rochester Institute of Technology, Georgia Tech, LSU, UCLA, Iowa State, Michigan State, Purdue, Wisconsin and Notre Dame. The University of Michigan won the race.
Team members will return to campus prior to the beginning of the fall semester to prepare the car for Baja SAE Ohio, scheduled for Sept. 6-10.
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