Projects · Motorsport

Baja SAE off-road race vehicle

2nd / 100overall at Midnight Mayhem, Louisville KY, as team driver

$30Kraised in sponsorships

30+students recruited and led

5races across five years

Onboard, full run through the course. Margittay driving.

What

All-wheel-drive off-road race car, designed, built, and raced by students
Five years, three roles: composites, suspension and steering lead, Team Captain
30+ students led, five subsystem leads, $30K raised in sponsorships

How

Double-wishbone front and trailing-link rear suspension, SolidWorks with FEA
Front and rear knuckles machined in-house on CNC mill and lathe
TIG and MIG welding, laser cutting, 3D printing, member workshops

Result

2nd of 100 overall at Midnight Mayhem, Louisville KY, with me driving
The team's best result on record
Five competitions across five years

Role

Five years on Western's Baja SAE team: composites member, then steering and suspension lead, then Team Captain directing 5 subsystem leads and a roster of 30+ students. Team driver throughout.

Western Baja SAE race car launching off a snow ramp at a winter competition — Winter competition. The car clearing the snow ramp.

Baja SAE car clearing a wooden ramp at the winter competition with a second car behind — Clearing the ramp at the winter competition.

Western Baja SAE team with the car under the Red Bull arch at night — Night session at competition.

Machined knuckle held in the lathe chuck with the boring bar engaged — Knuckle in the lathe, boring the bearing bore.

GD&T detail drawing of the knuckle bearing bore with tight tolerances — GD&T detail, knuckle bearing bore.

FEA von Mises stress plot of the machined knuckle — Knuckle FEA, von Mises stress.

Western Baja SAE team members posing with the muddy race car at competition — Team at competition. 30+ students, five subsystem leads.

Western Baja SAE race car catching air at a winter competition — Competition, winter event. Margittay driving.

CAD model of the rear knuckle mounted in the trailing-link rear suspension — Rear knuckle CAD. CVT axle carried through a double-row self-aligning bearing.

Knuckle machining in the student shop.

Links and pressWestern Engineering: 2nd place at Midnight Mayhem·Western Baja SAE team